Back in the late 1970’s I joined an organization called “The Hunger Project.” Their stated goal was the elimination of hunger by the end of the century. Well, the century has turned, and “hunger and malnutrition are back”. Indeed, have they ever left? Your words made me wonder if the Hunger Project was still around. I searched the web; sure enough: http://www.thp.org . They have a very fancy web site and an even more impressive board of directors.
My brother is a Jehovah’s Witness. A hundred years ago they predicted the Second Coming to occur in 1914. The world didn’t end as promised. Now the Jehovah’s Witnesses are still predicting the “end is near” but they’re not saying exactly when.
Thus it is with the Hunger Project: The end of hunger is near, but they’re not saying exactly when.
It saddens me that we didn’t reach our goal. It irritates me that the Hunger Project web site squirms about this, redefining the goal so as to claim victory.
Yes, it saddens me that we didn’t reach our goal. So many lofty goals of youth didn’t happen. I am a child of the ’60s We had such dreams of a new world of living in peace and love. Instead we have America threatening Iraq; China threatening Taiwan. Jews threatening Moslems; Moslems threatening Christians. Maybe our idealism was in vain. But, no! As long as there are people willing risk their lives for freedom; as long as there are people willing to speak out against tyranny, then hope still lives.
The end is not near–but the struggle is alive. That is enough. “Those who want a world of Good without Evil do not understand the nature of the universe.–Lao Tsu.