Insults and food: Using hate to fuel good in the world

<p>As a journalist, USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke has had his share of insults, most journalists have. With the introduction of social media and email, it's become a lot easier to fire off a mean tweet or send a nasty email as opposed to hand writing a letter and dropping it in the mailbox. With the internet at our fingertips, it's easy to dehumanize a person, especially journalists and bombard them with negativity.</p><p>Back in 2018 Huppke, then at the Chicago Tribune, decided to turn what was a negative experience into something positive. He asked readers, both those that loved him and those that hated him to donate to a local food bank.</p><p>5 Things Sunday&nbsp;host James Brown sat down with Huppke to talk about his Insult-A-Columnist-Holiday Food drive.</p><p>The concept is simple, you donate to Feeding America under one of two team names: RexRocks or RexStinks-either loving or hating him. No matter which team you choose, your donation benefits those struggling with food insecurity based on the zip code you provide.</p><p>Huppke said, "let me have it! Insult me, please." He promises to write a column geared toward whichever team wins; either grotesquely talking about how wonderful he is, or excoriating himself by letting the world know just how terrible he is. So what are you waiting for? Insult Rex and donate by clicking on the link. The drive runs through December.</p><p><a href="https://teamfeed.feedingamerica.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&amp;eventID=569&amp;utm_source=usatoday" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Donte to Rex Rex Huppke’s Insult-A-Columnist Holiday Food Drive. </a></p><p>To read Rex Huppke's columns, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/staff/6878775001/rex-huppke/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">click here </a>or read below.</p><p><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2022/12/04/insult-columnist-usa-today-feeding-america-food-drive/10800080002/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Insult a columnist, help people in need wi