5 million children die of hunger a year-and yet we practically do nothing!

[FiveSpeedf150]

Ah, nothing like self-hating Americans.

There are places in Africa where the tribal elders won't allow aid groups to dig a well. You know why? Because then the other tribe will kill them for it.

Africa has a billion things to fix on its own before we can even hope to make an impact. I recommend reading Let Africa Sink by Kim du Toit.

 

[clutch-monkey]

stop breeding.
that's half the issue.

 

[dark-amon]

Out of every dollar the west gives in aid to the third world. US banks takes more than 75% of that dollar in rents the countries have taken in international loans. One of many reasons such a large amount of young europeans dislike america.

 

[Withall]

Here is a cold hard fact. Those five million starving kids in africa will become 20 million in a dozen years. Every generation that continues will be stuck in horrible conditions, overpopulation, corrupt governments and other shitty conditions. Remember Rwanda, where the government encouraged the people to rise up and murder all the minority?

Will feeding starving kids help them at the moment and make us feel warm and fuzzy? probably.

Does it solve their problems?
no

If some warlord offered that kid food and a gun would he happily murder his countrymen?
yep

The problem is NOT starving kids, that is just a result. If you spend all your time trying to fix the results so that you like them, you miss the problem and the result continues to happen.

You can try to solve the AIDS epidemic in africa as well, but it too is a result.

Some things you should not rush in and try to fix. This is a problem that needs to be fixed by the many nations of Africa.

stop breeding.
that's half the issue.

I concur to both these statements- however, without knowing what the root of the problem is, solving the problem becomes very tricky, very quickly.
That said, I am in no position to suggest what could be the reason, except perhaps one thing: skewed impression from a wealthier layer, which gets thrown in the face of those who can't accomplish this.

 

[Nemu]

Am I the only one who thinks that a topic about starving children made by a user here named "caprisun" is a terribly amusing?


Probably.

Anyway, OP, since you are a student, how about you donate the cost of your internet or video game purchases towards helping kids eat instead of righteously posting on a gaming website occupied by a majority of teenagers and early 20-year-olds who have little on their minds outside of games, sex and Mt. Dew?


Besides, while I'm all for helping people, I'm far more interested in the US's bloated military budget being used on more local concerns--namely education, poverty and homelessness HERE. Once a few of the local yokels know to do more than screw their siblings into pregnancy and get an education and a job, THEN I'll worry about people in another country.

Sorry, but until you decide to give up the materialistic enjoyments you have, I'm not going to even remotely take you seriously.


Oh, and pay taxes. Real, house-owning taxes, not "part-time at BK on weekends" taxes, bubbah.

Appropriately, I am now hungry...

 

[ArcWinter]

We can solve this easily.

Nuke Africa and then 4 million of those children will be dead of nuclear radiation.

No more hunger!

Hey easy pal I am an immigrant from Zambia and I love Africa. Not all of Africa is the crap hole that movies portray it as. Yes there are villages that are like that but Africa is a great continent, you just gotta know where to go. And in my house in Lusaka, Zamiba I had a TV, computers, video games, etc.

I know. Africa is pretty much like everywhere else: half of the place is great, and the other half... well, not so much.

It's just that the media is sort of... I don't know, prejudiced? I think that would make sense.

As for a serious answer to the original question, feeding those in other countries (because I currently don't live in any African countries) is secondary to feeding those in one's own, no matter the conditions. I say this because helping your own community is what is important, which could be from a neighborhood to country. Sadly, this doesn't encompass the world yet.

 

[caprisun]

Its estimated that this year around 5 million children, mostly in areas like africa, will die of hunger. and it just shocks me that we in the west can just sit around as if nothing is happening. i mean i no we give some aid or whatever, but its pathetic, like the US doesnt even give .01% of its gdp, yet it can fund military projects etc. like i dont really have much of a point, but like do you not think its a pretty sad enditment on us all that we throw away money like we do in the west while so many people die needlessly?

When did it become another countries responsibility to protect and feed another countries people? Things should be done by each country but why is it anyone ELSE'S responsibility?

This is the funniest thing, when the US does something, everyone complains about it, when the US does nothing everyone complains about it.

Fact of the matter is, the US is in debt, it's in shambles in a lot of ways, why should the U.S. hop on over delivering all the things said country needs when the things it can't even do for it's own unemployed/homeless? Or you know HEALTH CARE?

People donate, people fly out there and help personally, send vaccines and such. That's a lot of help if you ask me. So ask yourself this, what have YOU done?

Well first of all i feel it is everyone elses responcibility because we are all people, no matter where you are from. If you choose to believe that your sphere of responcibility ends at your countries borders then thats fine, but everyone should help everyone in my opinion.

But even if you dont agree with that, then there is the brutal history of many of these areas to consider. Empires such and the British French and American empire have destroyed some of these countries in so many ways its horrifying, in the end making these countries unable to support themselves. Now an argument can be made that if a country has not been interfered with at all that you should not help them(although i dissagre with that entirely), but surely when you look at the history of many of these places and see that it is the wests fault that they are in the state that they are in, that we must have a responcibility in getting these countries back on their feet. But sadly since this is opposed my many large multinationals who never want to see democracy in these counties, so unless we do something, things will never change.

And when it comes to people doing things on there own, that is brilliant, much respect to them. But there is only so much that people can do, for people in reality can only deal with the efects of hunger, by feeding them etc, but cant do anything about the reasons why they are in that situation. I heard a real good quote the other day, cant remember by who, but i think it sums it up.

"When I help the poor, they praise me and call me a saint. When i ask why they are poor, they condemn me and call me a communist." And as long as this is the case nothing will ever change

 

[Snotnarok]

Its estimated that this year around 5 million children, mostly in areas like africa, will die of hunger. and it just shocks me that we in the west can just sit around as if nothing is happening. i mean i no we give some aid or whatever, but its pathetic, like the US doesnt even give .01% of its gdp, yet it can fund military projects etc. like i dont really have much of a point, but like do you not think its a pretty sad enditment on us all that we throw away money like we do in the west while so many people die needlessly?

When did it become another countries responsibility to protect and feed another countries people? Things should be done by each country but why is it anyone ELSE'S responsibility?

This is the funniest thing, when the US does something, everyone complains about it, when the US does nothing everyone complains about it.

Fact of the matter is, the US is in debt, it's in shambles in a lot of ways, why should the U.S. hop on over delivering all the things said country needs when the things it can't even do for it's own unemployed/homeless? Or you know HEALTH CARE?

People donate, people fly out there and help personally, send vaccines and such. That's a lot of help if you ask me. So ask yourself this, what have YOU done?

Well first of all i feel it is everyone elses responcibility because we are all people, no matter where you are from. If you choose to believe that your sphere of responcibility ends at your countries borders then thats fine, but everyone should help everyone in my opinion.

But even if you dont agree with that, then there is the brutal history of many of these areas to consider. Empires such and the British French and American empire have destroyed some of these countries in so many ways its horrifying, in the end making these countries unable to support themselves. Now an argument can be made that if a country has not been interfered with at all that you should not help them(although i dissagre with that entirely), but surely when you look at the history of many of these places and see that it is the wests fault that they are in the state that they are in, that we must have a responcibility in getting these countries back on their feet. But sadly since this is opposed my many large multinationals who never want to see democracy in these counties, so unless we do something, things will never change.

And when it comes to people doing things on there own, that is brilliant, much respect to them. But there is only so much that people can do, for people in reality can only deal with the efects of hunger, by feeding them etc, but cant do anything about the reasons why they are in that situation. I heard a real good quote the other day, cant remember by who, but i think it sums it up.

"When I help the poor, they praise me and call me a saint. When i ask why they are poor, they condemn me and call me a communist." And as long as this is the case nothing will ever change

Millions of people donate money, food, time and energy to these people who need things, and saying it's not enough is just completely insane.While I understand where you're coming from, understand where I am coming from.

Did you ever consider that perhaps maybe that the persons family ancestors didn't start out in America? Perhaps they never owned slaves or were involved in that whole conflict? That said person, nor their family was ever involved with this country? Can you REALLY say putting this responsibility on ancestors of the people who did this is not only unreasonable and unfair? Any money they give is a gift and saying they should give anyway is just an idealists way of seeing that everyone who's not in a 3rd world country has no problems of their own and they're just being greedy.

My heart goes out to these people but do not tell me I'm morally obligated to dump all that I've been working for to someone in another country that I don't know when I have had nothing to do with them being in that situation. That may sound cold but perhaps we have problems of our own? Maybe we don't consider these people because OUR families have enough problems without worrying about the worlds problems?

My mom has asphasia and went from amazingly talented artist who sold her crafts to people all over the country, who was warm and kind who had a soul of gold, a woman who was amazingly intelligent and who loved her family deeply (She also donated MUCH of her money to charities). In the span of 3 years she lost that and now she can barely tie her own bloody shoes and can hardly get a sentence out. My families life changed and now I have to take care of her because she can't figure out how to do some of the most basic things. This is after watching my grandfather die of Alzheimers by the way. People have problems, FAMILIES have struggles and it can be hard enough to handle let alone COPE with these internal issues before they go worrying about someone else.

Do I care about people in a foreign nation? Sure, but my family comes first and since I can say that I've done nothing to harm these people I can also say it's not my responsibility to lift a finger for them.

Am I saying it's wrong to donate? God no, if you can manage it please do, helping is a wonderful thing, and there are people who truly do need help. But people who go pointing fingers in disgust saying "people are suffering and all you do is keep your money to yourself" honestly have no idea what it's like to be in a family where you've lost someone, or who's gone but ...still alive in my case. Life sucks, people are idiots and no one is going to tell me what to do with my life or my money.


Sorry for the sob story but if you want a reason for someone to ignore another nation, no better than the one that you live on a day to day basis.

 

[caprisun]

So what are you doing about it besides posting about it on a gaming site where nothing is accomplished?

I never claimed that anything real was getting acomplished by me writing this. I dunno, im just sorta at odds with what can be done, like to me it seems that the powers that be who want nothing done are so powerful that things are almost hopeless. I just find the whole situation so disheartening, like i rly want to do something..just feel so powerless

 

[caprisun]

To the original poster I pose this question. Have you donated every single penny of your disposable income to charity? I am gonna bet the answer is no. I think this was the subject of a Dilbert TAS episode.

If you must know then yes i have. It is obviously not enough since i am a student and am unemployed(although desperately seeking any kinda job). But a point should be made that no real and lasting change can come from people donating a few euro or whatever a month(although this is vital and must continue in greater ammounts). The problems are institutional, and as such we need to change the institutions, or else we will spend the rest of time attempting to plug an ever increasing hole.

 

[caprisun]

Yeah, we defiantly do absolutely nothing. It's not like part of my households income goes to charities, one of witch is solely focused on helping starving children all over the world.

So does part of my households income, but as i said, 5 million children will still die this year of starvation, even thou there is enough food to feed them all. and as i actually said we do practically nothing, which i thing cant really be argued against when you look at the results no?

 

[Odd Water]

So what are you doing about it besides posting about it on a gaming site where nothing is accomplished?

I never claimed that anything real was getting acomplished by me writing this. I dunno, im just sorta at odds with what can be done, like to me it seems that the powers that be who want nothing done are so powerful that things are almost hopeless. I just find the whole situation so disheartening, like i rly want to do something..just feel so powerless

I do understand what you mean exactly. The problems with the world are major and really nothing anyone of us can change or impact enough to matter. But your also right about the powers that be, the ones in charage are the ones that could do something, but can't. Mainly its because of people like us. Think about all the money being dished out to help Haiti in there crisis time, many love whats being done, many hate it because all that money and effort being pushed out of our own country, when we have plenty of hungry, homeless, etc of out own to worry about. Really, I don't know what any of us can do about such things. We all have enough to worry about keeping our own lives in track and dealing with higher prices in general, businesses and jobs being lost, rising cost of health care, etc. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer they always say, and those of us stuck in the middle not doing really bad, but just ok, are the lucky ones. We can do all we want to raise awareness of issues and topics all we like, but lets face it, you tell 10 people and 7 don't care looking out for themselves, and the other 3 can't do any more about it then you can. The world is in a vicious cycle and digging itself deeper but the only real ways that will change and fix a lot of our problems won't be addressed and put into action because it involves making all the people with control and money mad. Such are the reasons I don't like to talk about politics and religion, because they cause so much hassle and debate and quite frankly, I try to keep clear of such discussions because most in point are just wasting time to argue over. I don't mind putting out my thoughts now and then on places like here as long as people remember opinions vary so don't get bent up if I see things different then you do, because also remember, opinions don't really matter or change things in this world unless they have something to back them. Such as control, power, or money and using such means to make change will only make people mad even if they do fix problems.

 

[Scorch_Phoenix]

The World is cruel, and made for the fittest, it´s not our fault africa is poor and not meant for western colonization, and can´t be made into farmland to grow shit on.
It is however our fault that we interfered with africans in the first place, teaching them over generations the western society, whereupon they forgot how to hunt, how to find water, and how to generally survive in their own country.

We can´t just drop a moneybomb there and say "here, help yourselfs" because some Warlord is gonna use the money and buy some shiney new AKs and Tanks for his Army.

Well that's not completely true. We (by we, I mean Europeans) invaded their lands and stole all their (or most of at least) gold, diamonds, coal, iron etc. So yeah it is our fault that they are poor. Can't say that I care though.

is it cool to blame your self for the actions of your ancestors?

should i, a white american (most of my family migrated post CW), be made to pay restitutions to the descendants of slaves i never Personally Owned?

the "Sins of the Father" do NOT "Pass to the Son"... unless that Son performs the old "wash, rinse, repeat" cycle.

on topic.

let them thrive or fail by their own actions. (and yes, my actions are currently phial)

No, I was just making a point.