New Mexico bans "lunch shaming"

[Dr. Arch]

One thing I've learned from the US is that it can be a relentlessly cruel place, and many will not give a damn over "muh rugged individualism."

[Dr. Arch]

I don't think I know any other country where people would think this is acceptable. Deeply disturbing. The more I know of America, the more my socio-economic views become social democratic.

It's amazing that there has to be a law against this to begin with. So many other countries would just find it appalling by nature and people would simply just not do it.

[Dr. Arch]

The US has a long history of shaming poor people in exchange for borderline bare subsistence.  Anyone who's ever been poor would know.  Glad to see New Mexico is taking some actions to change that.

It is possible to be comfortable being poor. I'm not saying that people are necessarily poor by choice or that people on public assistance are bad people, but after enough demoralization and dependence on government, eventually it does become comfortable. What's wrong with providing some basic level of support to people but doing it in a way that stokes the fire within them to bounce back from hardship and shame? In fact, I would argue that that is the most moral and compassionate way to take care of the poor.

Kicking people down when they're already on the floor is not a form of motivation. It is cruel and a near-borderline sociopath practice. These are CHILDREN. Good grief.

[Dr. Arch]

if santander is right, i am sure states like alabama must be the ones with the highest social mobility rates.

Of course he isn't right. Who are we kidding?

[Dr. Arch]

Just for comparison's sake, in Puerto Rico for as long as I can remember, all breakfasts and lunches are cooked on site and provided to children and staff, free of charge. Nobody has to worry about going hungry while studying, and it's a great thing. Imagine that.

[Dr. Arch]

Just for comparison's sake, in Puerto Rico for as long as I can remember, all breakfasts and lunches are cooked on site and provided to children and staff, free of charge. Nobody has to worry about going hungry while studying, and it's a great thing. Imagine that.

And in America for as long as I can remember, it's been an option.  Pay a very, very small fee to have lunch provided or pack a lunch for the child to take.  Imagine that.

Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. Please read up on basic American history before trying to be snarky with anyone.

[Dr. Arch]

Just for comparison's sake, in Puerto Rico for as long as I can remember, all breakfasts and lunches are cooked on site and provided to children and staff, free of charge. Nobody has to worry about going hungry while studying, and it's a great thing. Imagine that.

And in America for as long as I can remember, it's been an option.  Pay a very, very small fee to have lunch provided or pack a lunch for the child to take.  Imagine that.

Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. Please read up on basic American history before trying to be snarky with anyone.

 Oh please.  The United States of America then.  There are 50 of them.

Yes I am aware that Puerto Rico is a US territory.  You knew what I meant.

Puerto Rico is part of the United States of America. Try again. Your knee-jerk reaction to try the frame the differences in Puerto Rico from the mainland as it were a foreign country is nil.

You don't know what you mean. Or maybe you do, but you're trying to be PC about it

[Dr. Arch]

Just for comparison's sake, in Puerto Rico for as long as I can remember, all breakfasts and lunches are cooked on site and provided to children and staff, free of charge. Nobody has to worry about going hungry while studying, and it's a great thing. Imagine that.

And in America for as long as I can remember, it's been an option.  Pay a very, very small fee to have lunch provided or pack a lunch for the child to take.  Imagine that.

Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. Please read up on basic American history before trying to be snarky with anyone.

 Oh please.  The United States of America then.  There are 50 of them.

Yes I am aware that Puerto Rico is a US territory.  You knew what I meant.

Puerto Rico is part of the United States of America. Try again. Your knee-jerk reaction to try the frame the differences in Puerto Rico from the mainland as it were a foreign country is nil.

You don't know what you mean. Or maybe you do, but you're trying to be PC about it

If you want to pretend I don't know Puerto Rico is a US territory, go right ahead.

You are already wrong about everything else, what's one more thing?

"Everything else," yea sure. Can your umbrella statements. Show me where I'm wrong then.

The United States of America is a country. Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States of America. Puerto Rico is part of the United States of America.

Puerto Rico is not a state within the United States of America, but it is a territory where American citizens are born and live.

Since Puerto Rico is part of the United States of America, everything that happens in Puerto Rico is part of what happens America (i.e., the United States of America, which is what you meant).

In Puerto Rico, a lot is done like the United States of America, but there are differences both policy-wise and cultural that do not span the nation of the United States of America, much like many states operate differently under the United States of America.

Do you have any questions, or do you want to send out another broad statement in an attempt to dismiss me so you don't have to go into the nuance you're purposefully avoiding?

[Dr. Arch]

Just for comparison's sake, in Puerto Rico for as long as I can remember, all breakfasts and lunches are cooked on site and provided to children and staff, free of charge. Nobody has to worry about going hungry while studying, and it's a great thing. Imagine that.

And in America for as long as I can remember, it's been an option.  Pay a very, very small fee to have lunch provided or pack a lunch for the child to take.  Imagine that.

Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. Please read up on basic American history before trying to be snarky with anyone.

 Oh please.  The United States of America then.  There are 50 of them.

Yes I am aware that Puerto Rico is a US territory.  You knew what I meant.

Puerto Rico is part of the United States of America. Try again. Your knee-jerk reaction to try the frame the differences in Puerto Rico from the mainland as it were a foreign country is nil.

You don't know what you mean. Or maybe you do, but you're trying to be PC about it

If you want to pretend I don't know Puerto Rico is a US territory, go right ahead.

You are already wrong about everything else, what's one more thing?

"Everything else," yea sure. Can your umbrella statements. Show me where I'm wrong then.

The United States of America is a country. Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States of America. Puerto Rico is part of the United States of America.

Puerto Rico is not a state within the United States of America, but it is a territory where American citizens are born and live.

Since Puerto Rico is part of the United States of America, everything that happens in Puerto Rico is part of what happens America (i.e., the United States of America, which is what you meant).

In Puerto Rico, a lot is done like the United States of America, but there are differences both policy-wise and cultural that do not span the nation of the United States of America, much like many states operate differently under the United States of America.

Do you have any questions, or do you want to send out another broad statement in an attempt to dismiss me so you don't have to go into the nuance you're purposefully avoiding?

You started your post with 'in contrast' or 'in comparison.'  In comparison to what?  I suppose I should have said "In the REST of America" but then I'm sure you would have come up with some pointless trivia about Guam to argue about and pretend that I don't know Guam is a US territory.

I've never been to Puerto Rico and what I know about it comes from my education and my Puerto Rican friends.  From what they tell me it is a place they would never move back to.  That's as polite as I can put it.

Actually, if you would've acknowledged what's in bold, that would've been the end of it, and if you would've said that from the beginning, I wouldn't have said anything about it.