I will no longer quietly accept the things I cannot change anymore; I will speak out seeking to change those things I cannot accept. I was in poverty but my abusive father as an asshole and would not sign me up for a free lunch program. I was only given a half a banana for lunch for like 3 years I was starving at school so I get how it feels and thus wish to fight against child hunger and speak loudly for this issue.
I started bullying other kids taking a piece of their lunch for extra food. After I got in trouble the fourth time, I started to take some of some the other kids’ food and I got suspended. I never took their whole lunch. Then I started eating these semi edible berries “not anything others eat”, if you can even call them that and eating sour grass. The school saw what I was eating and trying to get by and they decided to have me wait tell everyone got a free lunch and if any scraps where left they would give them to me. Sometimes, this was 3 milks or some other thrown together scraps but nothing like a real meal. I just never knew and had to hope it would be something good. Sometimes, I actually got a half a sandwich but it’s the always having to hope that was emotionally hard and I was ashamed that I was even lower than kids getting a free lunch.
This is why even though I have no kids my heart goes out for all kids I want to speak up for those who have no voice like me as a kid.
Children facing hunger often come from families who face hunger, too
“A family of four facing hunger may need additional meals a month simply because they don’t have money to buy enough food. 84% of households Feeding America serves report buying the cheapest food — instead of healthy food — in order to provide enough to eat. And 25% of children in households at risk of hunger may be forced to rely exclusively on hunger relief charities like Feeding America to make ends meet.” ref
What happens when a child faces hunger?
“Kids who don’t get enough to eat — especially during their first three years — begin life at a serious disadvantage. Children facing hunger are more likely to be hospitalized and they face higher risks of health conditions like anemia and asthma. And as they grow up, kids who missed meals are more likely to have problems in school and other social situations.” ref
“Children facing hunger may struggle in school — and beyond. They are more likely to: Repeat a grade in elementary school, I did this. Experience developmental impairments in areas like language and motor skills, I experienced this too. Have more social and behavioral problems, I experienced this too.” ref
Hunger strikes Black Families harder
“Black families face hunger challenges far more often than white families do because of the communities they live in, the social class they may fall into, financial struggles, and the environments they live in. According to Harvard, in 2020 nearly 4 in 10 Black families faced food insecurity during the pandemic.” ref
“In early 2020, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) began to spread across the United States, and one of the results was an economic recession that ended years of declining rates of food insecurity – the lack of access to sufficient food because of limited financial resources. This brief provides a snapshot of food insecurity at the national level leading up to the COVID19 pandemic, what transpired in the first year of the pandemic, and what may happen in the next year and beyond.” ref
KEY FINDINGS
1. “Feeding America projects that 42 million people (1 in 8), including 13 million children (1 in 6), may experience food
insecurity in 2021.
2. This is a slight improvement from our updated 2020 projections (45 million people and 15 million children).
3. Many people who have been most impacted by the pandemic were food insecure or at risk of food insecurity
before COVID-19 and are facing greater hardship since COVID-19.
4. Significant racial disparities in food insecurity which existed before COVID-19 remain in the wake of the
pandemic. Feeding America projects that 21% of Black individuals (1 in 5) may experience food insecurity in 2021,
compared to 11% of white individuals (1 in 9).
5. It will likely take time for food insecurity levels to recover.” ref
“In 2019, the overall food insecurity rate was the lowest it had been in more than twenty years. • 1 in 9 individuals (10.9%) and 1 in 7 children (14.6%) lived in a food-insecure household. Yet, more than 35 million people overall, including nearly
11 million children, were food insecure. 1 in 12 white, non-Hispanic individuals (8.1%) lived in a food-insecure household,
Food insecurity is experienced in greater proportion by these racial and ethnic groups due to a number of factors – a key one being structural racism and discrimination. These disparities are also apparent in the underlying factors that
contribute to food insecurity.” ref
“While the overall poverty rate in 2019 was 10.5%, poverty among white individuals was 9.1% compared to 18.8% for Black
individuals and 15.7% for Latino individuals. More research is needed to untangle the complex relationship between systemic racism and food insecurity. Compared to: 1 in 4 Native American individuals (23.5%), 1 in 6 Latino individuals (15.8%), 1 in 5 Black, non-Hispanic individuals (19.3%), Two factors that influence food insecurity rates include
unemployment and poverty, which were both at recent lows heading into the pandemic. The overall unemployment rate was 3.7% at the end of 2019 and the overall poverty rate was 10.5%. However, underlying these national figures, significant
disparities existed.” ref
“How can we, as a global community, allow thousands of children to die from hunger-related issues each day? There is more than enough food produced in the world to feed everyone on the planet, yet 1 in 3 children do not receive enough proper nutrition. The good news is: we have the tools and the expertise to save the lives of malnourished children. Hunger is predictable, preventable, and treatable. Let’s band together to empower all parents to diagnose and treat their children for deadly hunger. It is our duty to protect our most precious human resource to ensure a diverse, productive, and meaningful future for all.” ref
“Theists, there has to be a god, as something can not come from nothing.”
Well, thus something (unknown) happened and then there was something. This does not tell us what the something that may have been involved with something coming from nothing. A supposed first cause, thus something (unknown) happened and then there was something is not an open invitation to claim it as known, neither is it justified to call or label such an unknown as anything, especially an unsubstantiated magical thinking belief born of mythology and religious storytelling.
While hallucinogens are associated with shamanism, it is alcohol that is associated with paganism.
The Atheist-Humanist-Leftist Revolutionaries Shows in the prehistory series:
Show two: Pre-animism 300,000 years old and animism 100,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”
Show tree: Totemism 50,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”
Show four: Shamanism 30,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”
Show five: Paganism 12,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”
Show six: Emergence of hierarchy, sexism, slavery, and the new male god dominance: Paganism 7,000-5,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (Capitalism) (World War 0) Elite and their slaves!
Prehistory: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” the division of labor, power, rights, and recourses: VIDEO
Pre-animism 300,000 years old and animism 100,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”: VIDEO
Totemism 50,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”: VIDEO
Shamanism 30,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”: VIDEO
Paganism 12,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (Pre-Capitalism): VIDEO
Paganism 7,000-5,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (Capitalism) (World War 0) Elite and their slaves: VIEDO
Paganism 5,000 years old: progressed organized religion and the state: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (Kings and the Rise of the State): VIEDO
Paganism 4,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (First Moralistic gods, then the Origin time of Monotheism): VIEDO
I do not hate simply because I challenge and expose myths or lies any more than others being thought of as loving simply because of the protection and hiding from challenge their favored myths or lies.
The truth is best championed in the sunlight of challenge.
An archaeologist once said to me “Damien religion and culture are very different”
My response, So are you saying that was always that way, such as would you say Native Americans’ cultures are separate from their religions? And do you think it always was the way you believe?
I had said that religion was a cultural product. That is still how I see it and there are other archaeologists that think close to me as well. Gods too are the myths of cultures that did not understand science or the world around them, seeing magic/supernatural everywhere.
I personally think there is a goddess and not enough evidence to support a male god at Çatalhöyük but if there was both a male and female god and goddess then I know the kind of gods they were like Proto-Indo-European mythology.
This series idea was addressed in, Anarchist Teaching as Free Public Education or Free Education in the Public: VIDEO
Our 12 video series: Organized Oppression: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of power (9,000-4,000 years ago), is adapted from: The Complete and Concise History of the Sumerians and Early Bronze Age Mesopotamia (7000-2000 BC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szFjxmY7jQA by “History with Cy“
Show #1: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Samarra, Halaf, Ubaid)
Show #2: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power
Show #3: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Uruk and the First Cities)
Show #4: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (First Kings)
Show #5: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Early Dynastic Period)
Show #6: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power
Show #7: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Sargon and Akkadian Rule)
Show #9: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Gudea of Lagash and Utu-hegal)
Show #12: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Aftermath and Legacy of Sumer)
The “Atheist-Humanist-Leftist Revolutionaries”
Cory Johnston ☭ Ⓐ Atheist Leftist @Skepticallefty & I (Damien Marie AtHope) @AthopeMarie (my YouTube & related blog) are working jointly in atheist, antitheist, antireligionist, antifascist, anarchist, socialist, and humanist endeavors in our videos together, generally, every other Saturday.
Why Does Power Bring Responsibility?
Think, how often is it the powerless that start wars, oppress others, or commit genocide? So, I guess the question is to us all, to ask, how can power not carry responsibility in a humanity concept? I know I see the deep ethical responsibility that if there is power their must be a humanistic responsibility of ethical and empathic stewardship of that power. Will I be brave enough to be kind? Will I possess enough courage to be compassionate? Will my valor reach its height of empathy? I as everyone, earns our justified respect by our actions, that are good, ethical, just, protecting, and kind. Do I have enough self-respect to put my love for humanity’s flushing, over being brought down by some of its bad actors? May we all be the ones doing good actions in the world, to help human flourishing.
I create the world I want to live in, striving for flourishing. Which is not a place but a positive potential involvement and promotion; a life of humanist goal precision. To master oneself, also means mastering positive prosocial behaviors needed for human flourishing. I may have lost a god myth as an atheist, but I am happy to tell you, my friend, it is exactly because of that, leaving the mental terrorizer, god belief, that I truly regained my connected ethical as well as kind humanity.
Cory and I will talk about prehistory and theism, addressing the relevance to atheism, anarchism, and socialism.
At the same time as the rise of the male god, 7,000 years ago, there was also the very time there was the rise of violence, war, and clans to kingdoms, then empires, then states. It is all connected back to 7,000 years ago, and it moved across the world.
Cory Johnston: https://damienmarieathope.com/2021/04/cory-johnston-mind-of-a-skeptical-leftist/?v=32aec8db952d
The Mind of a Skeptical Leftist (YouTube)
Cory Johnston: Mind of a Skeptical Leftist @Skepticallefty
The Mind of a Skeptical Leftist By Cory Johnston: “Promoting critical thinking, social justice, and left-wing politics by covering current events and talking to a variety of people. Cory Johnston has been thoughtfully talking to people and attempting to promote critical thinking, social justice, and left-wing politics.” http://anchor.fm/skepticalleft
Cory needs our support. We rise by helping each other.
Cory Johnston ☭ Ⓐ @Skepticallefty Evidence-based atheist leftist (he/him) Producer, host, and co-host of 4 podcasts @skeptarchy @skpoliticspod and @AthopeMarie
Damien Marie AtHope (“At Hope”) Axiological Atheist, Anti-theist, Anti-religionist, Secular Humanist. Rationalist, Writer, Artist, Poet, Philosopher, Advocate, Activist, Psychology, and Armchair Archaeology/Anthropology/Historian.
Damien is interested in: Freedom, Liberty, Justice, Equality, Ethics, Humanism, Science, Atheism, Antiteism, Antireligionism, Ignosticism, Left-Libertarianism, Anarchism, Socialism, Mutualism, Axiology, Metaphysics, LGBTQI, Philosophy, Advocacy, Activism, Mental Health, Psychology, Archaeology, Social Work, Sexual Rights, Marriage Rights, Woman’s Rights, Gender Rights, Child Rights, Secular Rights, Race Equality, Ageism/Disability Equality, Etc. And a far-leftist, “Anarcho-Humanist.”
I am not a good fit in the atheist movement that is mostly pro-capitalist, I am anti-capitalist. Mostly pro-skeptic, I am a rationalist not valuing skepticism. Mostly pro-agnostic, I am anti-agnostic. Mostly limited to anti-Abrahamic religions, I am an anti-religionist.
To me, the “male god” seems to have either emerged or become prominent around 7,000 years ago, whereas the now favored monotheism “male god” is more like 4,000 years ago or so. To me, the “female goddess” seems to have either emerged or become prominent around 11,000-10,000 years ago or so, losing the majority of its once prominence around 2,000 years ago due largely to the now favored monotheism “male god” that grow in prominence after 4,000 years ago or so.
My Thought on the Evolution of Gods?
Animal protector deities from old totems/spirit animal beliefs come first to me, 13,000/12,000 years ago, then women as deities 11,000/10,000 years ago, then male gods around 7,000/8,000 years ago. Moralistic gods around 5,000/4,000 years ago, and monotheistic gods around 4,000/3,000 years ago.
To me, animal gods were likely first related to totemism animals around 13,000 to 12,000 years ago or older. Female as goddesses was next to me, 11,000 to 10,000 years ago or so with the emergence of agriculture. Then male gods come about 8,000 to 7,000 years ago with clan wars. Many monotheism-themed religions started in henotheism, emerging out of polytheism/paganism.
Damien Marie AtHope (Said as “At” “Hope”)/(Autodidact Polymath but not good at math):
Axiological Atheist, Anti-theist, Anti-religionist, Secular Humanist, Rationalist, Writer, Artist, Jeweler, Poet, “autodidact” Philosopher, schooled in Psychology, and “autodidact” Armchair Archaeology/Anthropology/Pre-Historian (Knowledgeable in the range of: 1 million to 5,000/4,000 years ago). I am an anarchist socialist politically. Reasons for or Types of Atheism
My Website, My Blog, & Short-writing or Quotes, My YouTube, Twitter: @AthopeMarie, and My Email: damien.marie.athope@gmail.com