Childhood Hunger

In October, Texas launched a No Kid Hungry Campaign. It is part the nation’s hunger program called Share OurStrength. In Share Our Strength’s mission statement they claim, “Share Our Strength’s goal is to end childhood hunger in America. Working with others, we believe we can do this by 2015.” No Kid Hungry (NKH) has three levels to end childhood hunger: Live, Learn, and Play. They provide healthy foods in the Live program through food stamps and WIC to poor families who would otherwise not be able to afford it. In the Learn element of the program, they provide breakfast and lunches at schools and teach kids about nutrition. In the Play section, snacks are provided after school, and during the summer low income kids have meals brought to them.

                Texas has an extremely high “food insecurity” rate. Food security is defined as the availability of food and one’s access to it. By providing meals, at school and at home, kid’s food security levels rise. They know when the next meal will be there, and that one is coming. The program offers kids from all incomes levels free breakfast so that kids won’t feel singled out at school for eating there.

                I think this is an amazing program Texas is joining. We tend to be on the low ends of all bad statistics in the nation. It’s time we do something to help raise our standing in something as important as child hunger. Kids all over the country don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Giving them a meal helps them focus in school. Doing better in school means more high school graduates. This may be a jump, but making sure our kids aren’t hungry could equal a higher college enrollment rate. I say bravo Texas on jumping on a wonderful program.

Sometimes, Texas is Crazy

On October 26, a classmate of mine talked about putting the confederate flag on license plates. Alecca spoke about how it is an extremely controversial issue for all Texans. She gave both sides of the story by saying, “Governor Rick Perry gave his opinion on the subject saying, "We don't need to be scraping old wounds". While, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson disagrees saying that the confederate flag is a historical symbol.” She ended the article by saying that Texans should be the ones to decide whether the flag makes it onto the license plate or not.

I completely agree with Governor Perry. The thought of putting something so controversial on a license plate is absurd. It may be part of Texas’ history, but probably not a part most people want to remember. The confederate flag is a symbol of the South and slavery. We already fought about it as a country. And guess what? We lost. There is absolutely no need to flaunt it in everyone’s face…on every car. What good would it do? Just cause more drama in the state. Unnecessary. And ridiculous. I know many people who find the flag offensive. People can put whatever they want to on their vehicle. It someone chooses to put a confederate flag in their window or bumper, feel free. But let’s now make it mandatory for everyone. Some people are still deeply hurt and there’s no need to stir up the past.