One sad day

Today is a very sad day, I have realized that the US in all it glory is a third world country. We can send hundreds of bilions of dollars in Aid for others, yet we have families, Yes Families living parks all over the US.

I feel so outradged, a so sad at the same time. You see the TV ads for other places, I am watching one now. I ran to the web site.




Feed The Children's television programs air on stations across the country, sharing the need of children and families in the U.S. and around the world. Here is a schedule of the programs showing nationwide this week:

www.feedthechildren.org...



During our 25-year history, Feed The Children has created and developed one of the world's largest private organizations dedicated to feeding hungry people. Last year, Feed The Children shipped 61 million pounds of food and 22 million pounds of other essentials to children and families in all 50 states and in 62 foreign countries. Feed The Children supplemented 509,133 meals a day, worldwide.

www.feedthechildren.org...



I am happy the people of the US care about the people of the US. Its super sad the the goverment as a whole does not care about the people.


I can honestly sad this is the first time I have ever been touched in this way, this is just an outrage.







[edit on 20-3-2005 by SpittinCobra]

it is sad. I guess that is part of the reason many people have issues with our government (not administration specific, just government in general). Our government involves itself all around the world telling and helping others but never facing the problems in its own front yard. Not only do we have starving children and homeless families, we have a failing education system, a failing social services system, a failing medicare system, but our government does pay as much attention to these issues as they do to international affairs. This is not new, it's always been happening, it's just seems to be getting worse imo.

I don't sit around and wait for the government to feed the needy in my community. I do it myself, with help from many others, via soup kitchens and shelters. The less government involvement in our lives the better.

And if I were to blame the government, the last place I'd look at would be Washington. Local politicians are very much more effective at helping solve a community's issues. I've found them to be very responsive.

Originally posted by jsobecky
I don't sit around and wait for the government to feed the needy in my community. I do it myself, with help from many others, via soup kitchens and shelters. The less government involvement in our lives the better.

And if I were to blame the government, the last place I'd look at would be Washington. Local politicians are very much more effective at helping solve a community's issues. I've found them to be very responsive.

Well if the White House would set more money aside for the poor and truly needed, instead of sending the aid out. Our tax money should go toward the people who need it here first the others.

I've been in a program now since 1996 and have an adoptive daughter in the Phillipines i send money to every month. Although its a very rewarding thing, I also try to help anyone i can here. Charity begins at home. I dont have much money, but i try to help.

Originally posted by dgtempe
I've been in a program now since 1996 and have an adoptive daughter in the Phillipines i send money to every month. Although its a very rewarding thing, I also try to help anyone i can here.

Charity begins at home. I dont have much money, but i try to help.

That is really great! Really Im not being sarcastic.

But do you see what I am saing? There are people in Here I the states that live the same way.

I don't think a few people cold & starving qualifies us to be a third world nation, but it is certainly a problem.

There was a local family here where I live that had been feeding hot meals to homeless folks every evening (100+) for the past 5 years or so, but our local government made them stop because they didn't have a certified kitchen for cooking public meals and that's against the law. They couldn't afford to feed the people & pay the fines.



[edit on 20-3-2005 by outsider]

our infrastructure is a little complex for third-world, don't you think?

Originally posted by Odd
our infrastructure is a little complex for third-world, don't you think?

I cant tell, all I have been hearing is that its not what it seems.

Can you tell me what all the diffrent levels of the infrastructure or what it intails?

[edit on 20-3-2005 by SpittinCobra]

I understand where you are coming from Cobra, it is very frustrating to see this happen. Anymore, this seems to be the American way, help others before you help those closest to you. I know families that wouldn't help each other out for anything but if a neighbor needs help they are the first ones there. It's quite a strange problem, it's as if we as a country take each other for granted. We have scores of people that are in desperate need of help. We have industries failing at a record pace due to unfair trade practices but nothing is done to help keep them afloat. I'm not saying just give handouts but more could be done to help protect these jobs. It's hard for many to accept, especially in hard hit industrial areas, that there towns and lives are considered disposable and the needs of other countries seem paramount. I don't want to turn this into a political bashing, war bashing thread by any means. You have to admit though, that if you would take the money spent on about one dozen Tomahawks and put it into revitalizing and educating one of these hard hit areas you could go a long way. It seems that we, as Americans, might need to reprioritize what's really important. I for one think we need to start taking a closer look at national policies first and then we can continue trying to help out the rest of the world.

I 100% agree, I was using Aid in my example, because I didnt want the war to be my reason. It is just another place the money could be cut back from.

I will be the first to tell you I dont know much about anything, but I do have common sense.

[edit on 20-3-2005 by SpittinCobra]

Originally posted by SpittinCobra

Can you tell me what all the diffrent levels of the infrastructure or what it intails?

Though this is just off the top of my head & I'm no expert. I think in third world countries they don't have water plumbed to their homes, so it has to be aquired either from a city well or the local river etc. Much of the sewage runs uncovered in ditches along the streets. The lack of plumbing allows for many more diseases in the water supply, obviously this ends up in drinking water or the food they make with it.. They don't have electricity to heat their homes & theres little or no opportunity to get an education as most don't have schools & kids are usually working physical labor jobs to help support their families by 10 years of age.



[edit on 20-3-2005 by outsider]

I totally understand Cobra's point of view and his frustration. I wish there were more we could do; the only way I know how is to keep bangin' on the heads of the local and state politicians, especially around election time, to get some of that pork barrel money back home. It does work, too. One brick at a time.

Originally posted by outsider

Originally posted by SpittinCobra

Can you tell me what all the diffrent levels of the infrastructure or what it intails?

Though this is just off the top of my head & I'm no expert. I think in third world countries they don't have water plumbed to their homes, so it has to be aquired either from a city well or the local river etc. Much of the sewage runs uncovered in ditches along the streets. The lack of plumbing allows for many more diseases in the water supply, obviously this ends up in drinking water or the food they make with it.. They don't have electricity to heat their homes & theirs little or no opportunity to get an education as most don't have schools & kids are usually working physical labor jobs by 10 years of age.

The families I am talking about do not have any of the above mentioned.
They live in tents in parks. Families, Mom, dad , and kids. In most, one of the parents is working, but cant get ahead or keep up with the every growing costs.

[edit on 20-3-2005 by SpittinCobra]

Originally posted by jsobecky
I totally understand Cobra's point of view and his frustration. I wish there were more we could do; the only way I know how is to keep bangin' on the heads of the local and state politicians, especially around election time, to get some of that pork barrel money back home. It does work, too. One brick at a time.

Thanks, I felt you might be fighting me a bit on this.

America was once on top with cotton textile mills and steel foundries. Now we are watching the "walmarts" buy billions of dollars in products from overseas countries per year. Factories are also leaving have you seen a plant close in your town yet? No? Then move out of the city and find a town in america whose lively hood depends on that mill/plant. I have seen 4 cotton mills close in oconee county ,SC contributing to 3000 people and who knows how many families depending on those jobs. Why did the plants close? Ask an ex employee, he/she knows. So why are we needing food aid in the USA, because we have no more jobs.

Originally posted by walhallamarbil
America was once on top with cotton textile mills and steel foundries. Now we are watching the "walmarts" buy billions of dollars in products from overseas countries per year. Factories are also leaving have you seen a plant close in your town yet? No? Then move out of the city and find a town in america whose lively hood depends on that mill/plant. I have seen 4 cotton mills close in oconee county ,SC contributing to 3000 people and who knows how many families depending on those jobs. Why did the plants close? Ask an ex employee, he/she knows. So why are we needing food aid in the USA, because we have no more jobs.

You are also right, Toys 'r' US the biggest toy story every was put out to Walmart. Its scary we they are closing big chains.

Just another example of something else that can be changed.

I think the only thing that gets to me here is that people would rather read and argue about bull-crap but real problems and concerns get barely anything.

The big picture is out there in our own back yard, Dg made an excellent thread on how people were living in with government assistance in Florida, and the thread expanded at how many of our citizens nation wide were working but hungry, and how many children goes to bed with an empty stomach.

The governments in our nations wants to save money and they are leaving the hungry to depend on Faith base programs for their needs.

I feel that even when the church are helping this a social problem and should be deal with by the government.

At the end the struggle keeps on going but nobody takes responsibility.

And yes I have gone grocery shopping for people in need in my community but they areto many and growing fast.

We have mobile home parks that looks like they are nothing more than the mobile homes that have been discarded by others, but people live in them, I know of families that have not heat and the mobile homes are so deteriorated that when you walk in inside them they have holes in the floor.

I have seen them. I know, and while habitat for humanity is a great project, my daughter have volunteer for them in occasions, is no enough homes make to accommodate all these families and the funds are no always there, plus they have to qualify for it.

It is sad what is going on very sad.

My heart was hurt when I seen little kids liing in park and digging in the trash to get cans to sell. It just so so sad.