Perceptions of the US: They only hate us for our freedoms

Let them eat kabab

On April 7, as the world around us continued to burn, the White House issued an Immediate Release: the Easter Dinner Menu. I am sure you will be glad to know that after a hard day of work the President and First Lady look forward to a Texas Grapefruit, Avocado, and Mozzarella Salad; Fire-Glazed Ham; Green Chili Cheese Grits Souffl�, Roasted Orange Molasses Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus, Brazos Valley Cheeses, Fresh Yeast Rolls, with Coconut Cake and Blue Bell Ice Cream to wash it all down.

We hope the President and First Lady had enough to eat. At the same time, 854 million people across the world are hungry, up from 852 million a year ago. Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes-one child every five seconds, according to the World Food Program.

Who are these hungry people? Most of them – 815 million people – are found in the developing world, while 28 million are in Eastern Europe and nations of the former Soviet Union. Nine million – more than the total population of metropolitan New York City – live in the world’s richest countries.

But surely the rich need not be ashamed. They have human needs too, and so do diplomats. And catering to these needs provides jobs. Recently in Cape Cod Times, Darlene Superville reported that White House Executive chef Cristeta Comerford has cooked for at least 33 heads of state since her promotion in August 2005.

“She’s done a great job of serving American food, which is what I think should be served. It’s the White House,” said Ris Lacoste, former chef at 1789, a top restaurant in the capital’s Georgetown neighborhood. She said that soup as the first course is “a very seductive way to open a meal… Soup is something that is so embracing and so welcoming.”

Those who refuse to drink soup must pay the price. Poor�nutrition and calorie deficiencies cause nearly one in three people to die prematurely or have disabilities, according to the World Health Organization. Pregnant women, new mothers who breastfeed infants, and children are among the most at risk of undernourishment. In 2005, about 10.1 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. Almost all of these deaths occurred in developing countries,�3/4 of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the two regions that also suffer from the highest rates of hunger and malnutrition. Most of these deaths are attributed, not to outright starvation, but to diseases that move in on vulnerable children whose bodies have been weakened by hunger.

CARE reports that 54 nations currently do not produce enough food to feed their populations and that most of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa.

But of course, some Africans have dined well on American Hospitality. His Excellency Mwai Kibaki, President of Kenya, and Mrs Lucy Kibaki enjoyed their Roasted Rack of Lamb, Wild Mushrooms and Armagnac Sauce, Sweet Potato Flan and Autumn Vegetables; Avocado and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Toasted Cumin Dressing; the “Best of Kenya” Arabica Ice Cream and Coffee Liquor Parfait; Caramelized Banana and Pineapple with both Soter Pinot Noir “Beacon Hill” and Honig Sauvignon Blanc “Late Harvest” 2002 to wash it down, all while being entertained by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Perhaps some day every Kenyan will have this chance.

After opening the British royal dinner with celery broth and Crispy Rock Shrimp, Chef Comerford served medallions of buffalo tenderloin, roasted corn, wild rice pancakes, glazed parsnips and young carrots. That was followed by a palate-cleansing salad of mint romaine lettuce drizzled with blood orange vinaigrette, Vermont Camembert Cheese and Spiced Walnuts, before a dessert of petits fours cake, chartreuse ice cream and red and green grape sauce. All this was washed down with Iron Horse “Wedding Cuv�e” 2002; Peter Michael Pinot Noir “Le Moulin Rouge” 2002, and Newton Chardonnay “Unfiltered” 2002. Leaning on their Gold pintuck silk tablecloths, among sprays of white phaeleanopsis orchids with camellia foliage in the historic White House vermeil candelabras, The British Royals were serenaded by the US Air Force Military Band.

Of course, poor people have flowers and music too. And some make excellent servers. But not all.� As the World Food Program notes:

Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness. Worldwide,�more than 1 billion people currently live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day.

Currently the World Food Program cannot feed all these people because US law requires that Food for aid be purchased in the US at US prices, as a form of farm subsidy. True, it seems that the Bush Administration backs some reform in this area. Celia Dugger reports (April 7):

The United States Agency for International Development estimated that if Congress adopted the Bush proposal, the United States could annually feed at least a million more people for six months and save 50,000 more lives. But Congress quickly killed the plan in each of the past two years, cautioning that untying food aid from domestic interest groups would weaken the commitment that has made the United States by far the largest food aid donor in a world where 850 million go hungry.

So we should not (only) target our poor president, right? Nor can expect our leaders to go hungry, of course. Therefore last year, Australian Prime Minister Howard enjoyed his Pan-roasted Barramundi, Charentais Melon Relish, Lemon Carnaroli Risotto with Asparagus Tips; Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi consumed his Maryland She Crab Soup, Crackling Fishers Island Oysters, Texas Kobe Beef with Cracked Black Pepper, Shitake Mushroom Jus, Silver Corn Pilaf, and Sesame-coated Wild Asparagus; and even the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz dinner got Spicy Shrimp and Sausage, Molasses Barbecue Rub, Creamy White Grits and Pan-fried Sweet Potato Cakes. Thank God no watermelon!

But this is not to suggest that Muslim Friends of George are not invited to the Feast. At the working dinner with the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sept. 27, 2006, our Muslim brothers enjoyed Sunchoke Soup with Feta Triangles, Leek and Celery Heart Fondue; Spicy Sea Bass with Stuffed Catalan Tomatoes, Grilled Fennel and Shallot Jus; Salad of Endive, Radicchio and Chicory, Pomegranate Lemon Dressing, and Pumpkin Cake with Vanilla Sauce, Caramel Ice Cream. How disappointing that the Saudi King has just cancelled the planned State Dinner with President Bush.

And how disappointing too that in Guantanamo 13 detainees (or perhaps 40) are now on hunger strikes, even despite the new policy of strapping prisoners into restraint chairs while they are fed by plastic tubes inserted through their nostrils. Over 160 Camp 6 inmates are now locked in “improved” 8-foot-by-10-foot cells for at least 22 hours in isolation, with limited reading material and no television and with no legal rights or charges. “My wish is to die,” one reported hunger striker in the camp, Adnan Farhan Abdullatif, a 27-year old Yemeni, told his lawyer. “We are living in a dying situation.”

Wow, they must be hungry. Of course we all know how we are dying to eat after a long day of fasting in Ramadan. Nice to think how delicious the White House Iftar dinner was last Ramadan 2006: Spiced Carrot Soup, Roasted Quince, Mint Pesto-crusted Halibut, Citrus Fondue, Largueta Almonds and Currants, Vine-ripened Tomato Salad, Fresh Basil and Olive Oil, Warm Pear Souffle, Caramel Sauce, Chocolate Macaroons.

America is really a melting pot. That�s for sure. Why do�others hate us? They only hate us for our freedoms.

Adem Carroll is a journalist and community activist in Jamaica, New York. He served in the Peace Corps in Morocco and received a Master’s degree in Near Eastern Studies at NYU.