Pizza for the Homeless

A condemned man made a final wish before his execution. State government couldn't fufill the wish, so individuals stepped in. After Philip Workman was put to death by the state of Tennessee, homeless shelters received donations of pizza.

I grew up in the shadow of LBJs Great Society. It was the responsibility of the government to feed the poor and provide health care for the elderly. Food stamps, public housing, and Medicare were supposed to ensure that no American would be denied the basic necessities.

The Great Society never eradicated poverty. Whether the program fulfilled any of its objectives is a discussion for historians. It no longer matters. When the Republicans began seizing control of the government in 1980, they began to weaken the entitlement programs in favor of defense spending.

We should know by now, twenty-seven years later, that we can't depend on the government to take care of us. We must take care of each other. Whether it's providing pizza for the homeless--admittedly, a large undertaking--or health care.

I applaud the citizens who helped some of the homeless in Tennessee. It's time for all of us to share the burden. Don't look to Washington, D.C. for help. Just ask the poor of New Orleans.