Thursday, November 24, 2005

Thanksgiving 2005

In 1986, a 10 year old boy who lived in a NY City "welfare hotel" testified before the House Select Committee on Hunger:

My name is David Bright. I am 10 years old. I am homeless. I am often hungry. Right now, I live in the Martinique Hotel. The Martinique is a mad house. The hallways are dangerous. Many things could happen to you while you're in the hallways. Like you could be shot or raped. The roaches and rats are a big problem, too. But being raped is worse. There are people who rape little boys in the hallways.
I am often hungry because I don't get enough to eat. Homeless kids are taken to schools far away. When the bus comes late, I can't even get breakfast at school. When I arrive the bell rings, then breakfast just stops. I just can't think in school when I'm hungry. My mind just stops thinking and this can't go on forever. That's because I want to learn. I want to get a good education. Learning is fun for me.
There are too many little kids in the hotel who never go to school. There is just not enough room in the schools for them. Just like there's not enough homes for poor children and not enough food.
When I grow up I will be President of the United States. When I am the President, every American will have a home. Every American will have something to eat every day. Everyone in America will have a little money in his pocket. When I am President, no 10 year old boy like me will have to put his head down on the desk at school because it hurts to be hungry.

This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

No comments: