This I Argue
The documentary "A Place at the Table" addresses one of the most important domestic issues in the United States today, food insecurity. The film takes the viewer all across the United States showing them a variety of setting in which many people, from completely different backgrounds, are afflicted by food insecurity. The first community observed is a small Colorado town. This segment of the film is somewhat surprising, many people might assume that food insecurity is an issue that affects predominantly urban areas, but opening the film with this scene demonstrates how ubiquitous of a problem this issue is. The film goes on to show a series of families and persons from all over the country who struggle with food and food assistance programs. The film poses the unspoken question of why do these people struggle for food, and what can be done about it. The question of food insecurity is a question of economics and poverty. The funding, or lack there of, for programs like SNAP has little to do with the true cause of food insecurity. Food insecurity, starvation, lack of adequate medical care, and impoverishment are all results of the globalized free market.
Food insecurity is very different from starvation but they are both ailments stemming from the same problem. Food insecurity is in my opinion really a symptom of predatory capitalism and i believe that for Americans to combat this problem, it must be combated at a global level. Because the issue of food insecurity in America is really the issue of global poverty. In a system where the total global wealth has been rising at a nearly exponential rate one might expect that global living standards would grow as well. It has been quite the opposite. As living standards throughout the world continue to decline as billions are born into decrepit poverty, the top one percent are accruing unprecedented and unfathomable amounts of wealth. It requires little intelligence to realize that increasing concentration of wealth in the top one percent is directly related to the increasing number of global poor. In my opinion the only solution is to drastically change the economic paradigm. I do not live in a food desert. Food deserts can be combated through public funded projects designed to bring healthy varieties of foods to places where supermarkets wont open. Farmers markets could be an excellent way to deliver fresh foods to areas without. Urban areas are more likely to see benefit from this approach because frames could benefit from the amount customers in an urban environment. Rural communities that suffer from food insecurity could have a harder time using this solution. Americans should not have to rely on charities for food. We aren't given our civil liberties through someone else charity. We don't get our freedom our respect and souls through charity. These are fundamental rights, and in this country (where the government operates with trillions of dollars) having food should be a fundamental right. Obviously the nature of food subsidies needs revision. Industries that have to maximum benefit the general population should be subsidized. Healthy foods and centralized farms should be the ones benefiting most from government funding, not mega-corporations. I personally don't know what kind of myths surround people who require food assistance. Perhaps that they are lazy. I believe that most people would rather be doing something than nothing. But when people don't have any opportunities they might sink into depression and inaction. The question for critics of the food assistance program should not be "Are these people worthy of the assistance they receive?" but rather the question should be "Why do these people need this assistance in the first place?"
Food insecurity is very different from starvation but they are both ailments stemming from the same problem. Food insecurity is in my opinion really a symptom of predatory capitalism and i believe that for Americans to combat this problem, it must be combated at a global level. Because the issue of food insecurity in America is really the issue of global poverty. In a system where the total global wealth has been rising at a nearly exponential rate one might expect that global living standards would grow as well. It has been quite the opposite. As living standards throughout the world continue to decline as billions are born into decrepit poverty, the top one percent are accruing unprecedented and unfathomable amounts of wealth. It requires little intelligence to realize that increasing concentration of wealth in the top one percent is directly related to the increasing number of global poor. In my opinion the only solution is to drastically change the economic paradigm. I do not live in a food desert. Food deserts can be combated through public funded projects designed to bring healthy varieties of foods to places where supermarkets wont open. Farmers markets could be an excellent way to deliver fresh foods to areas without. Urban areas are more likely to see benefit from this approach because frames could benefit from the amount customers in an urban environment. Rural communities that suffer from food insecurity could have a harder time using this solution. Americans should not have to rely on charities for food. We aren't given our civil liberties through someone else charity. We don't get our freedom our respect and souls through charity. These are fundamental rights, and in this country (where the government operates with trillions of dollars) having food should be a fundamental right. Obviously the nature of food subsidies needs revision. Industries that have to maximum benefit the general population should be subsidized. Healthy foods and centralized farms should be the ones benefiting most from government funding, not mega-corporations. I personally don't know what kind of myths surround people who require food assistance. Perhaps that they are lazy. I believe that most people would rather be doing something than nothing. But when people don't have any opportunities they might sink into depression and inaction. The question for critics of the food assistance program should not be "Are these people worthy of the assistance they receive?" but rather the question should be "Why do these people need this assistance in the first place?"
This I Wonder
I rubbed my sweating hands together and told myself to take a deep breath. Looking straight up the crane seemed to tower above us for miles, its metal appendages almost waving to us, beckoning for visitors. A nervous smile spread across my face, I had never been so anxious in all my life. Reaching forward to grip the metal lattice of the structure, i tested my grip and pulled myself up a few feet. Brian and Bolter soon began to follow my lead. After the first 15 feet we reached the lowest maintenance platform of the crane, where the ladder to the top began. We looked at one another then scoped out over the construction site to make sure that no security guards were coming to stop us. I had been anticipating this moment for weeks, but now that it stood before me, I wasn't sure I was ready.
"They will be able to see us climbing." Said Bolter
I nodded my head in agreement, and added " Well we're already trespassing."
"Lets do it" Said Brian with a mischievous smile. He grabbed the first rung of the ladder and pulled himself upward. Bolter followed and then myself.
It had only been a month since we were first introduced to the extreme sport of urban climbing. Almost immediately we developed an obsessive, compulsory interest in the stunts of these thrill seekers. Emerging out of eastern Europe and Russia a few years ago, urban climbing or "Roofing", consists of scaling structures that are off limits to the public without any safety gear or harnesses. The climbs are usually simple and require only moderate climbing ability, but are rather tests of courage stealth. I have always been terrified of heights, absolutely excruciatingly terrified. So it came as quite a surprise to me that I would become so fascinated with climbing urban structures.
My friends and I spent hours watching the urban climbers of Europe out-do one another in increasingly more dangerous stunts. They displayed a freedom of conscious that I had never before witnessed. They would hang out from ledges and bars, holding their bodies thousands of feet off the ground, and look up to the camera and smile, as i f they were sharing a secret with me. The images and videos spoke directly to my soul, a profound recognition that these daredevils held their fate entirely within their own hands.
It was only a few weeks before we were scoping out potential climbs of our own. It consumed me, every day, at any time, if I saw a building of a radio tower, I would stop and look for possible entrance points. I would take pictures and send them to my friends, an they would respond with their own desired climbing destinations. I had no rational reason for my obsessive interest in the sport, but i knew right away that I wanted to do it.
We first began by climbing a small building near Brian's apartment. We could see a two or three story ladder poking out from a small ledge that was about 20 feet off the ground. We scaled the side of the wall and found a window ledge we could stand on to gain access to the ladder. We reached the top and after a few moments of self congratulation, climbed down again. The four story building was indeed a excellent staring point, but we all knew that we were going higher next time.
Bolter was to the first one to see the crane in the city, and he sent Brian and I pictures. We could see that structure was accessible and had a ladder that went almost all the way to the top. Later that night we all met at my house. We looked at the pictures and discussed the possible climb. With nervous excitement we planned our route and timing. For inspiration we watched a few of our favorite climbing videos.
So there we were, climbing up the ladder. We climbed for about six or seven minutes before we reached the next platform. We stopped for a moment to catch our breath. Looking out over the railing, I could see that we were about 10 or 15 floors off the ground by this point. A serene awareness overcame my being, reassuring and peaceful. Brian and Bolter felt it too, broad smiles on all of our faces. After about a two minute break I stood and walked toward the next level of the ladder and began climbing again. I can't remember how long it took or how many rungs of the ladder I climbed, but by the time I reached the next platform I was well above the surrounding structures. I could see for miles, and the only things higher than me were the skyscrapers in center city. Written on the metal bar in front of the ladder exit was "110 m". I was I was overcome with profound sense of self control, I had just climbed nearly 360 feet high and yet I was not tired.
"They will be able to see us climbing." Said Bolter
I nodded my head in agreement, and added " Well we're already trespassing."
"Lets do it" Said Brian with a mischievous smile. He grabbed the first rung of the ladder and pulled himself upward. Bolter followed and then myself.
It had only been a month since we were first introduced to the extreme sport of urban climbing. Almost immediately we developed an obsessive, compulsory interest in the stunts of these thrill seekers. Emerging out of eastern Europe and Russia a few years ago, urban climbing or "Roofing", consists of scaling structures that are off limits to the public without any safety gear or harnesses. The climbs are usually simple and require only moderate climbing ability, but are rather tests of courage stealth. I have always been terrified of heights, absolutely excruciatingly terrified. So it came as quite a surprise to me that I would become so fascinated with climbing urban structures.
My friends and I spent hours watching the urban climbers of Europe out-do one another in increasingly more dangerous stunts. They displayed a freedom of conscious that I had never before witnessed. They would hang out from ledges and bars, holding their bodies thousands of feet off the ground, and look up to the camera and smile, as i f they were sharing a secret with me. The images and videos spoke directly to my soul, a profound recognition that these daredevils held their fate entirely within their own hands.
It was only a few weeks before we were scoping out potential climbs of our own. It consumed me, every day, at any time, if I saw a building of a radio tower, I would stop and look for possible entrance points. I would take pictures and send them to my friends, an they would respond with their own desired climbing destinations. I had no rational reason for my obsessive interest in the sport, but i knew right away that I wanted to do it.
We first began by climbing a small building near Brian's apartment. We could see a two or three story ladder poking out from a small ledge that was about 20 feet off the ground. We scaled the side of the wall and found a window ledge we could stand on to gain access to the ladder. We reached the top and after a few moments of self congratulation, climbed down again. The four story building was indeed a excellent staring point, but we all knew that we were going higher next time.
Bolter was to the first one to see the crane in the city, and he sent Brian and I pictures. We could see that structure was accessible and had a ladder that went almost all the way to the top. Later that night we all met at my house. We looked at the pictures and discussed the possible climb. With nervous excitement we planned our route and timing. For inspiration we watched a few of our favorite climbing videos.
So there we were, climbing up the ladder. We climbed for about six or seven minutes before we reached the next platform. We stopped for a moment to catch our breath. Looking out over the railing, I could see that we were about 10 or 15 floors off the ground by this point. A serene awareness overcame my being, reassuring and peaceful. Brian and Bolter felt it too, broad smiles on all of our faces. After about a two minute break I stood and walked toward the next level of the ladder and began climbing again. I can't remember how long it took or how many rungs of the ladder I climbed, but by the time I reached the next platform I was well above the surrounding structures. I could see for miles, and the only things higher than me were the skyscrapers in center city. Written on the metal bar in front of the ladder exit was "110 m". I was I was overcome with profound sense of self control, I had just climbed nearly 360 feet high and yet I was not tired.