Milwaukee...3,000 people turn out for the food assistance beginning at 3 a.m.

[dkf]

Food relief line grows long, tense
Frustration rises, officials caught off-guard as thousands turn out for flood assistance
By ANNYSA JOHNSON, LINDA SPICE and GREG J. BOROWSKI
[e-mail]
Posted: June 23, 2008

The chaos that erupted outside Milwaukee County's main welfare office Monday over disaster-related food aid had more to do with a weak economy and crushing poverty in parts of this community than the devastating floods that swept through the state earlier this month, local government and food relief officials said.

About 3,000 people turned out for the assistance beginning at 3 a.m. Monday, creating a line that stretched several blocks around the Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center at 1220 W. Vliet St. At least one woman said she was trampled when a crowd rushed the doors as they opened around 7:30 a.m., and dozens of Milwaukee police officers and sheriff's deputies were called to quell the scene.

"The food crisis in Milwaukee and throughout the United States is worse than many of us have realized," said Milwaukee Common Council President Willie Hines, who with other elected officials called on the community to support local food pantries.

"We expect long lines for free food in Third World countries," Hines said. "We don't expect a line of 2,500 people waiting for food vouchers" in Milwaukee. No one was seriously injured, and there were no arrests Monday, but those in line described the scene as chaotic. Many thought they would receive vouchers immediately, and frustration mounted when some learned that was not the case.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=764962

[skooooo]

1. omg..

So sad.

[dkf]

2. i know. i didn't think this could happen here.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Some of us expected it

I am not surprised

[skooooo]

5. of course..

We know you are the source of all knowledge.

:eyes:

[skooooo]

4. Unfortunately..

it's going to get worse before it gets better. Gas prices have been high for a while, but many people have probably been able to hang on. As time goes on, inflation will eat into every cent everyone makes.

[Selatius]

6. It's like reading an article from the Great Depression. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. You got it, what is that Santayana fella wrote

some'ting 'bout not tripping on the same hole?

:-)

[fasttense]

8. When your poor and hungry, it's tough to remain calm when your last source of food tells you to wait

""We expect long lines for free food in Third World countries," Hines said. "We don't expect a line of 2,500 people waiting for food vouchers" in Milwaukee. No one was seriously injured, and there were no arrests Monday, but those in line described the scene as chaotic. Many thought they would receive vouchers immediately, and frustration mounted when some learned that was not the case."

Well the bread lines are forming just like in the last republican Great Depression.

[Hekate]

9. Is it a Depression yet? Jesus. nt

[Clark2008]

10. While I feel such sadness for these people and their situation, I

can't help but be reminded of the rightwing bashing of the non-white folks after Katrina. You know what they said, "They should have left," or "They aren't smart enough to get out," or "LIBRULISM caused these people to never learn how to take care of THEMSELVES!" (Rage, rant, racism).

I wonder if these same wingnuts are going to shout this at the WHITE folks in Milwaukee who needed the same assistance after a disaster (created, also, in part to the Bush Administration's refusal to stop this financially-draining war and spend some dough on America's infrastructure).