Changing the Face of Hunger

 

One Man’s Story of How Liberals, Conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, and People of Faith are Joining Forces in a New Movement to Help the Hungry, the Poor, and the Oppressed

 

By Tony Hall with Tom Price

 

            In the depths of the 1984 Ethiopian famine, Tony Hall found his life’s calling. First as a 12-term U.S. representative, then as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. food and agricultural agencies, Hall became one of the world’s leading advocates for the hungry, the poor and the oppressed.

            Now -- at a time of vicious political partisanship, when religion has become a divisive  political issue -- Hall has written a book with a powerful message.

            It is a message from a man whose life experiences turned him into a most unusual politician:

·        A deeply religious man whose faith is the driving force in his life, and who believes that politics is a noble calling.

·        A Midwestern, big-city Democrat whose best friend in Congress was a conservative Republican from the South and whose other close friends include activists from all points on the political spectrum.

·        An unbeatable candidate for reelection who took care of his constituents’ local needs at the same time he aggressively pursued his global agenda to help the world’s neediest.

·        Son of a Republican mayor, appointee of a Republican president, who has remained a loyal Democrat and wants his party to win again by reasserting its commitment to the poor, working families and the middle class.

            Hall’s book is a compelling read, built around his global travels among the poorest of the poor and his experiences as an elected public official. In it, he:

·        Calls for an end to America’s brutal partisan political warfare and shows how he has been able to work with people of all beliefs in order to do good.

·        Demonstrates how it’s possible to accomplish almost anything when people focus on their agreements rather than on their disputes.

·        Encourages the Democratic Party to return to its roots by serving the poor, working families and the middle class, and by remembering how to converse with people of faith.

·        Reveals how people of all faiths are called to serve the poor, and lays out practical steps that anyone can take to do his or her share, whether down the street or around the world.

·        Explains how the United States can wage the war on terror most effectively with good works.

            In this book, Hall takes readers along on his travels through Africa, the Middle East, the old Communist Bloc and even the “Hermit Kingdom” of North Korea, which he has visited six times, more than any other elected official from the West. He also reveals his struggles, as a pro-life Democrat, to reopen his party to people of faith, who may disagree with Democratic leaders on some social issues but who are natural allies in the fight for economic justice.

            The wide reach of Hall’s message is illustrated by the wide range of individuals who have offered advance praise for the book, among them Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life; Jim Wallis, author of God’s Politics and editor of Sojourners magazine; Charles Colson, founder and chairman of Prison Fellowship; John Lewis, U.S. representative and legendary civil rights leader; Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Cal Thomas, syndicated columnist and Fox News contributor; Martin Sheen, actor and social activist; Al Franken, comedian and liberal talk show host; Ken Hackett, president of Catholic Relief Services; and David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World and the Alliance to End Hunger.

            Tom Price, now a Washington-based freelance writer, covered Hall first as an Ohio political reporter and later as a Washington correspondent.

 

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