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Throughout its two hundred and thirty-eight year history, America has been a nation that is not afraid to stand up and fight against injustice. Time and time again during America’s journey, the country has proudly stood tall against oppression – from the horrible crimes committed by the Nazi regime to the current chaos in the Middle-East. For as noble and inspiring these efforts have been, America has long neglected one of the most egregious crimes against humanity, one that occurs daily on its own soil. Each and every day that passes in the Land of the Free is rife with injustice and dangerous policy that is essentially handicapping countless citizens. If there has ever been a time for America to declare war, it is now, and it is against the rampant hunger that persists in every state across the country. The facts, when examined, are shockingly simple. In the richest nation in the world, one in six Americans is food insecure (A Place at the Table). Food insecurity, the concept of not knowing where your next meal will come from, has spread across the country like a plague, virtually unchecked. Many will scoff at this statistic, looking about their peer groups and think that these are loaded numbers, but the truth remains. In a nation that was founded on the concepts of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the various policies and regulations regarding food programs are so backwards that these three ideals are becoming increasingly difficult to fulfill. This food crisis in many ways is the death of the American Dream.
The most glaring example of America’s ignorance to their ever-growing food crisis is also its most painful to see. America’s youth, those who have every right to grow into some of the most influential and important leaders of tomorrow, are being left in the dust thanks to horrifically outdated meal programs. There is undeniable scientific evidence that sheds light on the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced diet and its relevance to academic success. A 2005 study conducted by The American Society for Nutritional Sciences found that food insecurity directly affects not only the academic performance of students, but also ‘weight gain and social skills’. According to the 2012 documentary, A Place at the Table, federal reimbursement for school meal programs has not increased since 1973. It does not take an economist to understand how these numbers are in no way acceptable. Taking into account inflation, wages, and other miscellaneous costs, this leaves less than seventy cents allotted per meal per student (A Place at the Table). So many of America’s youths depend on the school system for their meals, and while there is always food to be consumed, it is rarely enough or of a nutritious caliber. By not consistently providing the types of food and meals that our youths need, we are denying them the ability to stay healthy, grow and learn. By cutting corners and providing poor meal choices, America is essentially handicapping its future. As America’s thirty-fifth presidents, John F Kennedy famously stated, “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” Sadly, the America of today has forgotten this. Poor meal conditions in schools are not the only problem creating America’s food crisis; much of the problem can be traced back to America’s roots – the farming and agriculture industry. The notion of the strong, solemn farmer is one that Americans have hung their hat on for generations, a global identity that no matter how technologically advanced the nation becomes, still hearkens back to America’s humble roots. Farming has always been an integral part of American society and thanks to the shocking subsidization programs set up in the country, it will forever stay relevant. These programs, however great and important they were when they were initially created during the dawn of the Great Depression through the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936, have become one of the cornerstones of America’s food issues. While subsidization helps ensure that farmers will be able to earn wages for their efforts and crops, big business has ensured that the money farmers can earn is specifically centered on what will make the most profitable end product, rather than what is the best for the consumer to eat. In doing this, America has been overcome with snack foods consisting of sugar and chips as opposed to healthier ‘green’ alternatives. Because of this, America’s youth is considerably more inclined to eat foods that – much like our nation’s poor school food systems – handicap their ability to stay alert and focused. There is nothing innately wrong with enjoying simple snacks occasionally, subsidization on foods that create for cheap and unhealthy products; those with lower incomes are often caught in a cycle of using what little money that they have to purchase items such as chips that are impossible to stay in good shape with. The fact of the matter is that in a society that prides itself on being global leaders, America’s attention is often pointed anywhere else but on its own soil. As the decades pass, the crisis that is America’s neglect towards her own citizens – especially its youth – becomes ever more glaring. The fault lies on no one person in particular, but rather years of emphasis on providing quick convenience and instant gratification instead of bettering the lives of all who reside in our country. This marks an important time in American history, because if the state of the country’s food issues continues, the potential for the future fades. No child should be left behind, but unfortunately this is exactly what happens.
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Thesis Statement:
In a nation that was founded on the concepts of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the various policies and regulations regarding food programs are so backwards that these three ideals are becoming increasingly difficult to fulfill, creating a food crisis that is in many ways the death of the American Dream. Topic Sentences:
Argument Summary: There is little denying that America, the world's richest and most powerful nation, is doing little to further the future of its residents. This fact is the most glaring in America's youth, who are so affected by America's backwards food-related programs that their potential to shine is being dimmed. Because of focused attention that feels as if it is aimed anywhere else, America has ultimately handicapped the potential of its residents. Throughout its two hundred and thirty-eight year history, America has been a nation that is not afraid to stand up and fight against injustice. Time and again during America’s journey, the country has proudly stood tall against oppression – from the horrible crimes committed by the Nazi regime to the current chaos in the Middle-East. For as noble and inspiring these efforts have been, America has long neglected one of the most egregious crimes against humanity, one that occurs daily on its own soil. Each and every day that passes in the Land of the Free is rife with injustice and dangerous policy that is essentially handicapping countless citizens. If there has ever been a time for America to declare war, it is now, and it is against the rampant hunger that persists in every state across the country. The facts, when examined, are shockingly simple. In the richest nation in the world, one in six Americans is food insecure (CITATION NEEDED). Food insecurity, the concept of not knowing where your next meal will come from, has spread across the country like a plague, virtually unchecked. Many will scoff at this statistic, looking about their peer groups and think that these are loaded numbers, but the truth remains. In a nation that was founded on the concepts of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the various policies and regulations regarding food programs are so backwards that these three ideals are becoming increasingly difficult to fulfill. This food crisis in many ways is the death of the American Dream.
America, as a whole, is seen as a powerful and influential nation. Upon closer examination, however, this could not be further from the truth. As sad as it is to accept, there is no excuse for the horrible treatment that many citizens of America are subject to. The problem is not that these people are intentionally marginalized; however, it is that our country simply chooses to not do enough. The most glaring example of America’s ignorance to their ever-growing food crisis is also it’s most painful to see. America’s youth, those who have every right to grow into some of the most influential and important leaders of tomorrow, are being left in the dust thanks to horrifically outdated meal programs. There is undeniable scientific evidence that sheds light on the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. This, of course, is something that simply is not happening in America’s public school system. According to the 2012 documentary, A Place at the Table, federal reimbursement for school meal programs has not increased since 1973. It does not take an economist to understand how these numbers are in no way acceptable CITATION NEEDED. Taking into account inflation, wages, and other miscellaneous costs, this leaves less than seventy cents allotted per meal per student. So many of America’s youths depend on the school system for their meals, and while there is always food to be consumed, it is rarely enough or of a nutritious caliber. By not consistently providing the types of food and meals that our youths need, we are denying them the ability to stay healthy, grow and learn. By cutting corners and providing poor meal choices, America is essentially handicapping its future. As America’s thirty-fifth presidents, John F Kennedy famously stated, “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” Sadly, the America of today has forgotten this. Poor meal conditions in schools are not the only problem in America’s food crisis. Much of the problem can be traced back to America’s roots – the farming and agriculture industry. The notion of the strong, solemn farmer is one that Americans have hung their hat on for generations – a global identity that no matter how technologically advanced the nation becomes, still hearkens back to America’s humble roots. Farming has always been an integral part of American society and thanks to the shocking subsidization programs set up in the country, it will forever stay relevant. These programs, however great and important they were when they were initially created during the dawn of the Great Depression, have become one of the cornerstones of America’s food issues. While subsidization helps ensure that farmers will be able to earn wages for their efforts and crops, big business has ensured that the money farmers can earn is specifically centered on what will make the best end product, rather than what is the best for the consumer to eat. In doing this, America has been overcome with snack foods consisting of sugars and chips as opposed to healthier ‘green’ alternatives. Because of this, America’s youth is considerably more inclined to eat foods that – much like our nation’s poor school food systems – handicap their ability to stay alert and focused. While there is nothing innately wrong with enjoying simple snacks occasionally, but because of the food industry’s subsidization on foods that create for cheap and unhealthy products, those with lower incomes are often caught in a cycle of using what little money that they have to purchase items such as chips that are impossible to stay in good shape with. The fact of the matter is that in a society that prides itself on being global leaders, America’s attention is often pointed anywhere else but on its own soil. As the decades pass, the crisis that is America’s neglect towards her own citizens – especially its youth – becomes ever more glaring. The fault lies on no one person in particular, but rather years of emphasis on providing quick convenience and instant gratification instead of bettering the lives of all who reside in our country. This marks an important time in American history, because if the state of the country’s food issues continues, the potential for the future fades. No child should be left behind, but unfortunately this is exactly what happens. I turn the gas stove on and listen to its sleepy, defiant click as I lower my head towards the blue flame, a cigarette in my mouth. Instinctively, I reach to quickly pull my hair back – it’s getting much too long, she always told me – and tuck it behind my ears, safe from the flame’s entrancing dance. As I stand upright an inhale I am greeted with clarity for the first time in weeks. That clarity, however, is fleeting and turns to emptiness as I turn and lock eyes with her.
It’s late and her pale skin is near-translucent in our dimly lit apartment. She is stunning, almost ethereal in the evening. She stands before me, silent, but her eyes tell a sad story. I take a drag of my cigarette and want nothing more than to tell her that everything’s going to be alright. This dingy apartment, our life together, it’s all up from here. I want to make her feel safe when I myself feel nothing but fear and uncertainty. I will have to lie to her, but she will see through it. My eyes will betray me. My brain tells my body to move closer to her; that the words I stumble over in my head will come flowing out as I reach for her delicate arm. The moment I step, however, she is no longer there, rushing past me and fading into the other room as my cigarette’s smoke rises into nothingness. I follow her and am greeted by a home torn apart. Brown boxes have taken over the apartment, tokens of our life together packed away. There is nothing left but the barren wasteland of shattered hopes and broken promises. Feeling helpless, I reach for the keys in my pocket and fumble with them, hoping more than anything that these small pieces of metal will inspire something courageous from me. The words never come. She stands stock still, her small frame engulfed by the surrounding boxes and I swear, despite her tear-stained eyes, that she has never looked lovelier. “It doesn’t have to be the end of us,” I cough out as I exhale again, hoping my words will inspire some emotion from her. “I love you.” Gracefully, she steps towards me, quickly, assuredly. I watch, feeling like a bystander as her hand opens up and she whips it across my face. It stings in a way that I sometimes still feel, even four years later. “You’re the one who is leaving,” she reminds me before turning and entering our bedroom. I taste blood in my mouth and drag deeply on my cigarette. Silence permeates my world as I sit amid the boxes. Alone now, I retreat inside my mind and examine the facts. I look out the window and am greeted by stars and I cannot help but be lost in their feeble light. She was right; I am the one who is leaving, the one whose belongings are packed. The car out front is mine and the keys that I will use to start its engine in the early hours of the morning are mine as well. Dwelling on this, with my eyes fixed firmly on the stars visible through my window I take in the silence. In the morning I am leaving this life behind. The city, my friends, and my relationship will be left in the dust. As much as this pains me, much like the blood in my mouth, there is nothing left to be done about it. My mind has been made up and tomorrow everything changes. She still wants a reason, something logical and clandestine to explain my decision. In truth, I have none other than a sense of necessity. For as much good as my life has in it, it is still marred by failure. At twenty, I have no job, no education to speak of. My peers are moving on, destined for success in the vague reality that we refer to as the real world and they will all inevitably leave me behind. I know this to be true and I take one last drag of my cigarette. She will do the same too, whether she knows it or not. Rather than be left to deal with the fate I am being dealt – one of despair and inevitable loneliness, I decided to make a change. Something in my bones urged me to return to my home, to start anew before it is too late. It is scary and terrible, but it is the only option that makes sense after the thought enters my mind. With a resigned sigh, I lay about the floor, lost amid the boxes and wish that it will all make sense somehow. I close my eyes and pray that in the morning I will become a new man. In the darkness, I wonder if I am making the right decision. Each day my eyes open now and I remember the anxiety and pain I felt that last night. Four years have passed and each day feels better than the last. I brush the sleep out of my eyes and take in the day. The birds squawk and chirp loud enough to make their point clear – there will be no sleeping in this morning. I dress myself and move down the stairs, unsure of my footing and lost in my thoughts. The coffee pot is my goal, my mission, my savior. I prepare my cup and move cautiously onto the deck, balancing the cup as I reach for a cigarette. I light it. I inhale. I feel alive; slowly, yet quite surely. Four years have passed and so much has changed. I smile to myself as I drink. Each day feels better than the last. The turmoil and anguish of the past is gone and the only taste left in my mouth is the bitter, hot coffee. |