Finding North
The filmmaker’s contention that America has lost its moral compass is explored in this documentary that explores the rise of hunger in America. The film states that 1 in 6 Americans go hungry in this country as a result of Congressional policies subsidizing billion-dollar Agri-business, which takes money from school lunch programs, food stamps, and other social programs that assist those in lower-income areas. These policies also lead to the creation of “food deserts” within our communities, where healthy foods and vegetables are not delivered because the profit margins in these areas is too low to justify the high-cost of distribution for the main food providers. The effect is that many people living in these areas are forced to eat what is available to them, namely processed foods high in calorie count but low in nutritional value. The result is a high rate of obesity and deteriorating health, with conditions ranging from asthma to diabetes and congestive heart failure. Kids are hit especially hard, with their lack of nutrition affecting their school performance and overall ability to focus. While faith based groups and other community service groups have stepped in to fill the gap for some 49 million Americans who are “food insecure,” the film contends that charity is not the solution. Rather, the solution depends on government policy that favors domestic spending on nutritional programs as well as supporting local farmers who grow fruits and vegetables. The result would be a decrease in cost among these items, and allow the average family to afford to eat healthier and avoid going hungry.
I found Finding North to be a moving portrayal of a part of modern America that I was unfamiliar with. While I am part of a church community that regularly serves the poor, and often make donations to local charities that feed the hungry, I was not aware of just much the chronic problem known as “food insecurity” affected our population, largely as a result of the difficulty for many in our country to earn a living that will sustain their families over the long run. On one hand, I can understand the filmmaker’s desire to lobby our government for a redistribution of money in order to support the diets of lower-income families. On the other hand, I can’t help but believe that government’s desire to intervene in the free market is what causes these imbalances in the first place. This deep political divide reminds me of Jesus’ words, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Will America implode in the face of such a deep ideological division? Are we spending so much on defense at the expense of what we are trying to defend? In the end, the question about how best to deal with the problem remains. It is heart wrenching, to be sure, and this film affected me deeply, both in my understanding of the problem, but also in my level of compassion for those that are obese. I understand the reason now in ways that I never did before.