Forget The Hungry: Feed The Corruption
Posted: Thursday, October 22, 2009
by Michael Ramzy
delusionthread.com
Another beautiful day in America and yet around the world in Africa things are not as they cou
ld be. Or perhaps they are exactly as they are supposed to be.
Earlier today, Ethiopia asked for over 150 thousand tons of emergency food to help feed 6 million people in urgent need of help. This kind of appeal comes around almost yearly, yet this size of request is the largest since the eighties.
The reason for the request this time is the on-going drought that is ravaging seven nations in eastern Africa. And this time, of course, the food will go directly to those who need it most: the indigent and the starving.
Well, not really. Not at all, actually.
Remember Live Aid in the 1980's? Over $2 Billion (that's right, with a B) was raised from the concerts alone, and another $25 Billion (again with a B) was raised by other countries to help curb the famines at the time. The result was less than 10% of that money actually went to food and helping those in need. Thus, every year the appeals go out, and every year we (or the rest of the world) dip into our pockets and send hope overseas. And every year, more and more hundreds of thousands die because they don't get the help they need.
One problem with Africa is partly location in that all of us wonder this: why live in a desert where it is almost impossible to grow food? The main problem, though, seems to be corruption. Of all of the countries in that great continent, there are only fifteen which could be called democracies, and of those only six are truly self-sufficient. The others, which ironically is where famine and genocide and war are a way of life, are dictatorships or 'councils' in which power over the populace is the de-facto form of government. And when you control a population's food supply, you have absolute control.
So the next time a celebrity or politician or commercial on television asks you to help, do so by asking your celebrity or politician to ensure the food or money actually gets to where it's supposed to get. Without that, we are all just giving our money to those who are actively involved in the starvation of millions for their own profit. And one more thing: those celebrities or politicians who do all of this work for the poor need to understand the problem will not go away until the corruption is defeated. Perhaps these celebrities and politicians can use their immense talents and sway to focus on that rather than continue to feed the corruption by turning a blind eye to reality. Doing something because it feels or looks good is one thing; feeding corruption is something else altogether.
As with our schools here in America, we should not give up hope. We should focus on the main problem of corruption and let our politicians and those in charge of these aid agencies know we will not continually give and give and give without realizing (or caring, perhaps) our time and money will not possibly help until the corruption is stopped.
Africa is a land where things are not as they could be. Perhaps, though, it is a land where things are as they are supposed to be.
Let's hope it will become a land where things are as they can be.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)You know Mike sometimes they come out with commercials on TV showing young kids from 3rd. world countries in need of food and education. They tell us to send so much money a month to sponsor a child, they will even send a picture of the child you are sponsoring and send you progress reports. Some of those kids look better off than many of American kids on our streets. It's all a racket to get your money, "good article."I don't know about those quasi-adoption ads on television, yet I see your point: many are just out to get your money. Some of those agencies are probably legit, yet for the most part it makes me wonder why any agency would want to help these children remain where they are in their squalid conditions. Sending a couple of dollars a month might seem like a nice gesture, yet wouldn't sending a little more to get the kid out of poverty be more beneficial? Thanks for reading and commenting.I can speak for one Compassion International - they do check out and are reputable and the money does go to the kids. Have been supporting children through then since 2000 and have checked them out every which way - we live near their headquarters too and I have had friends who work there - your money really does help with this group. I got two letters and photos from sponsered kids just within the past few days. MarijoI'm happy for that, at least there is a reputable agency out there helping to solve this on-going problem. Thanks for the information, and for commenting.
Good, balanced article Michael, what you say is very true. Half the kids in the world go to bed hungry every night because of the greed, hatred and grand delusions of their unenlightened leaders, or should I say "dumbed out strong men."Actually, most of these men are probably very smart since they have rolled the West into this guilt trip. I would love to help those in Africa, yet where do I send the money? Even UNICEF, run by the United Nations, is corrupt beyond belief. So . . . what to do? That is the question. Thanks for reading and your comment.Right, Michael. Other than articles like yours that draws attention to other parts of the globe for us Americans that always seem to have our heads stuck in our own sands about starvation and powerless people, but ready, in a New York Minute, to go to war over oil, it's hard to know what to do. Perhaps other than hopping on a plane and hand feeding a starving child, which could very well change one's entire life, we could join the Peace Corps! (Wish I was about 50 years younger!).
Thanks again for your article..........e
Great article. Well done.How much detachment do these polititions have? That is the problem.Not only these, but it seems all polticians have become detached from their cause or consitituents. You're right, that is the problem. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Good stuff here, Michael.I have trouble sending money to these organizations, for reasons stated in your piece.Thanks, Ken. I too have a hard time with it. It's kind of like the education system parallel I alluded to: sure, we dump hundreds of billions of dollars into it, and what do we get out of it? Thanks for reading and commenting, as always.
Good article. It seems that corruption is every where these days. It would be nice to know how to beat the corruption. Thanks for sharing.Linda DI agree, it would be wonderful. Thanks for commenting and reading.
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