A Simple Question for You
Rants and Raves - 8 Comments » - Posted on May, 26 at 10:12 am
Why is it that the people of our country are more willing to assist those outside our borders before helping our own? That’s not to say that it’s wrong to help others around the world, but why is it that helping others come first? If you stop and think about it, whenever the US suffers a tragedy or crisis, there is very little to no aid being received from the rest of the world. But the moment crisis around the world breaks the news, Americans are rushing to their aid. We’re sending in troops, donating large sums of money, and pledging our time and services.
In the mean time there is a suffering economy, homeless people on the street, dwindling jobs, poverty, animal abuse, and human tragedy here on our soil or border towns, that should be fought instead.
I’m miffed to read about the people donating thousands of dollars to China, but won’t donate a couple of hours time at a local battered women’s shelter.
I’m annoyed with the US bloggers whose sidebars are riddled with buttons and badges showing their support of or contributions to societies and funds for around the world when we have plenty of people right here in our own country needing help.
Can we stop running to everyone’s aid and help ourselves for once? What does that say about us, as a nation, that we’ll throw money at other nations but leave our own people to suffer?
Tagged: causes, charities, crisis, donations, organizations, tragedyPosted in Rants and Raves | 8 Comments »
Joana the Goddess has 999 comments
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You make a really great point, Joana; I think a lot of it has to do with people being desensitized to all the extreme issues that are facing our country daily. I really wish people would wake up and realize that just because they’re problems that have existed for ages doesn’t make them any less severe.
OMG – I love you. You said everything I’ve been saying for years. I have never understood this government’s mentality to go above and beyond to help those in need in other countries while we have plenty of people in need here at home. It’s incredibly frustrating to see ads asking for aid in Third World Countries while our own are suffering just as much. It isn’t that I don’t think those people need our help, but I think we first need to help each other first. Our money would be much better spent in the aid of our own homeless, hungry and battered people.
I’m with you all the way, sister! *lol*
x despair
Its pretty simple. In order to work on those issues, we’d have to admit they exist. Its so much easier to deal with an issue half a world away, where the people being affected will never see you, and you them. If you were to go out and work at a local homeless shelter, or a similar place, you’d have to admit there is a problem in your community, which would break the world-view of many people.
Hi Joana when we talk about globalization then it is not our country its our world you have to understand that the people whom we are helping are very much under the poverty line so they require some helping hand immediately. Hope it is clear. Good Luck.
I’m so with you on this one. People think it makes them look good to “help” others but it’s mostly or show, where it gets them the most attention. When sadly our own people get nothing.
I’m with you 100% I can’t stand when people go to another’s aid in other countries while I can’t afford to put food on my table or my sister doesn’t have health insurance. So much is wrong with this country its not even funny.
Well, I can’t say abandoning the world is going to help but you know, maybe international relations can be on a hold a while when we figure out our own shit. I’m sure there’s some sort of a balance to working at home and helping out the neighbours and even those across the globe. But it’s probably a pretty difficult balance.
Afterall, being friendly isn’t a bad thing and we can’t exactly wait until all our problems are solved as anything with people will always have problems.
Still, completely ignoring the homefront just to impress president or PM of country X is pretty lame. I think it does have a lot do with the fact that much of the national issues are “supposed” to be taken care of at the state level (or are pushed down to that level so the federal government doesn’t have to do anything, maybe?) whereas international efforts are federal.
[...] Recently, I was reading Joana’s thoughts about how we, as a country, need to stop ignoring our own internal problems while we throw [...]