Africa

[the original pyro]

It makes me wonder why, when a tsunami kills less than 250,000, so many people contribute to help the victims. I'm not saying its not a great thing to contribute, but why does it need to be on the news all the time for someone to care?

Millions die in Africa from famine, lack of medicine, civil war, AIDS, and other preventable causes every year. And yet most of that isn't even reported.

And were the hundreds of billions of dollars really necessary to create anarchy in Iraq? How inhumane was saddam in comparison with some of the dictators in Africas past, as well as some who rule right now. Dont those people deserve to be liberated by their freedom hating rulers too? Atleast over there we couldn't fuck up anything worse than they already are.

There are a lot of countries in need, but I guess Africans are just a bunch of niggers without oil.

[Noodles is gay]

I have a theory why.

The tsunami struck on boxing day when everyone was happy because it was christmass so that added a wee bit more pathos to the situation and hence people gave more readily. Another reason is that there were britains in thailand and we always give more to help ourselves - like the iraq war; they tell you how many allied soldiers were killed but rarely the civillian casulties from a particular incident.

The african situation has been going on for years and the public have merely lost interest - they're like that, it's really quite sad that excitement, such as provided by a massive wave rather than on-going suffering, is required to create any kind of emotion in modern society.

You last sentence pretty much sums everything up nicely but just a small alteration is needed:

"Africans are just a bunch of disease-ridden niggers without oil."

[wheelchairman]

If the media were a person, they'd display all the classic signs of hysteria.

I wish I could remember the person who said this first.

[nieh]

Millions die in Africa from famine, lack of medicine, civil war, AIDS, and other preventable causes every year. And yet most of that isn't even reported.

Yeah, but this happened in one DAY. That's why it's being reported all over the place.

Also when people starve to death in Africa, it tends to just affect Africa, whereas the tsunami killed people from all over the world because it hit so many popular tourist spots. It affected everywhere. It's the sad truth that people don't care about things that don't affect them.

[RXP]

Because as the guy on the Daily Show said (the black guest) no one cares about black people dying.

[pOpe]

Yeah, but this happened in one DAY.

One day, yes... who is the worst thing: that many people die in one day or that many people die averydays??

This situation is so depressing, one day ONU said that if we give Africa all the money that europeans spend in ice-creams in a year, the famine in Africa won't exist.. It so good that people help the victims of the tsunami, but all of we haven't got to forget all the people in the world
________
Lincoln-zephyr

[wheelchairman]

One day, yes... who is the worst thing: that many people die in one day or that many people die averydays??

This situation is so depressing, one day ONU said that if we give Africa all the money that europeans spend in ice-creams in a year, the famine in Africa won't exist.. It so good that people help the victims of the tsunami, but all of we haven't got to forget all the people in the world

I would doubt that that is true. The situation in Africa is, that it's basically impossible for Africa to seriously compete on the market.

[Betty]

First off: I hope you give money to Africa regulary.

I don't... but I give regularly to Canadian charities such as the Canadian Wildlife foundation, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Cancer Society... and maybe others... I'm on a million mailing lists anyway...

And I intend to give $10-$20 to the tsunami relief.

I do think it's quite different though, although am not sure how to explain it.

For one, if I give to the tsunami fund, I know (or can at least think) that my money is going to rebuilding homes, first aid, clean water, etc. These people lost everything they had which is sorta different from not having much in the first place. And once they get enough support, they will be able to regroup somewhat. If I gave to some Africa charity, I would have no idea where my money was going and if it could actually make a permanent difference to the situation. If anything, I would maybe do the thing where you sponsor a child and actually correspond with them, but at this point, that's a bit too much money for me.

Also, I think there are many political (geographical?) factors involved in why much of Africa is poverty stricken in the first place, and things have to be fixed before just throwing money at the problem.

If that makes sense, or is correct...

[the original pyro]

First off: I hope you give money to Africa regulary.

Also, I think there are many political (geographical?) factors involved in why much of Africa is poverty stricken in the first place, and things have to be fixed before just throwing money at the problem.

If that makes sense, or is correct...

I'm not whealthy to give enough money to anything regularly. I have trouble finding the cash to tip waitresses.

Drought is something of a geographical problem. And militia's are a political problem, is thats what you meant. I'm not asking anyone to donate anything. I'm only asking what makes a tsunami victim special?

"These people lost everything they had which is sorta different from not having much in the first place. "

Actually, although cruel, I'll agree. Discontinuing a luxury someone is used to, such as shelter, medicine, and food;is more traumatic than being born into having nothing and living a life with nothing. If a billionare wakes up one day to find the stock market has crashed and their fortunes is less than a million, they'll hang themselves. If someone was born poor, grew up malnurished and poor, and woke up one morning to discover they're as poor as yesterday, they wouldn't care as much.