Famine in East Africa: Why Does Nobody Care?

Originally posted by Starwise
reply to post by Kram09

 

Your tone of hatred towards Americans is too much. I AM AN HONEST HARD WORKING WIFE,MOTHER AND NURSE. WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN LUMP 300,000,000 plus people as the horrifying self centered narcissistic leaches that you imply? I am not the crappy foreign policy or nucleur weapon, I am a human and just because I am American does not make me a monster......I cant believe how offended your posts made me feel!
As far as Africa is concerned, I pray for them daily, just like the Japanese. My concern now is with making sure I have enough food to feed my children and living paycheck to paycheck is not glamorous. Why dont you visit America and see the poverty here with your own eyes before you cast such harsh judements of our people. I AM NOT THE GOVERNMENT! Are you you yours?....

Your country offends me! Many of the posts in this thread, written by Americans offend me! Fortunately I am aware that this does not represent all Americans, but it really does you no favours. I apologise for calling you all vile ignoramuses. I have been to America more than once. The poverty in your country is not at all comparable in scale to the poverty that is afflicting those in Africa. Once again I apologise for my comments aimed directly at Americans themselves. It was unfair. But I stand by my other comments.

reply to post by Kram09


Hi

Somebody is upset today? Where are you from mate - Let me guess, ENGLAND.

I am as you can see in my profile not from U.S.A. but still offending a whole country with that many citizens is a little harsh.

Perhaps you should cool down a little and make this face: into this face:

Peace

- Sorry my freind, I was to hasty there.. It is the damn coffein..

reply to post by Hilltaker


If you read my comment, you'll see I apologised.

I think the question should be

Why does the West care, but not the African states.

UN officials said the World Food Programme had received 60 per cent of the $500 million (£300 million) it appealed for to help save the lives of an estimated 10 million people. But to date, there has been no announcement of aid sent to the region by any of the major African economies, such as South Africa, Nigeria, Angola and Tanzania. Or oil rich Arab nations.

People from England should not talk # about America.

Sure we should, simply because America is dragging us down with them.

1) Your great country raped and pillaged the world from 1497 when they discovered a trade route to Asia to 1914 when the first world war started.

Which if we did not establish someone else would have.

2) WW1 and WW2 America saved your ass.

Massive laugh out loud moment. If that’s what you Americans like to believe then so be it. I recommend doing some research before you bring up such a strong statement as this. WW's are very complex and full of information that can easily be misinterpreted. America did not act alone in helping the UK.

3) at least the US is giving foreign aid when we are on top , unlike the British crown

Use your brain. Look at the sheer size and population of America in comparison to tiny old England.

Seriously, why does every American get so defensive and bring this kind of stupid crap up as an argument?



America & England are as bad as each other. FACT!

Deal with it.

I think people in the West care but most people can't do anything about Africa.

Most of the people who could do something about Africa are more interested in African resources than African people. These powerful ones only care about a small circle of people around them, their family and allies in business and politics.

The world is the same all over. The paranoic sociopaths claw their way to the top and then exploit everyone else mercilessly.

The only thing that can alter that paradigm is the combined action of the exploited to set limits to exploitation through whatever means prove to be necessary.

We all care. Everyone is sorry. Some people in the third world are sorry for us in the West. They are saddened by our vapid materialistic infantilism.

Africans will have to solve their own problems in Africa, just like they did in the United States. Good luck to them.

Obviously no one cares, look at the famine in america and your own backyard. The only reason you feel so guilty after watching documentaries, news coverage, commercials etc. of east african and all african famine is because it is right infront of your eyes brainwashing you. How about the hundreds and thousands of homeless and impoverished families living around you starving to death. Think about your own damn country and countrymen before you start whining about countries that are in famine because their country and countrymen didn't try and help what was going on in their own country.

Without stooping to the level of bashing other countries for their monetary input, let me just say this.

We - That is everyone - Raise stupid amounts of money for charity each year - Only a fraction of that if at all goes to where it's supposed to after the pen pushers, freight costs & dodgy governments have had their way.

Now onto actual *Government aid*. You can point fingers like school yard children all you like as to who has the hardest dad with the biggest wallet but its all rubbish. What they tell YOU they are going to give isn't the amount they actually DO. Y'all fell for it...Go you...

I've always said I'd go to Africa at some point in my life and do what I could to help all the poor, starving children.

I've just had too much on my plate recently.

60 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

50 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

40 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

30 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

20 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

10 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

8 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

6 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

4 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

2 years ago: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

Last year: Famine in East Africa - Send Money to Save the Children!

Today: Famine in East Africa: Why Does Nobody Care?


To answer the question as succinctly as possible- at some point you realize you're just peeing into the wind. Throwing good money after bad gets old, especially when those receiving the money would rather eat the rather expensively produced drought resistant seed than plant the damn things.

At this point giving money to African relief is about as responsible an act as giving an 8 year old a Platinum American Express card. The reason for that is about 8% of every dollar gets to the countries affected and once that 8% gets there it's taken by the local politicians/leaders and sent to offshore accounts in the case of cash or stolen to be sold in the case of humanitarian aid. Should the US or UN get involved in trying to prevent the theft then the same people whinging on and on about the US not doing anything then jump on the "illegal invader/occupier" bandwagon.

In short Africa can go take a long walk off a short pier. 95% of the comments posted about the US on this site are geared towards slamming America and saying we should keep our noses out of everyone else's business. I'm taking that advice to heart and Africa won't get a single cent of my discretionary income.

This makes me VERY MAD!
I'm scared to send money to these poor people incase it all goes to the government "war funding".
I just want to go over there and feed them myself -.-
Imo, the GOVERNMENT are one of the main causes of this. They take the money, fund it on guns and fight wars. I reckon there is enough money to house and feed everyone in Africa. But NO. The governments won't have it that way.
FIGHT MONEY GREED. I think the African economy could have been quite strong if the money was used right. Now, I think it's too late to fix the economy. The world's economy is going to go down I think.
That's my opinion.

reply to post by warehouse7


Instead of feeling guilty; help world hunger by eating locally grown food and trying to grow your own at home, buy less cotton clothing from abroad e.g. Global Agribusiness has robbed most 3rd world economies of the ability to feed themselves as most of their agriculture is being exported to us in the Northern hemisphere. (IMF / World Bank / WTO / Agribusiness etc) ... This not only helps our farmers and economy but helps remove the “demand” for these exports, this will help the rural inhabitants to claim back the farming lands to feed themselves.

When it comes to food aid, it’s probably better to only help directly with food when there is an immediate dire need (i.e. Horn of Africa folks making it to Kenya), otherwise we may end up contributing to the demise of local food production by flooding the market with free food. In my opinion it’s better to contribute to organizations that are trying to remedy global food insecurity root causes (i.e. War on Want) and those that provide micro loans / business / sustainable farming help to the at risk populations.

Why are so many leaders of these at risk countries not appearing to care for their own people? Perhaps this article may provide some food for thought

www.guardian.co.uk...

Perhaps the Confessions on an Economic Hit Man may also provide some insight.

reply to post by Section31


Monsanto & co would have us believe that we can’t feed the world without them, when they and Agribusiness are one of the main reasons why people are going hungry.
Allowing for all the food that could be eaten but is turned into biofuels, and the staggering amounts wasted on the way, farmers are already producing much more than is required—more than twice the minimum nutritional needs by some measures.
www.economist.com...
The world produces enough food to feed everyone. World agriculture produces 17 percent more calories per person today than it did 30 years ago, despite a 70 percent population increase
www.worldhunger.org...
There is enough food to feed the world
The world produces 17% more food per person today than 30 years ago. But close to a billion people go to sleep hungry every night.
www.oxfam.ca...

Originally posted by AliceBlackmanThere is enough food to feed the world
The world produces 17% more food per person today than 30 years ago. But close to a billion people go to sleep hungry every night.

These are nice facts and all; however, you are forgetting that this food costs money to produce and therefore money to buy it.

In a world where all the food was just collected and distributed evenly sure there is "enough" the problem is that food producers - of which I am one have to not only make overhead but make a profit as well.

Who is going to sieze all the land and food for the the poor and redistribute it? Under what authorirty?

These types of statistics are misleading like those that claim there is enough land for everyone to have X acres for their own purposes.

These statements ignore the fact that the land worth having already belongs to someone else. About 140 acres of that belong to me (along with many others) and unless you got about 6k an acre (an it isn’t for sale BTW) no one is getting any of mine without a fight.

The world is not one happy commune in which all the food and resources are collected and distributed equally. The people who take the risks and grow the food and mine the resources don't do it for altruistic purposes. We do it to support our families. Perhaps we have more than our “share” – so life is unfair. Risk = reward.

reply to post by Golf66



Now , Golf66, do you actualy physicaly remove the food from the ground it is grown in, and pass it to a transportation expert so that it can be distrubuted, or are you involved in the process in a strictly paper work job?

There are vast swathes of people who shouldnt be getting paid a dime in the companies which organise the production of and distribution of food. The only people in the chain who SHOULD be paid for food production, are the guys and gals who pull the crop out of the fields, and the folks who deliver it/sell it. There should not be multi national companies, involved in agriculture. If big firms got the hell out of the way, there would be an awful lot more money and food to go round.

Get the suits out of the pay chain, and all the world will be fed and have more in thier pocket.

No economic gain for us there. Simple as that.

Originally posted by squatchhunter
No economic gain for us there. Simple as that.

Do you have no clue how many millions have been sent down to Africa from the U.S. and Europe? There simply comes a point, when you realize that no matter how much money or aid you send, it's not going to help. Africa is doomed, and it's not because of the West, it's because of themselves.

I don't understand you OP.

Is this thread basically "I R teh Angry! I maek poast nao! rawr!"

Is this basically you venting or ranting, or am I mistaken?

If you're upset with something, do something to change it. Maybe then you might be a teeny bit entitled to call out everyone else who isn't trying as hard. But saying "No one else cares"? What? Who are you to make that assertion?

Clearly not someone who is in the middle of trying to save East Africa, not with a soapbox rant post.

Troll me if you like, but don't make false assertions.

Originally posted by TrueBrit Now , Golf66, do you actually physically remove the food from the ground it is grown in, and pass it to a transportation expert so that it can be distributed, or are you involved in the process in a strictly paper work job?

Well, mostly I run a dairy operation so mostly it’s getting the food out of the teat but anyway I do grow some organic soy and alfalfa hay. Its 24/7 job running a dairy with just my family as the employees.

Originally posted by TrueBrit The only people in the chain who SHOULD be paid for food production, are the guys and gals who pull the crop out of the fields, and the folks who deliver it/sell it. There should not be multi national companies, involved in agriculture. If big firms got the hell out of the way, there would be an awful lot more money and food to go round.

It a little naive to think that me and the guy who pick up the milk are the only ones in the chain. There are many steps in the process. Pasteurization, packaging, storage, shipping, receiving, and even now recycling. International supply chains are very complicated and costly to operate and require many people at all levels to supervise and execute the plans to prevent spoilage.

What you are saying is like in Soviet Russia when there were only farmers and the government who collected it all and distributed it. Tons and tons of waste were involved because there was no incentive for the individuals involved in distribution to be successful.

Now the only place I think there should be some more regulation would be on the commodities speculation market. They drive up prices and really never even touch the product. It’s money making money – you can only make money off of nothing for so long and we are seeing the results of that in current market.

reply to post by Golf66



Ok ok, but you know, the executives of every company that actualy contacts the product, what do they do? The answer is clear. Nothing , for anyone, except themselves. The shipping magnates who own and are the primary earners in thier companies, do no actual work, and do NOT spend all day on the phone, or at thier desks, or in extremely stressful negotiations, and what little they DO do , is greatly reduced if they inheret thier business.

The speculations market should be dissolved period. Oil and food and minerals and everything else as well... the world would do better without these folks doing these jobs.

Fact is the vast majority of the money which is payed for the products as sold, is payed to those who have zero actual involvment in the process.