I have decided to take on another challenge that supports my effort to be associated with or be the lead on a sacrificial project. If you recall in January I spent a day in silence and avoided eating for 16 hours in support of the Palestinians during the most recent Middle East conflict.For the month of February I have elected to limit myself to purchasing food in a grocery store, and only spending $120 for the entire month on the food that I buy. At present, I have spent $118.50. In the event I deplete my food funding prior to the 28th, I will eat frozen dinners that were given to me from a friend whose mother received an influx of Meals on Wheels dinners.
You may be saying to yourself, ‘that will not be too difficult for The Black Rebel.’ It will because I spend on the average $220 a month on food. This food may come from a restaurant, it may be in the form of a latte or smoothie, or it may be from my weekly stop at a fast food joint for French fries. This month none of that will occur!
Why am I doing this?
To once again go back to my roots. I remember my mother giving me food stamps to buy items at the local supermarket. I was so embarrassed. Now, I want to relive part of that experience: having to budget monies for food to the last penny. I also want to empathize with those Americans today who have to go without eating at times so that their children can eat and become one with those folk who have to eat terribly unhealthy because in the United States healthy food is more expensive. Such a travesty!
I take part in activities/challenges like this so that I can ‘go without’. Feel what it will be like to be in someone less fortunate shoes. To remind myself and fellow Americans that our priorities may not be align with what is morally RIGHT. A perfect example of priorities out of place was seen during the Super Bowl production (if you watched that marvelous game). The commercials that we look forward to tell the American story: Greed, sex, and more greed.
As the picture above suggest, America is more interested in using corn to save money on oil than feeding the millions of hungry people right here in the United States and beyond our shores.
Source of my inspiration:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/02/02/food.stamps.economy/index.html#cnnSTCVideo
-The Black Rebel
Reader Response:
ReplyDeleteI already do that.
-EJ
The Black Rebel Responds to EJ:
ReplyDeleteI eat out now in then which increases the amount of money I spend. Like on coffee, a burger, small candy items, etc. I want to limit myself. Make a small sacrifice from my normal every day life. It is all about seeing life from another perspective. We so often get entrenched in our lives that we forget that people are dying from starvation and that the reason many are unhealthy is because they cannot afford the healthy choices. Think about this: our health care system is burdened in some areas because people cannot eat healthy. I find that to be pathetic. What I am doing is more than not eating what I want it is rebellion with a sacrifice. It is to say to our politicians, 'you have to be better leaders and address the concerns of the people who put you in office.
-The Black Rebel
Reader Response:
ReplyDeleteWhen I first got back from PC, I was an Americorps vol in Oregon. My husband couldn't work for the first 8 months, and he didn't speak any English anyhow. We made a combined $11,000 that year. I was more poor than in PC. We were on food stamps (well actually only me because he wasn't elligible so it was very very tight) It gave me serious insight to being poor in America. An experience worth as much if not more than 2 years poor in a developing country.
I watched that CNN blip. I watched carefully what they put in the cart. there was a lot of packaged food. (Thai kichen, Zatarans etc). For a slightly different point of view...I want to give people cooking lessons so they can see that you don't need to buy packaged stuff. It's cheaper and way healthier to avoid that crap. I rarely buy brand names now but then again, I rarely buy pre-packaged food- I buy plain grocery brand rice and add my own spices, many of which I grow, instead of Zatarans...and I work full time, am in school full time and do the cooking for my little family. I'm not superwoman, I just insist on eating healthy which is conveniently cheaper. But cheaper is also conveniently healthy.
Also, regarding saving oil instead of feeding people corn- I cannot scream loud enough in agreement. Ironically, we are not saving oil and really damaging earth more.
-TS
The Black Rebel Responds to TS:
ReplyDeleteWhew, that is POOR!
I really believe that poverty should not be an issue in the United States. I recognize that our government should not and cannot take care of everyone on this level. However, the poorest of the poor SHOULD NOT be women and children.
Canned foods are just as worst. All that sodium is killing people.
I remember growing up and noticing the foods we ate because momma was not clued-in on that frozen dinners, packaged foods, etc. are not healthy choices. She needed some lessons: Cooking Lessons with Siaso. Sounds like a cooking show. Common now. Let's do it!!
-The Black Rebel
Reader Response:
ReplyDeleteAnd to add to that "sacrifice," what we do on an ongoing basis is grow our own food. Growing food isn't just for those with yard space, but can been done on balconies, rooftops, decks, etc.--our imagination is the limit. And when we look at the price of seed and the abundance of reward that comes from those tiny seeds, it instills pride in knowing what we're capable of, despite our circumstances. We also take the time to show those who can't afford a lot of the expensive organic foods and chemicalized lower-priced foods how to become self-sustaining. That, to me, is what takes many of us back to our roots. The roots that were destroyed during and following slavery. At this time in my life, I now feel like it's a "sacrifice," when I HAVE to go to the grocery store for something. ;-)
-YJ
The Black Rebel Responds to YJ:
ReplyDeleteThe right ideas are in our atmosphere - but the easy road is more attractive. America!
-The Black Rebel
YJ Responds again:
ReplyDeleteI agree that we have to be the catalyst for the change we wish to see. But we also have to serve as a reminder that this goes further than just people who don't know when they're full.
A lot of the food sold in restaurants and available in grocery stores has little nutritional value. We can pick up a simple box of bran flakes, read the label and find that there are more chemicals and preservatives than there are ingredients that can be considered food.
There are people honestly trying to lose weight, who don't realize their supposedly healthy food choices aren't so healthy upon closer examination.
Diet sodas containing aspartame are a good example of this. Not only does this chemical cause weight gain, but it is also a neurotoxin and a carcinogen. Visit www.dorway.com for more information on this culprit, as this is found in countless sugarless products, including chewing gum.
One last thing: just because someone is slim doesn't mean they're healthy either. If they're taking in the standard Amerikkan diet, chances are their system is working just as hard as someone considered to be obese. Just some food for thought as you go into your sacrifice. Read this when you get hungry. ;-)
YJ
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The Black Rebel Responds to YJ:
ReplyDeleteBelieve me I understand your last paragraph. I have what people call "a perfect body". Six pack, broad muscular shoulders and arms - but guess what? I am so unhealthy. On cholesterol and about to be on blood pressure medication. I contribute most of my unhealthiness to POOR diet. Sad - but I am going to turn that around!
-The Black Rebel