I really don't think I am a total insensitive jerk so maybe I have just made the transition to "grouchy old man". Whatever the reason I took offense to the lady on Good Morning America today who goes on national television and complains that the Albuquerque school district fed her first grade daughter a cheese sandwich, piece of fruit and milk. Apparently the problem is the child did not get the hot lunch provided by the school because her mom had not paid for her lunch debt. Mom had not paid for her lunches because she was out of work (I am sensitive to that situation), she had applied for federal lunch benefits for her daughter but was still waiting to hear back from the bureaucracy (I am very sensitive to that situation).
Now granted I have no idea if she had bothered to explain the situation to anyone at the school, but I am working on the assumption that she did not, because most of the grade schools I have ever dealt with were filled with pretty sensitive caring folks who are truly interested in the well-being of kids. I would be surprised if given the situation the principal or teacher or lunch lady for that matter would have stepped in said we will wait for her lunch benefits to kick in. In fact they may have even quietly paid for the lunches themselves.
In this given situation, I truly believe there should be someone who says wait the rules don't apply here let's show some compassion. The problem I have is when the person who may be due the compassion is indignant that compassion did not come. Whatever happened to self reliance. Times are tough for everyone, families, companies and government bodies. Maybe we could stop worrying so much about what we did not get and focus on what we do have.
Before you get too upset with me, let me also tell you that my son works for a non-profit that is set up to benefit orphans in Zambia. I happen to know that there are kids in Zambia who would be thrilled to know that 5 days a week they could get a free cheese sandwich, piece of fruit and a milk, because that would truly be a feast to them. Sometimes it worries me that Americans have become so soft, we are upset when our kids get a free lunch that may not be quite as good as the lunch that somebody's mom paid for. Even in amazingly difficult financial times, life in the US is not all that bad.
I also have the solution for the Albuquerque school district. Switch cheese sandwiches for peanut butter and jelly. That is what my kids had to eat when I forgot to pay for their lunch at the local grade school. Do you remember the hot lunches from school? My kids never complained that they got a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I certainly never told Chris Cuomo I didn't pay for my kids lunch today.
If you want to see the story from Good Morning America go here-GMA
If you want to know about helping kids in Zambia go here-FLM
If you really want to be great and help out financially go here-Support
Thursday, April 16, 2009
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What? Personal responsibility? Why, isn't that un-American to do something for yourself? Oh, wait a minute, that's what got us here in 1776 and about 1976 started to reverse when babies being born were not held to the same standard of responsibility, accountability, and work ethic that led to a successful country for 200 years. It's time for a change all right...time to kick out of Washington all of those who feel they should find more ways to give to those who want from those who actually provide, and put in their place elected officials who will once again stand up and say, "You can have anything you want--if take responsibility for your preparation and education, your procreation, your vocation, and your recreation." Until we put those types back in power, this free lunch story will become so commonplace the GMA will have to find new sources of surprise for their morning monologue against personal responsibility.
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