It’s not hunger. It’s just “low food security.”

According to this article, the USDA has revised its terminology to eliminate the word “hunger” from its annual report, replacing it with the unfamiliar phrase “low food security.”   In doing so, was the Bush Administration (which has a long history of manipulating scientific terminology to suit its political agenda) merely playing politics again, or was it trying to be more scientifically accurate?  You be the judge.

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grumpypilgrim

Grumpypilgrim is a writer and management consultant living in Madison, WI. He has several scientific degrees, including a recent master’s degree from MIT. He has also held several professional career positions, none of which has been in a field in which he ever took a university course. Grumps is an avid cyclist and, for many years now, has traveled more annual miles by bicycle than by car…and he wishes more people (for the health of both themselves and our planet) would do the same. Grumps is an enthusiastic advocate of life-long learning, healthy living and political awareness. He is single, and provides a loving home for abused and abandoned bicycles. Grumpy’s email: grumpypilgrim(AT)@gmail(DOT).com [Erich’s note: Grumpy asked that his email be encrypted this way to deter spam. If you want to write to him, drop out the parentheticals in the above address].

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  1. Avatar of Erich Vieth
    Erich Vieth November 22, 2006 Reply

    This, from Arianna Huffington:

    the Orwellians in the Bush administration have decided to no longer use the word "hunger" to describe the 35 million Americans — that's 12 percent of the population — who aren't always sure where their next meal is coming from. Instead, the poor people formerly known as the hungry will now be referred to as people experiencing "very low food security."

    Of course, according to the USDA, which measures Americans' access to food, this has nothing to do with trying to sugarcoat the disgraceful reality of 35 million people not being able to put food on the table in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

    Click here for her full post.

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