Monday, May 19, 2008

If this doesnt take the cake - and the rice and the wheat and the corn and all...!

"The rising prosperity of India and China is probably the single most important cause. Hundreds of millions of middle class consumers have emerged in these nations, dramatically increasing global demand for food.

How about that, huh? Millions of people who can afford to buy food in India and China are driving the prices up for the rest of the world. How very selfish. Perhaps they should starve, so that the two countries can export rice and grains to the world.

I'm desperately sorry for the Haitians and the poor and starving everywhere... but to accuse those Indians and Chinese who have finally risen above the poverty line, for buying food and thereby causing the price rise in the world, is out of order. Unacceptable, too. Especially as the Food & Agricultural Organisation is clear that it's the
US which is responsible for the global food crisis.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't you know that food is the next weapon of mass destruction and it's positively irresponsible if the US allows Indians and Chinese to eat what they grow? And are you *gasp* trying to say that the FAO knows more about the world food situation than Bush?

Unknown said...

This was exactly my children were talking about. To hear such comments especially from the President is little bit strange. My son asked, "How come US has the most obese population in the world?"
To be fair, it is some line written by the speech writers (I am sure they have a title), which the president parrotted.

~nm said...

Now that was the most funny thing I ever heard! Has to be a bush quote. Right? :D

meerkat said...

is anyone really accusing anyone? they are just stating facts. the rising prosperity of india and china means that their not so insubstantial middle class and rich populations have a greater demand of the world's commodities and resources. greater demand and same supply equates high prices and the poor (including the poor in india and china) suffer.

same is the case for rising oil and coal prices. it is the economic reality.
meera

Anonymous said...

My initial reaction was also one of disbelieving anger. But then, after reading more carefully and thinking about it, I agree with what meerkat has said: much as I dislike Bush, he is not saying that Indians and Chinese should starve, nor is he "blaming" them for the food crisis. He is merely stating facts. One should blame the media for twisting the words out of context.
Kamini.