This image was first published in 1971, and apart from a specific reference to napalm is as relevant today as it was then. More so, because hunger is making a BIG comeback in the United States right now (not that it ever really went away). The US Department of Agriculture estimates that 17.4 million families are now “food insecure,” which means that “during any given month, they will be out of money, out of food, and forced to miss meals or seek assistance to feed themselves.” Those families include an estimated one in four American children and millions of senior citizens. And yet, we continue to spend $10 billion a week in Iraq and Afghanistan – you do remember that we’re at war, don’t you? – and more on “defense” and “national security” than the rest of the world combined. We’ve spent hundreds of billions bailing out banks and corporations, and now we’re spending hundreds of billions more purchasing our own debt. Meanwhile, wealthy and popular men like Herman Cain look down their noses and blame the hungry for their hunger.
How far we are from the Kingdom of God. How twisted our affections. How hollow and loveless our ideologies. How ridiculous our diversions and pretenses. How pathetic our justifications for letting our brothers and sisters languish. May God have mercy on us. We’re going to need it.
(Thanks to Sojourners for the image and the inspiration)
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