Safe - and Hungry

As we spend trillions of dollars on overseas wars and 'homeland' security (doesn't that remind you of fatherland and motherland, and the ideologies which accompanied those terms?), 50 million people are now thought to be 'food insecure' in the US. Food insecure is a clinical term for not having enough to eat. The figure was 36 million only three years ago. Now over 15% of the whole country struggles to feed themselves. The latest report was released earlier this month, at a time when many countries are celebrating harvest festivals or Thanksgiving, and yet mainstream news coverage of these shocking figures has been brief (to say the least).
It can be hard for many of us to imagine how poor someone would have to be to suffer from food insecurity. After all, bananas, rice , beans etc are pretty cheap yet nutritious foods. Still, millions choose between eating and paying bills each week or each month.
The average family is probably going to waste more food than many people can hope to buy during the thanksgiving holiday. Mainstream politics seems to have shifted to the right over the last few years, and I'm sure some people will be quick to blame the unfortunate millions for their own predicament. I doubt they are going hungry through choice. Hunger is a powerful motivator; try it some time.
There are organizations out there who make a difference. Feeding America is one of the larger ones. Many smaller ones prepare free Thanksgiving meals for those who need them. There are those who care enough to help, but this is a problem which should also be addressed by our society as a whole. 1 in 6 of the population of the US is in deep trouble. Maybe they can't find a job (or a job which pays enough to live on), or they are suffering from illness and crippling medical bills (insured or not).
What is the point of fighting wars, ostensibly to protect our freedoms, when so many of us are struggling to live. What happened to our priorities?
At over $100,000 each, how much food would the funds for dozens of backscatter X-ray scanners in our airports buy? Even now, the super-rich have the gall to argue against the ending of temporary tax cuts for the highest earners, while billions flow to defence contractors to enable us fight questionable wars and provide 'military assistance' to oppressive regimes.
If we still have viable communities, maybe we could expand the development and use of community gardens across the country as part of a solution. It isn't too late for people to help fellow humans. I can't say the same for politicians.