2 Very Different Views on Hunger

* The two letters July 19 responding to your “O.C. Poor Go Hungry Regularly” report from July 8 wrongly characterize the cause of hunger as “legal and illegal” immigration of “poor Mexicans with few skills and education” and “irresponsible fathers and mothers” who have too many children.

Recently the county of Orange underwent a five-month process to identify the amount of hunger and homelessness within Orange County.

The statistics were compiled by Infolink Inc. through interviews with hundreds of nonprofits, churches, all 31 cities and county agencies that assist the poor and needy.

Every day in Orange County, there are thousands of meals delivered to elderly and homebound seniors through Meals on Wheels. Fullerton Interfaith Shelter serves meals religiously to those in need of assistance.

Regrettably, “illegal” immigrants are underserved due to fear or stigma associated with their status.

Every night in Orange County, there are 12,000 homeless roaming our streets. While the economy booms, sometimes there are castoffs, laid-off workers, and those who just can’t keep up with rising rents and can’t afford the “quality of life” we in Orange County keep clamoring for. All are hungry at one time or another.

STEVEN C. VARGAS

Brea

* Re “O.C. Poor Go Hungry Regularly,” July 8:

You try to elicit a sense of concern or even rage by citing several specific situations worthy of pity and predictably blame “welfare reform” for this condition.

You never mention the benefits of hunger, which is one of the world’s most powerful motivators. I’m not talking about malnutrition or starvation. Hunger can motivate people to work harder and improve their position.

The legal immigrants whose food stamps were cut off now have greater incentives to become self-supporting by working harder, seeking better jobs or striving for higher levels of education to support their family.

Hunger can also motivate people to behave better: Making a disobedient child “go to bed without dinner” is a nonviolent form of punishment that can be quite effective.

Some people even choose to go to bed hungry--whether it is to lose weight or to fast for religious purposes. Here, the benefits of going hungry clearly outweigh the resulting distress.

So it is not clear that we should necessarily be shocked by the discovery of hunger in Orange County (especially considering the fact that obesity is infinitely more common among the poor than starvation). Perhaps it is doing more good than harm.

JIM MLADENIK

Irvine