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Oxfam UK
Oxfam UK launched a new advertising campaign this week seeking to shift the focus to progress in Africa and away from 'depressing' images fostered by Live Aid and other well-intentioned efforts.
Twenty-seven years after Live Aid viscerally brought Africa's famine and poverty home to billions worldwide, the head of a major international charity warned Wednesday that the "depressing" stereotypes left in its wake were counterproductive and risked driving help away.
The British arm of Oxfam International called images of starving babies and other familiar depictions of Africa over the last quarter-century "manipulative and hopeless," desensitizing potential donors and leading them to the conclusion that conditions in the developing world can never improve.
Oxfam launched a new advertising campaign this week celebrating Africa's natural beauty and progress toward alleviating hunger. Called "Food for All," the campaign features images of lush green scenery, wildlife and thriving African food markets.
The campaign's tagline: "Let's Make Africa Famous for Its Epic Landscapes, Not Hunger."
Dame Barbara Stocking, the British charity's chief executive, said in a posting on Oxfam's website that "we've come a long way since the 1980s and Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'"
But "we need to shrug off the old stereotypes and celebrate the continent's diversity and complexity," she contended.
Band Aid, the musical charity supergroup formed in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in response to the crippling famine in Ethiopia. In 2004, on the song's 20th-anniversary re-release, the World Development Movement condemned it as "patronizing, false and out of date."
Geldof and Ure organized the landmark fundraising concert Live Aid in 1985, bringing dire conditions in Africa front and center to people around the world.
"'Patronizing' isn't the word" to describe the message fostered by Band Aid and other well-intentioned campaigns, Stocking said Wednesday in an interview on Sky News. "It's just this negativity. ...
"In order for people to understand what's happening in Africa, we've also got to tell the good stories, and there has been good news in Africa," said Stocking, who is retiring in the new year after serving with the charity since 2001.
"Otherwise, people just feel put off and (believe) there's nothing that can be done about Africa," she said. "And that's the big worry for us — that people feel it's all hopeless, when it clearly isn't."
World Bank statistics indicate that the world's heaviest concentration of malnutrition remains in Africa, afflicting as many as 15 percent of all children under 5 in some countries in the southern and eastern regions. And in June, the U.N. Children's Fund reported that 1.5 million children were at imminent risk of starvation in the western half of the continent.
Watch World News videos on NBCNews.com
But while acknowledging that international aid has made few if any inroads on hunger, Oxfam said in a report this month that countries south of the Sahara Desert had made "one of the most remarkable turnarounds in development ... in the last decade." It called the 22 years from 1990 to 2011 an "African renaissance."
Oxfam: Africa is wide awake but still hungry (.pdf)
"Economies have been growing even in the face of economic and financial instability elsewhere in the world, poverty has fallen and child mortality has dropped considerably, among the most visible indicators of progress," the report said.
The real story, Stocking said Wednesday, is that "aid money is really working."
But in the end, she said, "we don't want to have to give aid money to Africa. We want economic development, enterprise — that's what we're really aiming to do."
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This backward country will never be self sustaining. The people were there long before the US was populated and they still haven't progressed past a third world hell hole.
Not sure why.....
Africa is a continent with fifty-four countries, nine territories, and three states of limited recognition. You are stereotyping a lot of people.
United States is facing a Fiscal Crisis Cliff. People of the United States have the largest Deficit ever. Less money is going to be donated by people. The US Government should stop most Foreign Aid also.
The reason nobody wants to give is that conditions will never improve snd folks have had enough of seeing money going to corrupt politicians who couldn't care less about the plight of their hopelessly ignorant and miserable people.
how do you vote up posts?
Click on the little up arrow on the bottom right side of the post.
Everybody lies....especially clever politicians who know how stoopidly UN-Machievalian their constituents can be, in a world full of people - some of whom have sworn blood-oaths to destroy just as much of everything that you/we/I know and love as they can; as they're still catching on to certain facts: like the one about SoS Kissenger NOT REALLY being a "Revisionist Zionist" who 'sent arms to the Zionist Regime, in Israel, in late 1973, thar enabled them to WIN the otherwise UN-Winnable Yom Kippur War, but rather that he is a Nice Guy who Gave a Crap about millions of people who would've died - after our Spy Satelites showed us that the Israelis had at least 12 Nuclear Weapons, mounted on the pylons of F-111s (I think - Or, it could've been a Gen 1 Dasault F-1), ready to use on the Egyptians Forward Armored Columns, Air Bases, and Supply-Support Bases, as well as up to at least two targets each inside of Iraq and/or Syria and/or Jordan - which would've killed hundreds of thousand just from the FALLOUT.
That's why, in addition to the Muslim World finally submiting to Islams Commands regarding the "futile" throwing away of lives, in the prusuit of futile causes (there's no way to "win" anything but a Radioactive Wasteland To Call Their Own), the Many Different People of Africa need to learn to subordinate their Tribal, Clan, and Family Loyalties to a New Loyalty - That which they have for Unifying Africa under a Continental Federation of some kind; as, when Ghanna has much food, but not many mineral resources, while Ethiopia has plenty of mineral resources, while their people so often seem to be starving - IF ONLY they were United, as One Single Nation, with a Single Currency, and no more vainglorious Rhodesian borders - with their tarriffs, taxes, and graft-demanding agents - then they people of an African Union could simply send one thing or the other from where they are to where their needed, without anyone going without anything - potentially - ever again, as Africa is Too Big to not provide a large Natural Buffer to mitigate the effects of local droughts, pests, diseases, etc..
I hope that someone amongst them, someday, "Has a Dream"....and that the others listen to him/her.
Maybe...many of those countries are living with psychosis of being oppressed in their own lands. When people don't know who they are and from whece they came (as is for the Afro-Americans in the United States) how can they realize this land is theirs. The after affects of being oppressed is to know that you are no longer oppressed. Do you know that they are a free people? If so please state when this occurred, where, and resources that have made available to them during this/oppression time to help them be self sufficient.
The big thing with any of these countries is Africa is that WE are NOT going to solve their problems by throwing money at them. Their governments, who allow or cause most of the problems, are going to have to change, one way or the other.
I'm pushing 60. As far back as I can remember, and that's most of it, the church I used to attend has sent literally hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) to Africa to support the peoples there. We sent tractors, bought herds of goats, cattle, clothing, toys, food, shoes, you name it. Not ONE thing has improved. Not one. As a matter of act, it's even worse now.
Until the African peoples can work toward their own futures, and quit depending on constant handouts, it's a bottomless money pit. I hate saying it. I really do. However, we are doing them no favors by enabling their constant neediness with our neverending largess. As noted in other posts, the governments in many of these countries are so corrupt that it defies description. I have no doubt that many of my contributions were stolen from their intended purposes.
Before Oxfam goes point fingers at those who have a little more, it might give a little more attention to what the rest of the world knows, and that is Africa has a lot of problems that can't be fixed by just throwing money at them.
Anyone reading these posts will at once realize the deep-seated ignorance and stereotypes about Africa - thanks in part to the media. I am from West Africa, i was educated there and also in Europe and the US. I think the US is awesome. I have been shocked by the deep ignorance of Africa in both worlds, especially in the US - no surprise many think of Africa as a country - including George W. (who had to be corrected while addressing an audience). Where I come from, locals open successful businesses, big and small, set up nonprofits, build thriving churches, hospitals (do heart transplants and invitro), colleges; real estate development is scaringly out of control, we have a carnage of traffic on our streets with vehicles arriving at the port at a scaring rate (when i think of pollution), etc. We have thriving institutions and a vibrant civil society that hold government to account, our press is freer than in the US (and out of control) - not my word - see this USAID report - they think the problem is it is seriously underregulated: Our economy grew faster any in the world over the past year or two - thanks to a new oil economy. Do we have problems - you bet we do? Is there corruption - heck, there is! Are we making progress? Heck! we are! A whole lot of progress. Our institutions are evolving - remember we are barely 60 years old as a nation after centuries of plundering by the West. This is the point Oxfam is making. Do not be blinded by the stereotypes and do not bury yourself in steep ignorance. You see until i came here, i didnt know there was serious poverty in the US and (in Europe when I lived there). In the US, even veterans can be homeless, millions cannot get healthcare, workers' rights have evaporated, there are hugry families and children, corrupt lobbyists and big corporations rule... etc. and because of blind politics, lawmakers wont even ratify a resolution to protect handicapped people... But i do not see these as the image of America but its shortcomings. Back home we watch CNN International (guess this surprises many of you) - They get busy telling us how ugly our world is... not theirs. I am personally averse to handouts. But as a development practitioner, I know it works if you channel it to credible, private nonprofit sources - not to governments. In the end, it is the people who develop their futures and economies - not government.
Africa clearly IS depressing. Overpopulated, oversexed, extremely backwards, and torn by tribal conflicts. It is very sad. I'm not sure that merely feeding these people actually helps in the long run. Might actually only make things worse. Populations have to collapse in order to reach a level that local environment can sustain on long term basis. Sounds heartless but it is likely true.
I'll stay away from the wild stereotyping going on here. My sole point is that specific instances such as the politicians in Uganda looking to imprison or kill people for being gay and the people fighting to maintain the practice of mutilating young girls create a terrible image for Africa as a whole.
But I'll continue supporting Oxfam - just gave them my annual end of year donation - and hope for slow but sure progress.
kwame, I'm happy you are thriving. I really am. I guess my question is, why, if you are thriving so much, does your country/continent continue to need so much foreign aid? (I know that continental Africa has a multitude of governments, countries, districts, etc.)
You, yourself, said it. You didn't know that the US has social problems of its own. If you and yours are doing so well, why not start sending some of our poor and desperate donations? It's a fair question. In the past, we in the "west" have opened our homes, our pockets, our pantries to more poverty-stricken, more crying (African and other) babies that just about anyone can imagine. Now we are in a pinch. How about some reversals. Surely, if you can afford CNN and televisions, you can afford to help a poor Native American baby on a government reservation.
I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but if Oxfam is making such a big deal out of the negative profile that Africa presents, and it is incorrect, and you are much better off than is thought, why do you (Africa, in general) continue to need more from us?
Maybe because most of it's indigenous population is no smarter than the average retard.
Seriously? Alright, I am normally not a blame-the-white-folks type, but in this instance, you have to admit that this is in part due to European influence. Read the history.
You can't make arbitrary national borders for people you do not understand and expect everything to come out instantly well. There's a similar situation in the Middle East, if you haven't heard.
Really zapper? You said you are approaching 60 but i guess you havent read much about Africa is those years - except what your biased media feeds you with. You still have the favorite Western impression that Africa is a jungle where all is chaos - we've been asked that over and over or have heard it insinuated. But you see, we have never had the chance to tell our own story - who owns the media? Your views reflect the venom and spite - and ignorance about Africa that is on display in many of these posts. There are smart Africans working in the united states from leading hospitals and research centers to NASA and the military to universities. There are African pastors reaching the youth in the US and working to rehabilitate the addicted etc. (you talked of church, right?). You are plain IGNORANT. The remittances (money) that Africans living in West and Elsewhere send home to friends and family far exceeds the total aid rich countries give to Africa. Did you for once think that africa thrives on America largesse alone? Go check how much aid the US gives to Pakistan alone and compare that to what is given to SSA. And i hate to tell you this - cos you dont even deserve to know - but with the little money i make here in the States, i make it a solemn duty to contribute monthly donations to some causes that feed hungry children here - and boy i put many through school back home - do you think that is wise investment? IGNORANCE AND SPITE IS YOUR PROBLEM not sacarsm.
Kwame, I said I was happy you were thriving. I did NOT say you were some jungle denizen. I did ask why Africa continually needs aid from the west since you are thriving so well? None of that is unfair to ask. If anyone is ignorant, I would suggest that you look in the mirror.
I have NOT denied that many Africans are intelligent or are progressing, just as are many other people in different lands. I'm just asking if you already have so much, why do you need more?
If I had my preferences, I would cut off every penny of foreign aid to every country in the world. I would also bring home all of our military personnel to protect our homes and borders. I would also send home all of the people who come to our country for their educations, unless of course, they are paying for it themselves. (I've worked for a university, I know how they spend their scholarship monies on foreign students.)
It's not hatred at all. I'm just fed up with everyone thinking that Africa is starving because it's a cold (or hot) cruel world. I personally think Africa is taking us for a ride, and that's what Oxfam is worried about--more like me. I/we've pumped billions into Africa, and we are still getting the exact same images that we got 60 years ago--starving children, dressed in rags, with flies crawling all over them. I'm not the one taking the pictures, nor am I the one projecting them onto every tv set in the nation. I'm not the one who embraces the stereotypical profile of starving Africans. I know you live in modern cities, drive cars, run internet cafes, etc. It's the suckers in the "west" that are the soft touches for the "poor, starving, dirty Africans."
(My reference to Native American children was meant as a play on this type of advertising. I don't believe that I've seen any African broadcast asking for more funds to help the needy Native Americans. (Sorry Native Americans, you are just my example.) However, we, in the US, are inundated HOURLY with broadcasts begging for more funds for the needy Africans--needy Africans who drive their nice cars, live in high rises, and have a nicer home than I do.)
So before you admonish me to put away my so-called ignorance, I know exactly what Africa does and is. Been there, done that. Spite--yes, I'm entitled to a little, I've bought one too many goats.
Zapper, the answer to your painfully ignorant question is the same reason some thrive in any country while others don't. We have homeless and billionaires in the same cities in the U.S. My prayer is that ignorant people like you that forget what a HUGE blessing it was that you were born in better circumstances...my prayer is that God will make you come back to earth as one of these people that you love to mock from behind a computer like a f***ing coward.
Human-4637934, Thank You. This discussion was way to one-sided. I think that people need to remember that the filter you normally use in public should be used here as well.
If You Don't Like Something- Change It
If You Cant Change It - Change The Way You Think About It!
I'm going with Zapper on this one. I'm 61. We've got a lot of problems here in the US we need to address, and one of our top ones is mental illness.
In line with that is the appalling disconnect our teens and even adolescents seen to have with empathy for others in our society, and its causing a discordant breakdown in civilization. We have other things to seriously worry about here at home. We have been taking care of the rest of the world parasites to the point that the host is about to expire.
All the aid money we send to foreign countries does is enable despots to line their pockets toward the day they are overthrown and run to another country to live as royalty. We feed starving people just enough to allow them to overpopulate an already overpopulated area, and the cycle continues.
The only way to stop it is to force rulers to take care of their own. Stop giving them money, stop giving them aid. Either the people will revolt and take care of themselves or they will die.
If you knew what it is like for real maybe your comments would be different but I kinda doubt it.... People in Africa can barely have time to grow any food because of all the warring factions you see whom will leave the countries children without parents/homes/food/ and anything else that they can take.... Which leaves these people without hope for a future because their children have little or no guidance in providing for themselves.... The militant factions their are so many and so violent towards their own people that they will surely will go exstinct over a period of time.... The seasons there are quite harsh causing heards of animals to migrate long distances.... Not all places around the world have a wal-mart around the corner and jobs just a few miles away and the countries like the USA and Britain can't stand that there is part of the world that they can't capitalize on- plain and simple.... So you get them used to receiving aid instead of making the things that they need like all their forefathers had done for so many centuries before you.... How much of africa has internet/phone service/water service/police/military.... From my understanding there are many villages which these things are not avalible....
Also they claim the average worker there gets $90,000 per year income and yet the average mine worker receives about $50 a month income while all the others who control them make a few thousand times that for sitting on there asses.... Britain isn't helping the black man there at all so this article no matter how much you'd like to beleive it is quite wrong and covering up the genocide of another people.... The mine help in Africa makes 502 rand a month there which translates to just under $50 a month.... Now lets see you go slave in a gem mine while your bosses make all the money and pay you in dirt and then we'll see how long that will last.... What you have over there is a war like the war with the American Indians where they want your lands and its wealth and cheap workers to gain its wealths.... Plain and simple the facts are that if they gave a damn about these children they would first make sure that they parents to come home too and everything else would fall into place....
Africa isn't a country...
America, Europe and Asia aren't as well. So what exactly is your point?
My deepest empathy goes out to Oxfam organizers, but I am afraid as time goes on we will see less and less charity in the world. It is the fundamental acceptance of greed that is the culprit.
Not the average person who wants to give is greedy, but international businesses world-wide and their stockholders. They see the world struggling against their efforts to control workers, consumers and product safety and quality. The answer for them is easy, being greedy! Their aim is to fund politics so that the lowly workers have to accept lower and lower wages. Rather than feed people with better wages, how dare we think so uppity?Then the workers would quit fighting back for fear of not finding a job.
Who thinks that Apple wouldn't keep its business in the US if they thought the workers climate was fair to them? Unfair to them! They exploit workers in ways we would never accept, yet we keep them in business.
Greed takes all forms!
Greed is part and parcle to the institution of stealing, murdering, raping, violence, taking from those to whom the natural riches of their land belongs. But, when you conquer a people and convince them through those that have some influence over the others to just fall inline, then these helpers in the name of usually religion get their lives made better. Those closer to the capturers get better treatment than the others ( more food) to continue to sell out themselves and their fellow country men. Before all those big donors came on board things probably was more sincere in the efforts of the captors/ oppressers, but now, the bouty of the land and confused people make it all just ripe for greater pickings for corporations. You are right in that it is all over for those who really intended to make a difference. Now that the heavy hitters are in control there is no turning back, the greed is too far gone!
Is it greed, or a realization this "charity" is like pissing into the wind?
The way I figure it is that all the people whom are making all the money in these countries like Africa should be paying for this and not the common people who work everyday- yet they can't do that simple thing because that would be admitting guilt....
The aid that gets sent over there never makes it to the truly needy, but the dictators live high on the hog.
Got to love how the media tries to milk well meaning people out of more money for their causes. More than food more than money the African people need birth control and equal rights for women. Without these two things Africa will continue to overpopulate the carrying capacity of their environments and rape will continue to be a major problem in many African nations. Female genital mutilation will also continue to be a major source of abuse in many African nations.
If you feed people who can't feed themselves you are just creating WAR in a generation, when the number of mouths have doubled. War and/or plague.
Send them contraceptives, not food.
Read Malthus.
Yes, birth control, birth control, birth control. Until then these horrible scenes of starvation will continue, as the countries in Africa and their economies are extremely fragile. So, I agree with Fight for Freedom blog.
Maybe Obama Claus can continue his class-warfare assault by adding "helping Africa" to the 1,038,485 things he'll say can be addressed by taxing the rich.
YOU ARE AN IDIOT, go back to FOX "NEWS" and let Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly tell you what you are supposed to be thinking. You do not belong in the real world with free thinking people. "Dr"Man.
8 comments on a story that once was national news. Just goes to prove how dumb this idea was to think that a bunch of rich singers and do gooder politicians thought things would change. Glad I never bought into this silliness! Nothing ever changes in Africa unless it means something to another nation in resources like China. LOL dumb as do gooders!
Who is "dumb as do gooders"? You?
Err, but you're showing us landscapes apparently taken from thousands of feet in the air to try and convince people that Africa isn't a lost cause as far as human issues go. This isn't what I would consider proof of progress, actually it looks more like burying the fact that Africa IS a lost cause...
If they want to show progress, throw in some pics of thriving marketplaces, kids in schools, etc. Throw in something like a before and after of a parent who was helped to start a small business, and can now feed and clothe their kid on their own.
But yeah, I say giving food without birth control is a kick-the-can-down-the-road attempt to help.
I've been to several of the countries over there as an advisor. The only thing I can really advise, is do not under any circumstances send anything to Africa. The Corrupt customs officals will take their fair share, the corrupt transportation companies will take their cut, the many outlaw gangs will charge their road taxes to get the food or medicine to wherever it is going, the local war lord or government agent will take his cut and what is left over won't help anybody. The africans cannot protect themselves or their children from the corruption. Between epidemic STD and other deceases it is utterly amazing the people keep brings children into that world. Get all the aid out, let them die and give it a decade for the land and nature to heal before trying to repopluaie the area.
I understand you, until that last sentence. If we can push education and birth control, it will still help, and do so humanely. We'll have to stick to educating the women first though. The men feel their manly ability to reproduce is essential to their well-being. The women that have already had a kid (in a hut with no drugs) will be happy to avoid doing that again.
Not worth it.Our people left africa,banged some neanderthals,and made the greatest society ever.Meanwhile 2 million years later,most of these people live as they did 5000 years ago.I'll agree with the last sentence
Charities are big business and the leaders take in huge salaries. Only the Salvation Army pays it's higher ups nearly anything. The advertising of starving children is to get you to donate to keep the $$'s rolling in, not necessarily to prevent hunger. Africa an it's countries receives aid from the US, multiple churches and their feel good missionaries, charities that have made it a money maker and other countries all to support an area that just can't get out of it's own ways due to poor education and huge graft and corruption that makes the African royalty millions. Truly a shame and a scandal.
all stereotypes have some basis in fact or they wouldn't be a stereotype
Gee,sorry the former campaign,was out of date etc.Sorry you didn't like the PR that had the CHRISTIAN WEST donate to unevolved people. BYE
Very christian of you.
You know, pained1, i think you are my favorite.
Philadelphia, South Chicago, South LA, East St Louis are no different. No willingness to try to improve their lot; just get the money and breed to get more money. An earlier article highlighted that where they profiled a single mother with 3 children by 3 different fathers and never married any one of them (of course, no child support).
Don't forget the guy with 21 children by 21 different women & the guy with 11 children by 11 different women. Neither pay any child support and both blame the government(taxpayers) for not helping enough.
Africa had her own civilization and culture before Europeans knew it existed. Her people managed to survive just fine on their own. Europeans need to just mind their own business and let them figure it out.
The didn't survive just fine. The so called Europeans that settled there over 500 years ago and grew so much food, some African countries were food exporters. Recently, they are killing and throwing out the so called European farmers & taking over their farms, and now the Africans are starving again. Welfare receipients feel entitled to other peoples money.
Apparently Mr. Zheng believes African history began when Europeans settled there over 500 years ago. Classic ignoramus, but nothing that can't be fixed.
Sir, please read about the Oyo Empire, the Aksumite Empire, Mali Empire, Nok civilization, the residents of Benin, the Hausa's, the Kingdom of Kangaba, Songhai Empire, Ghana Empire, Wolof, Empire of Kanem, Great Zimbabwe Empire, Kingdom of Aksum, Kongo Kingdom, Luba State, Lunda State, the Fulani's, the Akan's, e.t.c. Many of these civilizations had music, art, religion, philosophy, professional armies, kings, and the Yoruba's even had a congress. At the best of times, these civilizations did not just "survive," they thrived. Just because you're ignorant about the history of pre-colonial Africa doesn't mean it never happened.
Africa along with all the other Third World toilet bowls has had thousands of years to pull it self up by the bootstraps. Maybe some of the sons and daughters in the USA who constantly whine and complain about how they've been deprived for 100 years and more would like to take the Education and skills they have and head on back to AFRICA and help bring the Country around. No complaint from me. Maybe they can get a one time tax deduction for a one way ticket. I think most of the "Charitable Organizations" are in the Charitable Organization Business. Just saying.....
Don't give anything to these people. The Africans are worst than animals. They maim and murder each other over nothing. All they know is rape and kill. Let them all die. They are savages that have no more regard for human or animal life than a mosquito. Thank God my ancestors were brought to the US.
Glad to see that there are more realistic views than that of just cover-ups. Tyrone, if there were only more of us to speak the truth, then we could all see real progress.
If they really want to feed the continent....teach them how to grow their own...sustainably! It is being done in many areas of Africa. Those are prospering!
Exactly like the farms in Zimbabwe under Mugabe, right 'pinecone'?...
Yes, pinecone, why don't you list exactly the areas of prosperity? Is it a village? A group of people? Are these indigenous or Europeans that are "prospering"? A little more fact to back up your statements would be honorable. My guess is you can't name even one that has sustained on its own for more time than the "helpers" were there.
Feed them and they will grow up and kill Americans.
I am 65 years old.
I have been hearing, seeing this (BS) for 55 years of my life.
The US has contributed literally TRILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to this G_d FORSAKEN piece of real estate during my lifetime and there appears NO END in sight...
ENUFF already, let them die, we here in the US have severe needs among our own citizens, I mean literal citizens NO illegals, visitors students etc...
The Word of G_d declares that "charity begins at home"... "let the dead bury the dead"..."count the cost"...
The Koran declares "if a man does not provide for his own he is worse than an infidel"...
It's time to take up the slack, pull up the anchor, sail on into seas of providing for our own...FIRST...
AND PLEASE don't come back with the cliché, "Out Of Our Abundance"...We ARE BROKE...!!!! NO ABUNDANCE...!!!!
By the way; I feel exactly the same way for the corporations in America that have bee given (stimulus) billions as well... it is the same welfare mentality.. It Has To Be STOPPED NOW...!!!!
I think Sam Kinison had the best outlook on this problem.
"You know, we've been coming here giving you food for about 35 years now and we were driving through the desert, and we realized there wouldn't BE world hunger if you people would live where the FOOD IS! YOU LIVE IN A DESERT!! UNDERSTAND THAT? YOU LIVE IN A F***ING DESERT!! NOTHING GROWS HERE! NOTHING'S GONNA GROW HERE! Come here, you see this? This is sand. You know what it's gonna be 100 years from now? IT'S GONNA BE SAND!! YOU LIVE IN A F***ING DESERT! We have deserts in America, we just don't live in them, a**holes!"
Apparently Sam Kinison never went to Las Vegas.
....or Arizona.....
Wow. I totally agree with most people here. That is amazing.
I don't think we should ever abandon someone else who truly is in need. I support helping in African countries. However, we do need to start asking more questions about where our money is going. I lived in the Philippines, and that's where I learned about in-your-face corruption. A society cannot progress if it's infected by corruption. It doesn't matter how much money you throw at it - a corrupt place will swallow it faster than you'd believe.
I don't know what the solution is. Africa is more than famines, but it does have them. But just blindly sending money to countries ruined by corruption is not the answer, either.
You agree that it is ok that children die from starvation? Do I put down a whole Continent and say the ugliest things.. And what the hell is wrong with celebrities who have the means to do it raise money? They have the same rights as we do to put their opinion out there. I do not have a answer of how to fix this but I hate that anyone thinks it is ok for a child to starve to death. No matter which country they live in. This country has a ways to go with feeding hungry children so should not point fingers. We are supposed to the the greastest country yet we have families and children hungry anfd homeless. We can not brag at all. Until no child goes to bed hungry we have no right to critize those that at least are trying to help.
Sharon, the money never gets to the people that need it, the whole "hunger industry" is rife with corruption.