So I've finally had time to sit and do nothing for a bit. After making insane amounts of dressing and cheesy mashed potatoes for fundraising, getting ready for Christmas in the midst of a nasty stomach bug, having Adeline's birthday and having 6+ kids in my house each day for 2 weeks I've been busy. Some idle time today has my brain working.
This week's weather patterns got me to thinking. I'll be honest, I never watched Al Gore's film about global warming. I'll be even more honest, I don't really know much about it. And even more honest, I don't really care much about it. I know that sounds ignorant but I feel like if it is real it is too big, and again being honest I haven't researched it and don't know what my opinion is of the validity of it. I'll just keep recycling like I have been for years, my friends in college called me a tree hugger. I'll keep buying things used. We'll keep using cloth napkins at dinner. I even used cloth diapers for my first two kids! I'll keep using reusable grocery bags. I'll keep my electronics longer than the normal American and not upgrade just to upgrade. I don't make unnecessary trips around town but I combine stuff for one day of errands.
With all that said, it had me thinking of some other inconvenient truths. Right now in the United States there are roughly 408,000 children in foster care. 408,000! That is 9 times the population of Collierville! 408,000 children do not have someone to call mom or dad. 408,000 children who are not sure who they will live with next month. 408,000 children that need a home. That is an inconvenient truth. In 2011 26,000 children aged out of foster care. Meaning, they turned 18 and were no longer a responsibility of the state. Also, meaning they were thrown into the world without ANYTHING and nothing to fall back on. 31-42% are arrested (that's upwards of 10,000) and 18-26% are put in jail (that's over 6000). As for some of the young ladies 40-60% are pregnant within 12-18 months of leaving foster care. That is an inconvenient truth.
In the world right now 33% of the world's population is considered starving. 1.5 million children die each year of hunger. 1.5 million children cry and hurt until they are too weak to cry because they need something to eat. In fact, since you began reading this 27 people have died from hunger and over 20,000 more will by the end of the day. That is an inconvenient truth.
According to US census data 15 million children are being raised without a father. Studies show that children with an active father figure score higher in reading! We all know that without a father present kids are more likely to grow up and find themselves in prison. Another inconvenient truth. I know there are many awesome single moms out there that are working their tails off but statistics don't lie. Keep working hard single mamas many of you are doing a wonderful job!
Here is another, 19% of high school grads can't read. Here is another crazy statistic that goes with that, 63% of inmates in the US can not read. This is such a strong predictor that some states use the 4th grade literacy rate to predict what the future prison population will be. That is an inconvenient truth.
Did you know that Memphis has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country, equivalent to some third world countries? Ten years ago, 15 out 1000 babies did not make it to their 1st birthday in Memphis. Thankfully, through the work many different groups that number has improved but is still is ranked one of the highest in the country. Another inconvenient truth.
Yesterday in Shelby County school was cancelled due to the cold weather. Students all over the county lacked proper clothing to go outside in the weather and it was not safe for them to be outside. My girls have worked in areas where kids are just a burden and as long as they just leave the adults alone they are ok. So getting a winter coat or some gloves is most likely not going to happen. That is an inconvenient truth.
So yeah, maybe we are messing up our environment and some things need to change for the planet to be ok in 500 years. But right NOW people on our planet are starving. Right NOW children on our planet are without a parent. Right NOW there are children without a father and are likely on a destructive path. Right NOW in Shelby County, TN there are kids hungry, without parents, no one helping them with school, cold, unloved and on a path straight to prison. These are inconvenient truths that we don't like to think about. These are the inconvenient truths I am willing to pay attention to and do something about. Whether you are a Christian or not doesn't matter. We all have to face the facts, this is the state of our planet, our country and our city. Stop sitting back and drinking your pretentious coffee each day and ignoring the fact that something has to be done. Stop sitting back with your brand new iPhone that doesn't work right and do something! Support a foster care agency, support a family fostering children, give to a family adopting, volunteer to tutor some inner-city kids, give them the supplies they need to start school, donate one of the 47 pairs of gloves you have floating around your house, donate to your local food pantry. Don't just sit around thinking you've done something by tossing that can in the recycle bin. Find a place that needs help, it doesn't even have to be one of the things mentioned above, and help!
What you don't need to do it send me messages about how dumb I am to ignore Al Gore and his message. It is not that I don't care about the state of our environment but that I just don't have time enough to learn more.
