Last night, I went to an Oxfam dinner and fundraiser. We were separated into three groups: the wealthy, the middle-income, and the poor (the largest group, of course). The wealthy enjoyed a full meal, the middle class was fed beans and rice, and the poor only had rice. The point of this exercise was to illustrate that people who find themselves living in poverty and hunger are victims of chance. Someone born in sub-Saharan Africa is much more likely to experience hunger than someone born in the United States. I think a lot of people assume that hunger is a natural event, like an earthquake or tsunami. They assume that there simply isn’t enough food for everyone. That isn’t true. The planet produces enough food to easily meet everyone’s nutritional needs. Hunger is usually a result of neglect or abuse of power. Denying access to food is a weapon in many conflicts.
We also assume that hunger has no solution. I’ll write more about that tomorrow.

Happy Veterans Day. Or, if you’re a member of the over-70 demographic, Happy Armistice Day. The State of Minnesota was kind enough to give me the day off, so I had lunch with Rosie at Moose and Sadie’s in the Warehouse District. The weather in Minneapolis has been freakishly warm for the last few days and we were able to eat al fresco. Afterwards, I decided to make a visit to Big Brain Comics, where I dropped…well, let’s just say I was probably their best customer today.
And don’t look at me like that. We all have our vices.
An added observation: while I was eating lunch with Rosie, I lost count of the number of people with disabilities that passed by our table. Is Minneapolis becoming a crip Mecca? Is this where the inevitable crip revolution will begin? Should I start assigning noms de guerre to all my crip friends? Mine will be Christophe Wheeler.

The question of states’ rights in regards to the Americans with Disabilities Act was before the Supreme Court today…again. In the case of Goodman v. Georgia, the State of Georgia argues that it has no duty to provide reasonable accommodations to prisoners with disabilities. In other words, if a prisoner in a wheelchair can’t transfer to the toilet because there are no grab bars in the cell, the state can shrug its shoulders and say, “Tough luck.” If a deaf inmate needs an ASL interpreter to participate in the prison’s GED classes, the state doesn’t have to lift a finger.
I know I’m repeating myself, but I’m getting tired of the disability community having to fight tooth and nail for basic rights, like the right not to sit in your own shit for days on end. I know it’s popular to be tough on prisoners, but nobody should be singled out for discrimination simply because they live within the walls of a prison. And if prisons don’t have to provide reasonable accommodations under Title II, then it’s logical to assume that neither do state hospitals, state parks, state office buildings, and so forth.
This is one of the first major cases for the Roberts court. Hopefully, Tennessee v. Lane will serve as precedent and the Court will finally and definitively declare that disability rights are not subordinate to states’ rights.

The proposed House budget cuts are the target of some much-deserved criticism; criticism that it is coming from both progressives and religious leaders. The House budget makes severe cuts to several programs that serve low-income Americans, including Medicaid, funding for student loans, funding for food stamps, funding for child care.
For decades, Republicans have regarded America’s poor with an almost pathological animosity. The Republican narrative of poverty is one of laziness, weakness, and other character flaws. In other words, if you’re poor, it’s your fault. What’s more, Republicans have demonized the poor, portraying them as welfare queens and king who feed like parasites on the labor of hard-working Americans. All of this, of course, is a myth. Most low-income families are working families who struggle to meet the basic needs of life.
Republicans characterize these cuts as necessary to pay the costs related to post-Katrina recovery, as well as to bring spending under control. Let’s put aside the fact that Katrina funds are a one-time expense that will have little effect on the deficit. I’m all for a balanced budget, but I have sincere doubts about conservatives’ sincerity in this matter. Why? In the next phase of budget planning, the House will consider a $70 billion tax cut package. Even with $50 billion in cuts (the target established in the House), that still leaves a $20 billion deficit.
These proposed cuts have nothing to do with fiscal responsibility. They are a naked display of a cruel and selfish ideology, perpetuated by a party that has abandoned all principles of responsible governance. They also illustrate the utter contempt these lawmakers must feel for so many of their fellow Americans.
But there is hope. The scope of these cuts is making many moderate Republicans nervous. In the end, they might be enough to restore some sanity to our nation’s budget priorities.

I voted early in Minneapolis’ upcoming election today. The mayor is up for reelection, as is the City Council and the Library and Park Boards. I’m lending my support to the incumbent mayor, R.T. Rybak. Rybak was handed a city budget in shambles when he came to office, but he has done a commendable job of putting the city on surer financial footing. He has also spearheaded several neighborhood revitalization projects in areas that desperately need them, particularly the North Side. I also like his energy and his ability to promote Minneapolis as a livable, increasingly diverse city.
His challenger, Peter McLaughlin, simply hasn’t given me sufficient reason to believe that a change is necessary. I’m also not thrilled with McLaughlin’s recent second-guessing regarding the established Hennepin County smoking ban.
It will be a close election, but I’m looking forward to seeing what Rybak can do for the city with another four years in office.