What's fair in your world today?

Photo by Salina J Photography

By Vernita Kennen, co-chair, Hunger Work Group

I got to thinking about the word "fair" today. I suppose it was because I was at the Minnesota State Fair yesterday. The Great Minnesota Get-Together is always nostalgic and fun for me, no matter the weather or the size of the crowds. My family went when I was a child; I continued to come several times while a participant in 4-H events, even bringing my yearling dairy heifer one year; and I have continued to attend as often as possible.

Meaning of "fair"
I checked the dictionary for the meaning of the word "fair." Much to my surprise, the first definition that appeared describes "fair" as an adjective meaning "good to look at or light in complexion." The next definition included the legality of fairness, followed by "fair" as it is used as a baseball term. It wasn't until the fifth definition that the version of "fair" meaning "just or unbiased" was described.

The first time "fair" was defined as a noun it was referred to as the competitive exhibition that I attended yesterday at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

What's fair about the fair?
Nowhere did I see anything about food–and yet that seemed to be what the fair yesterday was all about. There were plenty of fruits, vegetables, and meats on display, some of it still on the hoof. And there were the endless varieties of deep-fried objects and things "on a stick." Perhaps you join me in wondering what’s truly fair about the fair when more people seem to come to eat as much as possible these days.

Questions for pondering
What do you suppose people in places like Central America, Somalia, Sudan, and Kenya would think about our state fair? What would they see first? What would they find missing? How, or more importantly, what would they find us truly exhibiting?

Did you get to the fair this year? Did it bring you to thoughts of what’s really fair in your world? I hope so and I hope you will use this as an inspiration to work toward ending hunger everywhere in our world. None of us should have more than enough to eat while any others go hungry. God would consider that fair and hopes we will, too.

Global food price crisis

We can hardly ignore the news about hungry people today. The print and on-air media are filled with stories of famine, especially in the Horn of Africa. Many of us are feeling a sense of "didn't this happen before?" Because it certainly has.

Unfortunately, information about causes and effects of the crisis are more difficult to come by.

This interactive map from Oxfam helps explain.

Oxfam is a 15-member organization of NGOs founded in 1995 and working in 90 countries. Oxfam United States is one of the members.

Look, interact, and learn.