This Just In — It’s coming down to our daily bread.
Yesterday I stopped into a local bagel shop at around 2:00 PM and asked for a half dozen bagels. The manager of the store invited me to choose whatever and however many I wanted as she was just about to clean out the bins and toss the contents.
As delighted as I am to receive something for nothing (she threw in the cream cheese) this got me thinking about the millions of Americans who are sitting on the hairy edge right now waiting to find out if their food stamps are going to disappear on Saturday as promised by the Ballroom Boys of the GOP.
(For the record, I think they might just jump in at the last minute and exempt the Food Stamps program from the shutdown and fund them via emergency funds, but I put nothing past these guys.)
Anyway … it’s worth saying out loud that the lowdown, awful bad thing might happen and have a plan for our community if it does. I offer these suggestions:
- If you’re in any position to make contributions to our local food banks, please do so.
- If you own a restaurant, food truck or coffee shop, please let customers know when you’re discarding the days unsold product.
- Call the Speaker of the House and your Republican Senator’s offices and demand that they advocate for this program (which has NEVER been unfunded due to a government shutdown) be FUNDED. Phone numbers at the bottom of this column. Emails and social media posts are helpful, but you MUST ring the phones in their DC offices. These calls are logged and get the attention of elected officials. Senators Budd and Tillis will take notice. As I’ve often said before, whatever their shortcomings as leaders, these guys can COUNT.
Locally, we’re fortunate to have elected leaders who may well already be contingency planning for this ridiculous and avoidable outcome, but just in case, check with your church or other civic organization that you support to see what you can contribute to help feed our neighbors in need.
The NoKingsDay demonstrations were an excellent example of the neighborly feelings around here. That was a proud moment for me toward Orange County but also for our state and the country. We are, in fact, a country that wants for its citizens to work hard and care about their neighbors. We ARE that country. We have to remember that, especially when there are dingbats in high office who want to insist that we’re on the brink of civil war, but must build a ballroom ASAP.
We’re about to launch into the holiday season, a time of giving thanks and good old American excess in the area of retail support for the economy. Please think about redirecting some of your holiday generosity toward food banks and providers of this basic human support … if only for this particular year, when cruelty seems to be not just on the menu at the White House, but the main course.
We’ll turn this around, but we have to take care of each other in the immediate future and prepare for the worst … a long term shutdown and more autocratic abuse.
Speaker Mike Johnson (202) 225-2777
Senator Thom Tillis (202) 224-6342
Senator Ted Budd (202) 224-3154
Jean Bolduc is a freelance writer and the host of the Weekend Watercooler on 97.9 The Hill. She is the author of “African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties: An Oral History” (History Press, 2016) and has served on Orange County’s Human Relations Commission, The Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, the Orange County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, and the Orange County Schools’ Equity Task Force. She was a featured columnist and reporter for the Chapel Hill Herald and the News & Observer.
Readers can reach Jean via email – jean@penandinc.com and via Twitter @JeanBolduc
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