What? Food Banks Show The Government Must Do More!
THIS is a very strange argument being used here ion regard to food banks.
There is poverty: yes. There are people who cannot afford, for some reason, lots of lovely food. So, of course, we all want everyone to be able to fill their bellies. We’re certainly a rich enough country for that. But then the argument goes haywire:
Massive cuts to social safety nets have led to “destitution, hardship and hunger on a large scale” in Britain, with more than half a million people now forced to rely on food banks for sustenance, key poverty charities have warned in a report.
Well, no. If people are getting their food from foodbanks then this shows that they’re not going hungry, doesn’t it?
Try the same logic again with a different example: lots of people getting benefits shows that there’s destitution and hunger. No it doesn’t, lots of people getting benefits means that lots of destitution and hunger is being avoided.
People who would be destitute or hungry are now not because they get money. And so it is with food banks. That lots of people are using food banks is evidence that much hunger is being avoided. Because people are being given food.
Posted: 3rd, June 2013 | In: Money Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
