View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Development aid

I am going to use a blogpost as a rebuttal to a Facebook post that is doing the rounds at the moment. I am very fond of my American Facebook friends, so am not prepared to offend anyone by posting this rebuttal on their Facebook wall.

This is the post I take exception to:
BREAKING NEWS: We need to send money to the following country: USA. There are many without food, shelter, and clean drinking water (...and without jobs). Residents are going without heat for the winter, health care for the sick, and proper education for children. Stop sending money overseas. We have people here that lack… basic human needs. Do you have the guts to re-post this?? I just did, AMERICA FIRST!!

How about the victims of the famine in Somalia? Would you not send aid for the more than 4 out of every 10,000 children that die every day of starvation? For the innocent that suffer because of a war that they did not want, start or willingly participate in, and because of the cruelty of mother nature who has denied them growing rains?

The US has a disgraceful record in caring for its needy. During my years in J-land, and since, I have seen dozens of examples of that. Being resident in the UK, I am privileged that I don't have to pay much for medical care. In the States, you are required to make large contributions, and even then you may not get all the services you require - without forking out an awful lot more. If you can't pay, you don't get the care. Your credit card is more important than your medical condition.

The United States of America is rich enough to provide all its citizens with the basic necessities of life. It is a disgrace if anyone goes without food, shelter, and clean drinking water. Residents are going without heat for the winter, health care for the sick, and proper education for children. Even after sorting out all those problems, there is still enough to spare to send aid to every developing country around the globe. 0.1% of its Gross Domestic Product is a colossal amount. Uncle Sam can afford it, and still look after its own people.

Don't deny the innocent the right to life, just because your own government has its priorities wrong - and has had for decades.

3 comments:

  1. I agree with you wholeheartedly Guido. America is a very rich country and needs to sort out it's welfare to give their needy a comfortable life. Our idea of poverty in the west and the real poverty which is in the third world are very different. I've travelled enough to other countries to see real poverty. I shall never forget the sight of a young woman coming up to me holding a dying baby in Madagascar, begging for a few pence to buy food. How could any American compare themselves with her? I hope that US citizens never find themselves in that situation. Jeannette

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well said, and I'm glad you posted this. I have seen that post on FB and I don't like it either.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Here I am born and raised and still living in the US. I'm very proud to live here but as you say there is much that could be done that isn't done. As a whole people the world over should never have to go with out the basic necessities as there is enough wealth to provide for all. Sadly those that have it don't share it properly.

    ReplyDelete