Thursday, December 4, 2008

Why? Here's why.

I have to rant again for a minute, sorry.

Lately I've noticed a lot of people getting all worked up about people donating money/time/stuff to international charities. The common whine seems to go something like this: "We have starving/homeless/uneducated/insert human tragedy right here in our own country. We should take care of our own first."

This is why it annoys me. We have taken care of our own. Available to the needy in our country are the following: Welfare--which, by the way, will pay you to go to school if you so choose, or will still pay you to sit around and smoke Marlboros and meth if that's what you so choose. There are food stamps, WIC, Head Start, shelters, soup kitchens, free vaccinations, medicaid, public schools, social security, Goodwill, The Salvation Army and Deseret Industries. We've got federally funded student loans and grants. We have free public libraries, most with free computer and internet access. There are programs like Dressed for Success, Angel Trees and Toys for Tots. Heck, we've even got Extreme Makeover Home Edition and Oprah's Angel Network.

Those other countries that Americans give charitable donations to? Nothing. Nada. Nyet. There's no WIC in Haiti. There're no government funded student loans in the Dominican Republic. There's no soup kitchen in Zimbabwe.


This is Godfrey. He's dying of AIDS in Africa because he can't afford the medication.


The poorest, most uneducated American still has far more opportunity in life than most people in third world countries.

So quit your whining or I'll take away your Twinkie and bottle of water.

6 comments:

  1. Well said. It's sad to see the conditions in which people in other countries live. We forget until it's right in front of us.

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  2. Amen! Our Chapman Christmas charity (service project) this year is donating books to a Romanian orphanage using my scholastic book orders. Anyone want to donate to an orphanage that has one toy each child and they (the Hungarians) are TRYING to teach them English without any books to reinforce their learning. Toys would be great, and another organization has that covered, but I am in charge of the English books part. Thankfully there are three US families that fund this orphanage and they are well fed and get clothes through donations as well. Are they state funded? no. They are all charity funded.

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  3. hmmm, mixed feelings about the post. I feel very sorry for our elderly who can't take care of themselves and also can't afford medication, you see..you have to have nothing here to get something and those who get so much know how to work the system. Enough said on that. I so agree with you about these younger people WHO WON'T work or claim disabilities and our US attorneys send them to crooked doctors to get their diagosis.

    Thought provoking post....GOOD!

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  4. Robin,

    I know our system isn't perfect, and I know there are people in our country who truly need help. There are programs in our own country that need our support to be able to keep doing the good work they do.

    The post was aimed at those who see no reason for us to help those in other countries.

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  5. I do not completely disagree with helping anyone who needs help Brandi.
    That being said. I do feel that you have a bit of a simplistic take on those who need help in this country being able to get it.
    Yes we have "programs' available- IF you 'qualify' based on each programs guidelines, and not being able to feed your children, get them medical help, or pay for the electric bill etc, is not a qualification-
    Trust me, I know. I have been there, and if it wasn't for the kindness of strangers- NOT charities who would not help, because I "didn't qualify" my children would have ended up hungry and homeless. And I was working full time.

    So by all means- give always and as much as you can, but don't buy the spin that the government and state sponsored "charities" help as much s you would like to believe.

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Be nice or I'll punch you in the taco.

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