If there’s one thing worse than naked hatred for poor people that we often see in policy discussion, is thinly veiled, paternalistic hatred of poor people that is often disguised as rich people who “know what’s best” about what poor people need.
This is what happens when rich people write about poverty. They take real facts and attribute them to stupid ass causes in order to push a political end that not only allow the initial problem to persist, but will potentially make them worse:
An October 2017 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that SNAP participants have worse diets than nonparticipants. U.S. Department of Agriculture data show that SNAP participants are more likely to be obese than people at the same income level who don’t participate in the program. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, poor people are 70% likelier to develop diabetes—a disease that puts them at risk for heart problems, blindness and early death.
Yes, people on SNAP may have all these risk factors – but to actually have the nerve to attribute these issues TO SNAP is the most tone deaf, anti-poor bullshit I’ve ever seen. To blame SNAP for these issues not only falls into this “we know what’s best, and SNAP isn’t it” mythology – but it requires such an inability for critical thought that I’m really surprised that this article was even published at all.
I don’t think it’s wise to compare people who are on SNAP and may have a higher likelihood of obesity to folks without this benefit who are likely starving.
I just hate that the onus of access to healthy food is always placed on the individual – and that we completely hop, skip and jump over the fact that SNAP participants, and poor people in general, are more likely to live in food deserts are are less likely to have access to cheap, affordable healthy food options.
If you really care about poor people having access to the same healthy options that you enjoy – or care about them in general – fight for justice around city planning, access, and resources. Listen to folks who live in low income neighborhoods instead of talking over them so damn much.
Also, lol, it’s literally rich people’s fault that this is a thing???? Guess what, I’m about to slap y’all with some hard truth: those big hefty meat/ dairy/ egg industries and the big name companies who produce alongside them? Those in charge of the government subsidies have stakes in them which is why they’re so heavily subsidized even though they shouldn’t be. But these have lasted because the lack of subsides on fruits and vegetables drives consumers to purchase the cheap crap foods these big businesses are cranking out, which in turn pays the big guys who turn around and continue to give out subsidies because these are lucrative and will keep lining their pockets. However, now these people are in poor health because the big guys are forcing them to choose between malnutrition and starvation. So how do the big guys respond? Do they move the subsidies back to their rightful produce industries? Nope, just blame the poor for buying the things they were basically forcing them to buy and punish them for it.
Food Stamps Shouldn’t Pay for Junk
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Water Witches 