How the hell does a disease like CHOLERA spread in Haiti or anyplace so close to the most advanced and prosperous nation in the world? That island is a scandal and an embarrassment to all of us in the first world.
I know the place in unbelievable corrupt and has been for hundreds of years but FUCK - it's so wrong that the people there are just supposed to quietly suffer - like being born there is their own fault and they should be punished for not being so lucky as to live their lives in a place as rich as North America is.
I am also angry that the Haitians themselves don't, en mass, decide that they want things to be better - that basic services are their right as HUMAN BEINGS.
We can send armies to rebuild a place on the other side of the world like Afghanistan (who don't want our help there) but we can't fix anything in our own backyard and Haiti IS our back yard. In the 22nd Century, a water born disease should never be permitted to occur.
We have the technology (a lot of it invented in Canada) to inexpensively bring clean water to all parts of the world regardless of their economic deficiencies. Why that is not a priority infuriates me.
What do I expect when even a place like New Orleans can't be rebuilt?
I watched the documentary 'Waiting For Superman' about the U.S. school system so maybe I am just angry that the poor are always left wanting while the rich get richer, always to the detriment of the less affluent.
Makes me sick. There should be a base level of existence that we all agree is due everyone - especially among the poorest nations and individuals. Some of the treasure that goes into fighting wars should be diverted to these kinds of humanitarian programs.
How different would the world be then?
*Now before you ask me what I am doing to make the world a better place, know that I spend the year collecting used clothing, school supplies and running shoes that get taken over to Ukrainian orphanages during the holiday season and distributed to less fortunate kids there. It's amazing to know how much nice cloths and a full book bag goes toward improving the lives of kids over there.
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10 comments:
An age old problem..
I cannot understand why Americans dont vote their hopeless greedy governments out in favour of universal education, healthcare etc and forget this crap (and expence) of flying around the universe.
That said we are having the same hassles here in Oz, with the lack of people getting the free immunisations for their kids Whooping Cough is back and sweeping the country...another disease that should have been eradicated years ago..rant, rant, bitch, winge etc
I hear ya. My stupid sister lives in Australia. I will have to find out if she got her bunchkins immunized but seeing as she is a shoeless hippie I doubt it. If I drop her name can you maybe get her deported. No, on second thought don't do that because then she would return to Canada and be closer to me.
Cholera is quickly deadly. It doesn't mess around. We know this, and yet...and yet...
My brother's wife is having a baby in a few weeks. He respectfully requested that we all get re-inoculated for whooping cough. I didn't know I had to get another shot for that but oh yes, I'm getting it! Thank goodness I have the fucking cash to do so.
Sigh.
Oh, and in re Tempos comment - it's that freedom thing. It kind of gets in the way of universal things. I'm not sure how I feel about it.
I'm thinking "Where the Hell is all the Millions of dollars given to aid Haiti and why has nothing been fixed?" when i watch the news.
There are still places in southwest Florida that have never been rebuilt after the year of Hurricanes that hit us a year before Katrina in NOLA.
This shouldn't happen in this day and age.
Good on you, for putting your time and money where your mouth is in regards to the efforts to help Ukrainian kids. That's awesome.
If anyone's looking for a way to help out in Haiti -
Donations to the Red Cross:
American Red Cross
P.O. Box 37243
Washington, DC 20013
Be sure to write "Haiti" in the memo line so that the funds go directly to the Haiti relief effort. We've donated three times since the earthquake. It's a spit in the bucket, but you do what you can.
I'm glad you are lending a hand good Sir, but even if you didn't that wouldn't change the rightness of what you said. I always love when people go... "Well Al Gore rides a private jet," as if that invalidates anything he says. The only thing that invalidates a statement is the statement's own worth. Maybe we can begin to put things together when we can get people to stop worrying about who says what and worry about what is being said.
Lazarus Lupin
http://strangespanner.blogspot.com/
art and review
Lazarus - I disagree (surprise!) I think it matters very much when what someone says conflicts with what they actually do.
If Cal were to rail against inequities in life, and then do nothing about them himself - that would make him a douchebag. Which he is not.
In the case of Al Gore, when someone is as active in promoting the idea that everyone should change their lifestyle - in major, substantive ways - and then behaves himself contrary to that notion, if gives people pause. When you add the fact that he stands to make millions personally through "green energy" and particularly carbon trading - it makes me extra suspicious.
No one lives in a vacuum. Deeds have to mean more than rhetoric. To ignore what people actually do and just blindly follow their words is naive.
And before someone sticks their head up and starts the "global warming is real!" argument - that isn't what my comment is about. Its about walking the walk and not just talking the talk.
Paladin,
Let me make something clear. If you don't walk the walk, or walk your dog, or still have a walkman you might be a douchebag. Al Gore might be a geyser of douche, that however, doesn't change whether what he says is correct or not. Hitler could say "2+2=4" and we can say without fear: 1) I thought you were dead, 2) Yes 2+2 does equal 4, and 3) you are still a flaming douchebag of evil, and if you WERE on fire I wouldn't pee on you to put the fires out (though I might consider stomping them out)
So that was my point about attacking the messenger. Anyhoo, good talking with you. Happy Samhain.
Lazarus
Lazarus -
Hitler could say "2+2=4" and we can say without fear: 1) I thought you were dead,
Ha! That almost made me shoot coffee our my nose :)
Re: 2+2=4 - The difference, of course, is that man made global warming is a vastly more complex issue than 2+2=4. Convicing people that wide ranging changes to their lives are needed immediately to avoid certain doom - requires a lot more work than proving 2+2=4. Assuming the goal is to sway people's opinion, personal motives and actions become very important indeed.
People look at how Al Gore lives his own life, and it begs the question: If this guy truly believes that "ZOMG We're killing the planet!", then why does he live his life in ways contrary to how he expects us to live ours? Its a valid question that deserves an answer.
They look at the disconnect between his words and his actions, combined with the fact that he stands to profit by the acceptance of his premise, and concluded that he is not sincere in his assertions. They start to question his motives, and the veracity of his claims. They think they are being played for fools.
Actions don't have to match message, but they had better if you want to convince people who are naturally skeptical.
Nice talking to you too. Bright Blessings, friend :)
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