To the editor:
Jacob Riis (1849–1914) was born in Denmark and immigrated to the U.S. in 1870. He struggled to find work. He ate scraps and slept on the street when there was no bed in a flophouse.
In 1873, Riis took his first step on the road to fame and fortune. He was hired by the New York News Association (NYNA) to cover their luncheon at Astor House. He compared the amount and cost of the food to that eaten in the flophouses and took a photograph.
Riis never looked back. He made a career photographing living conditions in the slums and reporting that what the rich spent on a single society dinner could feed a poor family for a year.
That same stark contrast is before us today. The current administartion has proposed $300 million for a ballroom, $400 million to renovate the Qatar jet, $230 million be transferred via a lawsuit from the taxpayers to the president, and a $230 billion cut to SNAP. Will our conscience be pricked? Will we act?
Yes, I believe we will. I believe we will do everything we can to feed our neighbors, but be very careful about the next step. Do NOTHING that lets our federal government off the hook. Do NOT pass a state or local initiative that allows them to duck their obligation.
In a democracy, the government reflects the morals and values of the people and follows the law. Only while we insist upon it do we live in a democracy.
The Court has ruled that our government must distribute SNAP money. They must. We, the people, must insist they do. We must insist our government does not indulge the few while many starve.
It seems like good heartedness to suggest a local initiative and a GoFundMe food bank, but beware: it lets the federal government off the hook, and off the hook for the social safety net is what this administration wants to be. Food is not the only subsidy at stake—it includes housing, healthcare, and social security. The government must be pushed to reflect real goodness and fairness. Insist they do; do not let them off the hook.
Can we? Sure. With the help of Riis, we did it in the 1800s. So do the real work. March, pressure, petition, attend meetings, and insist our government reflect what we believe is right—no one starves on our watch!
Carole Owens
Stockbridge
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