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From: josh@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (J Storrs Hall)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory,net.politics
Subject: Re: Extent of hunger in America
Message-ID: <4080@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Fri, 18-Oct-85 21:15:41 EDT
Article-I.D.: topaz.4080
Posted: Fri Oct 18 21:15:41 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Oct-85 05:53:21 EDT
Reply-To: josh@topaz.UUCP (J Storrs Hall)
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 21
Xref: linus net.politics.theory:1319 net.politics:10922

In article <784@cybvax0.UUCP> mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) writes:
>Actually, I've considered the "Purina human chow" idea ...
>But the problem in the US isn't just keeping people alive: ...

>... the status-oriented desire to conceal "lowly" origins.  ...
>...  I don't think fostering such distinctions is a desirable goal,...

You and the poverty industry both.  But such distinctions were the
major force that caused people to work their way out of poverty.
The absolute worst thing that welfare has done is to destroy the 
incentive, the stigma of poverty.  

But make no mistake:  As Mike has so kindly pointed out, the actual 
physical problem of hunger is quite separate from the social engineering
goals of those who talk about it most often.  To quote myself,

>> [The socialist] is *not interested in hunger per se*.
>> He is interested instead in *using* hunger to further his political ends.
>> He is, in a word, EXPLOITING the hungry.

--JoSH