Is this justifiable?

[ReighnStorm]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/07/27/un.niger/index.html

Malaria is already the biggest killer of children under 2 years old in Africa, and it will claim the lives of many children in Niger, because they are out in the bush, exposed to a rampant mosquito population.
The help that is on the way is too little, too late, some aid workers say. Talk of aid coming has been heard before. Several aid agencies are on the ground in southern Niger, and they say it's already too late for many children, thousands of whom have died, hundreds of thousands of whom are threatened with imminent death.

The feeling is one of helplessness, but there is nothing one can do. We're just here to tell the story. But at the end of the day, the experience is heart-wrenching and very draining.

Is this really the only thing that they could do?

The agency has complained that the international community until recently, ignored warnings of a prolonged drought and locust infestation in Niger, leaving more than a million people near starvation.

Is it because this place is Africa that these children starve by the millions (justifiable)............Have you really thought about this at all?......What are your opinions about aiding other countries?.....do you have any similiar stories to add? Not as a nation of people but as a planet of people...is there not more that we should/can/willing to do???

 

[Avatar]

All things die, humans too. Let it flow the natural flow.

 

[ReighnStorm]

That was not the question or reason for this post. But I'm sure you already knew that. I guess you can't even try and give much thought to something actually worth thinking about or you would have at least... tried to answer one of the questions above Avatar. Remember what I told you about my 3rd finger pointing at you! (LOL)
What about this then....
http://www.ruthoron.net/Hunger-RO-MS-MW.html

 

[Avatar]

I answered your question. It's not my fault your limited intelligence prevents you from grasping the answer.

 

[ReighnStorm]

All things die, humans too. Let it flow the natural flow.

I answered your question. It's not my fault your limited intelligence prevents you from grasping the answer.

I don't recall asking if humans die or not! :bugeye:

 

[Avatar]

Is this really the only thing that they could do?

Have you really thought about this at all

What are your opinions about aiding other countries?

I answered. But I'll make it easier to understand for you. There needs not to be done anything. No aid, no nothing.
If they can't sustain themselves, well.. bad luck, others will, and others will live.

Oh, about the second question, you can find my thread about bringing the colonial regime back to Africa if you want some other good solution to the "problem".

 

[ReighnStorm]

Ok.......

 

[Baron Max]

Have you really thought about this at all?

I've thought a LOT about it! And if you really want to get pissed off, check the amount of money Americans spend on entertainment ....while those millions of children die.

Reighnstorm, I hate to break it to you, but we, as humans, have been conditioned/trained/socialized to CLAIM that we care ...even though we really and truly don't give one damned shit. We'd rather go out to a movie and dinner than give one lousy dollar to help anyone else.

What are your opinions about aiding other countries?

If I could give my money to actually aid the children, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But, Reighnstorm, the "aid" goes to the corrupt dictators and tyrants of those nations ....NOT to help the starving children. Yes, Reighn, even if they are black children! (I'm a weird person, huh?)

I've often wondered if all of the people in the world were to give weekly only one dollar of their weekly entertainment money, how many children would live? That's a lot of damned money!

But we'd rather spend it on our own entertainment. I think that shows/proves just how much we really care ....even while we SAY we care, huh?

Baron Max

 

[Bells]

Is it because this place is Africa that these children starve by the millions (justifiable)............

Are you kidding me? Western nations give as little aid as possible to all third world countries. African is not discriminated against in that regard. The West and it's people like to think when sitting down to that Sunday roast with all the trimmings, that everyone in the world has the same amount to eat. Everyone is guilty of putting the mere minimum in the donation boxes or cans that we come across. There is no justification for what occurs in third world countries. The West and other rich nations feel comforted in simply not knowing. Aid organisations do as much as they possibly can, but when you have regimes and dictators in third world countries refusing to allow the aid to leave their airports or to even land, there is not much else that aid organisations can do, especially when the governments of other countries refuse to help the aid organisations by putting pressure on the leaders to get the aid to those who need it.

We saw the same in the countries affected by the tsunami. Billions were given in aid but the people who need it the most are yet to see it. Their governments are syphoning off what they can before passing it on. There are still tonnes and tonnes of items rotting away on the docks of many of the countries affected by the tsunami and our governments aren't doing anything at all about it. If you wish to see something done about it, lobby your government to put pressure on the dictators and tyrants who rule over these third world countries.

is there not more that we should/can/willing to do???

Giving cash and food and clothing is no where near enough. We in the West have to give these people the ability to also help themselves. It is quite easy to just give cash... we remove ourselves from having to actually do any further work in regards to helping these people.. after all, it's always easy to simply pass the buck.

We end up doing more damage by just giving these countries cash. What they need is help in become self sustaining. Africa is not the only country that suffers from severe droughts in the world. Other countries who suffer from drought and come through to the other side without half their population starving could offer advice to African nations and other third world countries in the same predicament to help and teach them to sustain themselves throughout such natural events. That could be one place to start. Allowing them fair trade on the global market would also be another big step forward. Not supporting the dictators and tyrants who rule in these nations would be an even bigger step forward.

 

[ReighnStorm]

by Baron Max
And if you really want to get pissed off, check the amount of money Americans spend on entertainment ....while those millions of children die.

Your exactly right! So how much do you spend on entertainment?

by Baron Max
Reighnstorm, I hate to break it to you, but we, as humans, have been conditioned/trained/socialized to CLAIM that we care ...even though we really and truly don't give one damned shit. We'd rather go out to a movie and dinner than give one lousy dollar to help anyone else.

Oh, I don't think that's necessarily true to a fact. Or is this your opinion only?
Is that what you'd rather be doing?

by Baron Max
If I could give my money to actually aid the children, I'd do it in a heartbeat. (I'm a weird person, huh?)

Can you tell me why you can't give money? Unless I'm getting too personal. Isn't there something else you can do besides giving money? You're no more weird than Bells. lol
I also put on a website about hungry children in the USA.

By Baron Max
I've often wondered if all of the people in the world were to give weekly only one dollar of their weekly entertainment money, how many children would live? That's a lot of damned money!

I too think about that everyday...but on this website people are more interested in arguing over gay rights! LOL

 

[ReighnStorm]

QUOTEby Bells
Are you kidding me? Western nations give as little aid as possible to all third world countries. Everyone is guilty of putting the mere minimum in the donation boxes or cans that we come across.

No I'm not kidding you personally. But anyway, that was a question. I didn't say I believed it.

 

[Avatar]

Feeling guilt is just a psychological weakness, a thing to exploit at will.
What's done is done, it's the future that may matter,
and you can't save africa by baby feeding it with money,
it's just as useless as giving a weapon to a baby in order for it to defend itself.

 

[Roman]

Baron,

Reighnstorm, I hate to break it to you, but we, as humans, have been conditioned/trained/socialized to CLAIM that we care ...even though we really and truly don't give one damned shit. We'd rather go out to a movie and dinner than give one lousy dollar to help anyone else.

Yeah dude, I feel that's how humans pretty much are, but I'm a little torn. Is this how things should be, or should they be something more?

I've got this theory, that in the past century, we humans have begun constructing beaurocracies to do what should be done since people won't do it. It's very inefficient, as we're using some sort of machine to get our job done, but it seems to be a step in some sort of direction. The EPA and UN are both examples of this, but how well do they work?

I think with time we'll get better at it using masses of people to do unhuman things (like feeding a continent whom we aren't related to).

 

[ReighnStorm]

QUOTES by Avatar
Feeling guilt is just a psychological weakness

Guilt is the remorseful awareness of having done something wrong. It's not a weakness. You have to be honest in order to feel guilty. Honesty is a strength.

What's done is done, it's the future that may matter

The future happens every second of everyday, so when should the future begin to matter ?

 

[ReighnStorm]

quote by Roman
like feeding a continent whom we aren't related to.

But here's the thing....you are related to this continent in every concievable way!

 

[Baron Max]

Baron, Yeah dude, I feel that's how humans pretty much are, but I'm a little torn. Is this how things should be, or should they be something more?

Yeah, I'm a little "torn", too!! But remember, all your life, parents, friends, teachers, books, magazines, movies, priests/preachers .....have been telling us how we SHOULD feel about such things as compassion for our fellow humans. But what if you don't feel it?

What if you see the little starving children of Africa on a TV show and you have a MOMENTARY sense of "feeling" ...but five minutes later, you actually can say, "Ahh, fuck 'em, I don't have time for such bullshit!" ...and go off to have fun with your buddies? And if you do, can you honestly say that you really have empathy and compassion for them?

I'm not sure about how we "should be". Perhaps honesty is the best policy? Or should we just continue to lie to ourselves and our fellows and pretend to feel what we don't? ...just to get along in society? ...because everyone else is lying about it, too? Yeah, I'm torn!

...in the past century, we humans have begun constructing beaurocracies to do what should be done since people won't do it.

Well, I don't know about "the past century", 'cause I think it's been going on for a lot longer than that. I also think that the leaders of societies have instituted such compassionate "rules", but then I begin to wonder just where THAT person or persons arrived at it in the first place?

I think with time we'll get better at it using masses of people to do unhuman things (like feeding a continent whom we aren't related to).

Well, I think they're getting better and better at telling us how we should feel and what we should do ...but I don't think it's thru orders and rules and laws, but via "tugging at our emotional strings".

All through history, human societies have had enemies. Now, for some reason, we're told that we shouldn't feel that way towards others ...that we should feel compassionate and caring and helpful toward every-fuckin'-one!

It was probably bad enough for a man to feel hatred toward the societies enemies, but not he's told to feel love and compassion. Duh? What if he don't/can't? Should he force himself to feel those things? If so, how does one force himself to feel???

Yeah, I'm torn! And I think it's mainly because I see so many who make CLAIMS of caring and compassion and love, but never, ever act on it. Can you claim to feel compassion and love for your starving neighbor without ever helping him? I don't think so.

So that makes me think most people lie when they say that they care about (insert whatever group you wish).

Baron Max

 

[Baron Max]

Guilt is the remorseful awareness of having done something wrong. It's not a weakness. You have to be honest in order to feel guilty. Honesty is a strength.

But what if you really don't feel guilt? ...not just say it or think it, but actually FEEL it? And if you don't, should you lie and tell others that you really care?

I would also question your concept of "wrong" ...just that alone brings up many, many long-term arguments. What is "wrong"? And who should make that decision?

But here's the thing....you are related to this continent in every concievable way!

Well, we're MORE related to those starving people who live close to us ...say within ten-twenty miles or so. So then does it become a choice between the little African kids and the little kids in your neighborhood? That's a pretty shitty choice to make, ain't it? Or should we, too, give away all our money and become starving little kids, too, so as to make it all equal?

Baron Max

 

[ReighnStorm]

QUOTE by Baron Max
But what if you really don't feel guilt? ...not just say it or think it, but actually FEEL it? And if you don't, should you lie and tell others that you really care?

If you really feel it then you should always, always be honest about it but putting it into practice is where it get's sticky.

I would also question your concept of "wrong" ...just that alone brings up many, many long-term arguments. What is "wrong"? And who should make that decision?

that's a good question!

Well, we're MORE related to those starving people who live close to us ...say within ten-twenty miles or so. So then does it become a choice between the little African kids and the little kids in your neighborhood? That's a pretty shitty choice to make, ain't it? Or should we, too, give away all our money and become starving little kids, too, so as to make it all equal?

LOL all of the above would be my choice or we could make sure that everyone eats and then we would truly be equal.

Baron Max[/QUOTE]

 

[antifreeze]

"The United Nations on Thursday will begin airlifting 44 tons of emergency food rations to famine-stricken Niger in West Africa, where 80,000 people are starving..."
great, let's feed them some more.

 

[Baron Max]

And how long will 44 tons of food last for the people of Niger who really need it?

And when that 44 tons is gone? What then? More? And then what? Is that forever and ever? And if not, won't it just be the same damned thing in a few years? And then what?

No, I don't know what to do. But I can't believe that I should be overly happy about a lousy 44 tons of food, do you? Feed 'em for a couple of days until the world forgets about 'em again? ...until it becomes another filler-story for the news media?

Baron Max