2008 Woodie Awards
Opinions Battle!
Should America get involved?
by Seth Reese
Issue date: 1/8/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
There seems to be no end to the African aid organizations. Everywhere one turns there is another person preaching the ills of Africa and how we should be involved. U2's Bono, The Killers, Brad Pitt and his partner Angelina Jolie, even the president have told us to get involved. There is a problem here: America has its own problems.
I know this is no surprise but the numbers may be. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov) there are 35.9 million people living in poverty in the United States. Of those 12.9 million are children. It is ridiculous for us as a country to pour billions of dollars into other parts of the world when we have plenty to take care of here. Our impoverished are just as much human as the African impoverished. What message of hope are we sending them when it seems all of our extra resources are going to a continent on the other side of the ocean?
When you see a help Africa add I want you to remember that guy you ignored downtown. You know, the one who looked terrible and was asking you for some change (and, of course, you lied about having any money). I want you to remember that kid you went to high school with. The one who smelled terrible and wore the hand-me-downs from a decade ago. I want you to remember the old lady pushing her shopping cart down the street. These people are just as deserving of help as anyone. Let's get our own house clean before worrying about the others.
I know this is no surprise but the numbers may be. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov) there are 35.9 million people living in poverty in the United States. Of those 12.9 million are children. It is ridiculous for us as a country to pour billions of dollars into other parts of the world when we have plenty to take care of here. Our impoverished are just as much human as the African impoverished. What message of hope are we sending them when it seems all of our extra resources are going to a continent on the other side of the ocean?
When you see a help Africa add I want you to remember that guy you ignored downtown. You know, the one who looked terrible and was asking you for some change (and, of course, you lied about having any money). I want you to remember that kid you went to high school with. The one who smelled terrible and wore the hand-me-downs from a decade ago. I want you to remember the old lady pushing her shopping cart down the street. These people are just as deserving of help as anyone. Let's get our own house clean before worrying about the others.
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