March 9 | Thursday in the Second week of Lent

She was giggling over her coffee. We were laughing about Stephen Colbert and his brilliant use of humor to level the harshest judgments about moral blindness. On the television, Colbert was speaking with Stu Varney of Fox News. We were listening.

Varney: “When we speak of poverty, Stephen, we think of soup kitchens and bread lines. Poor families in America are not what we think they are - or what they try to convince us they are. Let me tell you something that may surprise you. 99% of so-called poor families have a refrigerator. 88% have a microwave, Many - way too many - have flat screen televisions.”

Colbert: “Ooh La La. Stu, are you telling me that the poor can heat food and actually watch television while they eat. Wow! I had no idea. Now I know why Walmart announces: ‘Hey poor people, grab your flat screen while they are marked down.’” 

Varney: “Sarcasm all you want. The facts are the facts. I seem to remember that you said last week that 12% of America's children go to bed hungry. That’s a lie. The fact is that only 2% of children go to bed hungry. That is not bad at all.”

Colbert: “Oh Good! Great News. Only 2% hungry. Stu, that statistic is so way off. Let’s not take time and argue. Let’s say you are correct - which you are not - but let’s go with it. We have 150 in our audience tonight, and three children are hungry because they haven’t eaten. That’s so wonderful. At least those kids can watch television while they starve.”

She stopped giggling and looked straight at me. “One in six American children are experiencing real hunger right now as we speak. 45,000 in Fulton County alone. Georgia is estimated by Feeding America to count 523,000 hungry children. 13,000,000 nationwide. It is not a joke. We are talking about really hungry kids here.” - Shirley, Consultant, Solidarity Sandy Springs