Once again, I
really didn't want to turn this into a debate, but ok:
I think we have enough messed up issues in this country. How about the drug and literacy problems with inner city youth, Deadbeat Dads, homelessness, poverty in agriculture, jobs moving out of the country due to labor costs, etc...Just think of what $1 billions dollars would do in one agriculture community to the farmers that feed this nation. We spent that last week in Iraq.
A poor person in America is far far better off than a poor person in any third world country, period. The people in Darfur aren't drug addicts, or people that need to sell their $300,000 homes because they won't accept a lower paying job, or people that otherwise have a chance to lift themselves up in this great country by getting humble and working hard. You show me one person who has absolutely no chance of going anywhere or doing anything in America and I'll show you 100 greedy, lazy slobs who need to get their head out of their :butt: and do something for themselves. I'm talking about starving woman and children who have no future but a quick violent death or a slow starving one.
Besides, the Iraq conflict is something that I've always been, and always will be, against
. If we weren't there, we'd be in a better position to help those in need.
Just a quick thought: this may be too idealistic...but why not take the $45,000 it would cost to send media over and send food/aid workers/and the necessary security for them - instead?
Because mounted, armed professional soldiers would kill the aid workers (after raping the women), take their food, and laugh at the security someone can buy with $45,000.
PLUS: unfortunately the credibility of media in general is declining at a rapid rate....so the idea that the media will "save" this situation...is idealistic at best.
The credibility of our government as a peacekeeping entity is declining at a rapid rate. This is very dangerous, and makes America a dangerous place to live. For every country we preemptively strike, we scatter more people about who are willing to destroy us. Think--hornet's nest.
By helping ourselves we can better help others.
No offence, but 8O . I remember a time, not too long ago, when helping others was the best way to help ourselves.
I'm sorry that the darfur people are going through this and maybe it's just a personality thing; but I would rather die trying to liberate myself then die by starvation.
Hmm, let's see. Armed, mounted, professional soldiers against starving woman and children--who do you think will win?
Final thought: Perhaps it is just these annoying Christian values instilled in me in my youth. Perhaps, above all else, I want to feel like I am helping people live instead of helping people die. If you need to ignore this and pretend everyone has as many choices as Americans do, then that's fine. If you choose not to help, at least realize that situations like this are everywhere. Pretending they don't exist is not going to make them go away, and is moving us one step closer to being cattle. The cow happily chews her cud, oblivious of her fellows being brought to slaughter.