I think all of you recognize the first lady, Michelle Obama, in this picture. She is doing a bit of community service. But, there is something wrong. Can you see it?First Lady Michelle Obama showed up Thursday as a surprise and welcome volunteer at Miriam's Kitchen, a soup kitchen for homeless poor people not far from the White House.
She brought with her some food donated by White House staff. The first lady served up mushroom risotto and broccoli to a long line of homeless men and women during part of her lunch hour and in these photos poses for a picture by one homeless diner obviously excited to be in the first lady's presence
It doesn't detract from the first lady's generous gesture or the real needs she seeks to highlight to ask two bothersome journalistic questions about these news photos:
If this unidentified meal recipient is too poor to buy his own food, how does he afford a cell phone?
And if he is homeless, where do they send the cell phone bills?
I think most of us know how much cell phone service costs, and would consider the questions justified. It is just a low end example of what's wrong with the system. I believe most of us are generous here in the U. S. and would gladly do our part to help those in need. However, the questions beg to be asked whether we are considering a bail out of AIG, or giving hard earned tax dollars to the poor. Should the government be in charge of these functions?
