Most of us spend so much time bitching about the state of the world

[Cyrano]

Yet, we all eat every day. We have enough water. And if we’re fortunate, we have access to some basic, (perhaps barely adequate), form of health care.

But how often do any of us give any thought to our fellow human beings in what we so casually call “the third world?”

In most of Africa, Asia, and much of South America, children and adults are dying from hunger, lack of clean water, disease, genocide, and the lack of most of us giving a damn.

For the first time in history, The U.S., Canada, Europe and a few other countries, have the resources, and the power to help a vast portion of humanity that are unable to help themselves.

Instead, we continue our age-old wars, our quest for more of everything, our desire for world (or at least market) domination, and our not giving a damn whether those “other pesky third-world creatures” live or die.

This is not a “sermon.” Hell, I don’t even believe in whatever “God” you do.

But it is a call for the awareness that we all share this same small planet in an infinite universe. And if we don’t help out each other, no one else is going to do it for us.

And just to get political for a second, I don’t expect any Republican to understand what the hell I’m talking about. But how about you? And for that matter, what about me? It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot of late. And I’ve reached the conclusion that making donations isn’t enough. Perhaps it’s time we change the way we view the world, our place in it, and what we can do to make it a better place.

I suppose that this post is the result of having a day off with nothing more important to do than think.

[Surya Gayatri]

1. K & R Well said, Cyrano...

I for one much appreciate your awareness and sensitivity. Thanks for taking the risk of posting this in the present climate. SG

[anonymous171]

2. Read "Profit Over People" and you will know why no one cares about the "third world."

[blueamy66]

3. Great post.

We should feel lucky to live in the US.

If I hear one more person in the lunchroom complain about the money going to Haiti, I'm gonna scream!

[Cyrano]

4. I've heard much worse than complaints about "money going to Haiti."

I'm occasionally stuck working around bigots who are fugitives from the pre-Civil War South and card-carrying members of the modern Republican Party.

I've heard comments about Haitians like, "They're lazy." "They're too stupid to help themselves." "They spread Aids." Note the use of the terms "They and Them." It's a word that makes it easier to separate human beings into groups that are easy to hate.

Yet, I must confess, that I too hate. I really hate the people in this world who thrive on hatred and try to spread it.