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Desperate poverty 1 hour from US

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posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 08:41 PM
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I was shocked to hear of these terrible circumstances so close to the United States.

As the elected ambassadors of good will to the rest of the world I hope you can find some way to help these desperate people.


-Snippet from news source-


(CNN) -- I have just returned from my latest trip as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Once again I found myself in one of the world's poorest countries; once again I held children with stick limbs and distended bellies.

Again, most of these children are without clean water, adequate food, basic health care and the opportunity for an education. Again, before they reach the age of five, many will die from preventable diseases.


Visit the link for more.

[edit on 29-9-2008 by TH3ON3]
Mod Edit: External Quotes added

[edit on 9-29-2008 by worldwatcher]



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 08:48 PM
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I hope that if a celebrity says it, more people in the U.S. will pay attention.
There are over 190 million poor people in Latin America, this is a reality that most in the developed world like to ignore.

Thanks for your post.



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 09:25 PM
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Hey, here's an idea. Stop listening to the Pope and quit having a thousand babies.



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 09:30 PM
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The very sad reality of such a situation in this time is that most common American's are already struggling themselves. Things are not nearly so bad as they are in Haiti, but it is bad nonetheless.
One of the main things that makes this time frame so bad is that so many Americans have had it so good that this current hardship is foreign and many are writhing from the situations they find themselves in, having to cut back on luxuries just to make the necessities. It is no excuse, it is just the truth.
Gas shortages have people out of work. Hurricane distraught areas have people living in shelters and relief centers with limits on what they can even do for themselves.

If anyone in America could help, it would have to come from the small upper class and elite that are not being pressured by the financial crunch. Of course, these are the same people who do a little with the means to do much more. One cannot shoulder the entire burden on them, however.

The US has proven time and again how generous it can be and has been, even in those occasions where they both vilify the US while endorsing the aid checks.

Haiti is also partly in the shape they are in due to their corrupt government officials filling their personal and governmental coffers before the citizens receive any help at all. The remainder is distributed to the people, but it is precious little by the time aid has passed through so many hands. Again, not really excusing any lack of action, rather just stating the reality.

I would close with my sympathies to those that are going through the worst of times and those that lost loved ones. Haiti has been in a desperate situation for a long time and 4 back to back hurricanes in a single season only serves to make things that much worse.

I would also hope that their entire survival does not in fact hinge on aid just from the US. I would hope that other sympathetic countries would get involved. Many smaller aid offers will easily offset the lack of aid from the US.



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 09:38 PM
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I'm sorry but that post really ticked me off. Are you a US citizen? And out of curiosity, did you make a contribution after reading the article or did you feel that simply passing the information on to others fulfilled any obligation you may have personally felt to help those mentioned in the article that are suffering?

At what point are OTHER countries going to step up and help the impoverished?

Everyone puts everything on the U.S. - and no matter what we do, it's always met with some sort of criticism. Americans are the first people on the scene when help is needed and always the last to be thanked - IF they even get a thank you!

We have a crisis of major proportions going on in our country which will impact every country in the world to one extreme or another and yet here Mia Farrow is (and you as well since you decided to make a thread on this) are asking Americans to once again jump in and come to the rescue to people whos own government won't do their job?

I am always the first to help those that are in need, wether they ask for help or not, and in whatever way that I can. My time, my money, a shoulder to cry on, whatever is needed. That's the way that I was raised, the way I'm raising my children, and the way that I would hope everyone would act toward one another.

But when I see something such as this where an attempt is made to guilt Americans into donating money at the most economically difficult and fragile time in our history, it makes me sick.

Most donations to charities are made via credit card. At the moment, credit card companies are so desperate, some of them are already lowering the credit limits on people's cards even if the person has perfect credit! This entire crisis is partially because financial institutions overextended themselves ... is now REALLY the time for people to, once again, hold out their hands to the American's, EXPECTING them to come in on a white horse and save the day?

I think this shows a blatant disregard for what ALL Amercians are currently experiencing, the fear of what is to come, and the uncertainty of what value, if any, our dollar will have when we wake up in the morning. More importantly, this totally dismisses the poverty and suffering that we have in our own country which is about to get DRAMATICALLY worse in the days and years to come.

Mia Farrow should be utterly ashamed of herself, if for no other reason, the money spent on her plane fare and helicopter tour alone could have gone a long way in feeding and vaccinating the children that she so desperately wants everyone else to take responsibility for.





Jemison



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 09:43 PM
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Originally posted by traderjack
Hey, here's an idea. Stop listening to the Pope and quit having a thousand babies.


Your post is wrong in so many ways that I hope it is ignored by other posters.



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 09:51 PM
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Originally posted by Jemison
I'm sorry but that post really ticked me off. Are you a US citizen? And out of curiosity, did you make a contribution after reading the article or did you feel that simply passing the information on to others fulfilled any obligation you may have personally felt to help those mentioned in the article that are suffering?

Most donations to charities are made via credit card. At the moment, credit card companies are so desperate, some of them are already lowering the credit limits on people's cards even if the person has perfect credit! This entire crisis is partially because financial institutions overextended themselves ... is now REALLY the time for people to, once again, hold out their hands to the American's, EXPECTING them to come in on a white horse and save the day?

I think this shows a blatant disregard for what ALL Amercians are currently experiencing, the fear of what is to come, and the uncertainty of what value, if any, our dollar will have when we wake up in the morning. More importantly, this totally dismisses the poverty and suffering that we have in our own country which is about to get DRAMATICALLY worse in the days and years to come.

Mia Farrow should be utterly ashamed of herself, if for no other reason, the money spent on her plane fare and helicopter tour alone could have gone a long way in feeding and vaccinating the children that she so desperately wants everyone else to take responsibility for.





Jemison



Obviously Jemison, I don't worry as much as some do. Not because I'm rich, that is my nature because of my strong beliefs. I'm sorry if it ticked you off, I felt compelled to post this and yes I do plan to donate to the group I feel handles the donated money the correct way.

One thing about those who are starving in America is the numerous kind hearted people such as yourself that are the first to help those around them. Don't get mad at my attempt to spread relief to other suffering people. This is what life is really about, thinking of others even at loss of our own comforts.



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 09:51 PM
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If you havent notices mate we have a little situation of our own going on over here right now....lol.



A little thing called a crashing economy.


Maybe we can all sit and be hungry together when this is said and done.

[edit on 9/29/08 by BlackOps719]



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 09:53 PM
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Well if anything it proves that maybe most don't have it so bad after all.



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 10:03 PM
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reply to post by TH3ON3
 


...

Just because they are close to our proximity.. we should be their own personal nanny?

What the hell do I care they are an "hour" away from the US, if they want to apply to be a state fine, but we have no obligation to support people for "being close to us" ...

Liberal insanity..



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 10:15 PM
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I hope that if a celebrity says it, more people in the U.S. will pay attention.



You would like people to pay attention and then do what? What exactly is it that you are asking that people do? More importantly, what are YOU doing?

Please, PLEASE, everyone stop talking about what "people" in the "U.S." should do. Focus on what YOU should do no matter what country you live in. Situations like this should NOT be about what you expect OTHER people to do, it should be about what YOU are going to do.

It is no more the other guy's responsibility than it is yours!! You cannot ask, or expect of others what you have not done yourself.

I'm really not surprised to hear that Mia Farrow is still paying more attention to what is happening in other countries while ignoring what is happening in her own. While I find it noble that she adopted children from different countries, maybe if she had actually focused on them and what was happening in her own backyard, one of her adopted daughters wouldn't have had the opportunity/desire to be sleeping with Ms Farrow's common law husband.

Jemison



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 10:17 PM
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What makes you think the US isn't so far behind?

www.youtube.com...



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 10:21 PM
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But this visit was not to Africa. These are the grim realities for the people of Haiti, just one hour from the shores of the United States.


Uhhh...well actually it kind of is. 95% black, high AIDS rate, skyrocketing population, 42% are under 14 years old, dirt poor, women have an average of 5 kids, which probably means if they lived long enough they have 10 kids but most don't live that long.

Here is their population growth since 1963....



But yeah, technically it isn't actually IN Africa. But lets send more food and medicine and see if we can double that population in the next 20 years, it has worked really well all over the third world so far, if we just keep sending food and medicine I am sure things will get better real soon.



posted on Sep, 29 2008 @ 10:29 PM
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reply to post by Sonya610
 


Yes well you see how the actions of those in positions of power who seek to have power over the masses to further their own selfish agenda
can instigate the complete destruction of a people by influencing them to not use birth control. This is a prolem all around the world thanks to some dope namely the pope.



posted on Sep, 30 2008 @ 03:11 PM
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I'm glad to see many of you aren't brainwashed with liberal guilt. Giving money to these third-world hellholes - might as well flush it down the toilet. Are there people there in need? Yes, and they never get any better. As someone else said, the corrupt govts help themselves to any money sent there while little if any ever does what it was intended to. Also, as someone else said, the US is NOT the world's babysitter. No one ever does anything for us, but the minute something happens in some other country they have their hand out. Even your beloved Ron Paul agrees that all the foriegn aid we give should cease. That would also greatly help our current financial woes.

The main point I have is this: While a lot of our own people are still in need, the world can take a backseat. Once we take care of our own, then we can talk.



posted on Sep, 30 2008 @ 09:24 PM
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Originally posted by Rockpuck
reply to post by TH3ON3
 


...

Just because they are close to our proximity.. we should be their own personal nanny?

What the hell do I care they are an "hour" away from the US, if they want to apply to be a state fine, but we have no obligation to support people for "being close to us" ...

Liberal insanity..


It's only 'liberal' if you expect the gov to do something about it instead of you while taking other people's money to accomplish it. If you want to do something about it yourself, perhaps getting together with others, that's called 'altruistic', and in a more general, cultural sense it might be called 'Christian'. Helping others is only liberal if it's imposed upon you at the point of a gun.



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