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Kate, although I do feel sorry for the children, as it is not their fault that they are born. But it is their fault when they grow up and bring 5 more children into the world that they cannot feed or clothe. I'll never understand it.
Of course you won't. Because you are lucky enough to never have to LIVE it.
and Alex while maybe not the magnitude of Haiti search the net for photos of poverty right here in the US, Apalachia is a good start..some of these people have no running water, no electricity, no indoor plumbing and no food....some of the dwellings you or I wouldn't house our dogs in....a hungry child is a hungry child no matter where they are located..I find this even sadder because it's right here in the US
I wouldn't say sadder, it's sad wherever it is, I'd say more pathetic because in a country of our wealth (or what used to be anyway...) there was NO NEED to have a child go hungry. Now, this is really the difference between poverty in the US and poverty in some of the 3rd world nations though.
Sadly, in the US, if you were a child in poverty you PROBABLY had a parent who was unable or unwilling to get you the services/help you needed. While I don't buy into the American dream of being born poor and able to become Donald Trump (VERY VERY few and far between) we HAVE, for the most part, been able to move up some degree on the socio-economic scale through education and hard work. If you are on the lower rungs of this ladder, there are government, faith based and other charitable organizations that CAN help you in the US. In countries with abject poverty - there are NOT. It is not that a mother may be too lazy or too high or too apathetic to get her child food/shelter/medical care.... she may just have no CHOICE. There is a difference.
And no one CHOOSES to live like this. It's pathetic to think so. No one, no one if given the choice before birth of where they would be born would say "Yes, please, put me in Haiti. I wish to be born to a poor mother, perhaps one suffering from AIDS." Give me a break.
Yes because we have the resources to help our own...the people of Apalachia have been living like this for decades, once mining was the way they made their way but no more
On another note, my Mom sponsored a family through "Save the Children" or a similar organization when I was young. She picked a family in Apalachia for this very reason... it was in "our" country. The organization she worked with also allowed her to write to the family and we could send gifts, etc. on our own. It was a family with 4 children and though we were poor ourselves, she knew we had it much better than they did so she helped. Then one day we got a letter saying "We are so blessed, we are expecting another child." My mother stopped. She was furious. WHY is this woman having another child when she can't take care of her own when my MOM wanted more children but knew she couldn't afford more?
But AGAIN...even in Apalachia... birth control IS available and understood..... not so in all 3rd world countries.
You'll never understand it because your values and logical reasoning were developed in a completely different enviornment. You can't say things like "if I was in that position, I would do ______", because you would not be you.
We often tend to complaint about general things in life (i.e. Taxes, bailout..etc..etc..etc..) But I took a look at this pictures today and I felt guilty/ashamed. Our lives could be so much worse. I Thank God for whatever He has given me.
Warning: Graphic pictures, some content may be disturbing to some.
Yep. These photos do put things into perspective as to what is and is not important. Okay, I don't have all of the material things I fantasize about from time to time. Nevertheless, I have a job and a roof over my head. I'm very grateful, because nobody in this world can chose as to where they are going to be born. Without sounding too mushy, these pictures also strengthen my love for the US with respect to the amount of available resources and opportunities at our disposal.
On another note, my Mom sponsored a family through "Save the Children" or a similar organization when I was young. She picked a family in Apalachia for this very reason... it was in "our" country. The organization she worked with also allowed her to write to the family and we could send gifts, etc. on our own. It was a family with 4 children and though we were poor ourselves, she knew we had it much better than they did so she helped. Then one day we got a letter saying "We are so blessed, we are expecting another child." My mother stopped. She was furious. WHY is this woman having another child when she can't take care of her own when my MOM wanted more children but knew she couldn't afford more?
But AGAIN...even in Apalachia... birth control IS available and understood..... not so in all 3rd world countries.
Think again on that statement..available..yes understood...not so sure
Letters & packages do not visulize the abject poverty there...take a ride through some areas of West Virginia, Tennesee....
Personally, I'm not cold hearted but sick of sending aid to countries like Haiti because the people who need the aid rarely if ever see it and that's criminal
I wouldn't say sadder, it's sad wherever it is, I'd say more pathetic because in a country of our wealth (or what used to be anyway...) there was NO NEED to have a child go hungry. Now, this is really the difference between poverty in the US and poverty in some of the 3rd world nations though.
Sadly, in the US, if you were a child in poverty you PROBABLY had a parent who was unable or unwilling to get you the services/help you needed. While I don't buy into the American dream of being born poor and able to become Donald Trump (VERY VERY few and far between) we HAVE, for the most part, been able to move up some degree on the socio-economic scale through education and hard work. If you are on the lower rungs of this ladder, there are government, faith based and other charitable organizations that CAN help you in the US. In countries with abject poverty - there are NOT. It is not that a mother may be too lazy or too high or too apathetic to get her child food/shelter/medical care.... she may just have no CHOICE. There is a difference.
And no one CHOOSES to live like this. It's pathetic to think so. No one, no one if given the choice before birth of where they would be born would say "Yes, please, put me in Haiti. I wish to be born to a poor mother, perhaps one suffering from AIDS." Give me a break.
I don't recall myself or anyone else who posted on this saying " They choose to live like this" so don't know where you are coming from on that one.
Usually in places like Haiti they have "No Choice" because the aid is never reaching the needy, it is padding the pockets of their corrupt leaders...Haiti is a perfect example of this
Yep. These photos do put things into perspective as to what is and is not important. Okay, I don't have all of the material things I fantasize about from time to time. Nevertheless, I have a job and a roof over my head. I'm very grateful, because nobody in this world can chose as to where they are going to be born. Without sounding too mushy, these pictures also strengthen my love for the US with respect to the amount of available resources and opportunities at our disposal.
Think again on that statement..available..yes understood...not so sure
Letters & packages do not visulize the abject poverty there...take a ride through some areas of West Virginia, Tennesee....
Personally, I'm not cold hearted but sick of sending aid to countries like Haiti because the people who need the aid rarely if ever see it and that's criminal
I agree and understand your feelings about that Kate.
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