hun·ger (hŭng'gər) n,
a. A strong desire or need for food.
b. The discomfort, weakness, or pain caused by a prolonged lack of food.
Sometimes combined with "in America" as in "hunger in America." The good news today is "the Bush administration has stopped using the words 'hunger' or 'hungry' when describing the millions of Americans who can't afford to eat. Instead of suffering from hunger, the Agriculture Department now says these people are experiencing 'very low food security.'"*
According to the USDA, an estimated 35 million Americans (for at least part of last year) were not able to put food on the table, or according to the administration's revised hunger definition, were "very low food security."
Sadly this news probably won't make the wide distribution it deserves, crediting Bush for being the very first president in our history to eliminate hunger in America.
*****
peace (pēs) n, in this case peace as an expressed desire in the form of a peace symbol. As Lisa Jensen has learned from her Colorado homeowners association, displaying a peace symbol wreath as a Christmas decoration is a divisive neighborhood gesture and fineable by $1,000 if she keeps it up. Ms. Jensen has vowed to, until after Christmas.*****
ref·u·gee (rĕf'yʊ-jē') n. -One who flees in search of refuge, as in times of war, political oppression, or religious persecution.Finally today, we learn that Iraqis fleeing to neighboring countries for their lives, are not allowed to bring any of their worldly possessions if they hope to be permitted entrance and stay. And as Nir Rosen, a freelance writer and a fellow at the New America Foundation has revealed they are not refugees according to president Bush.
Use of the word refugees to describe desperate Iraqis seeking security from the US led war in their country casts the Iraq war in a negative light. Maybe Iraqi refugees trying to save their lives and those of their families should just be called what they really are--tourists!
*Thanks to Democracy Now! for today's vocabulary lessons.
3 comments:
I'm a hungry, peaceful refugee in america. (there, do I win the vocabulary prize?)
I read somewhere that some objections to the peace wreath were that it's "anti-war" and "anti-christian". WTFingF? Of course it's anti-war, so does that make the homeowners assn "pro-war"? Now anti-christian i just don't understand. i thought christianity & christmas was all about the prince of peace, peace on earth, goodwill toward man, joy to the world, blah-blah. or is that a divisive message? ~~ D.K.
this is so funny ... we must've been tapping into the Olbermann cosmic-vibe ... i just finished watching it (taped tonight) & kept thinking wow, he must be reading dada for sure!! ya think? ~~ D.K.
I think Keith reads the Blogs...the GOOD ones...like Dada's .....hmm, so according to the Government there is NO Hunger any longer- it is a word that they will use no longer- they will use "Food Insecurity" now...( WTF????- true- saw it on CNN and MSNBC right before Thanksgiving....)
and Refugees are those seeking Refuge- that is why the UN sent Teams to investigate NOLA and Katrina...even though it pissed off Jesse Jackson- those poor souls were refugees- and their leaders were susposed to protect and care for them after the Disaster....just like the Tsunami Victims...
Great Post Dada- really said it all...You Rock...
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