rain_and_snow (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rain_and_snow) wrote2007-09-06 12:00 am
rain_and_snow) wrote2007-09-06 12:00 am
(no subject)
Last time things were bleak, but I was ... not perturbed by it.
Now, after a few (glorious) weeks I've made it to two doctors in one day, and I feel less human again.
The positive side, however, comprises of two points.
I have a roof at least for the weekdays.
My sister is at Nugkurr as of ... tomorrow midday.
Now, after a few (glorious) weeks I've made it to two doctors in one day, and I feel less human again.
The positive side, however, comprises of two points.
I have a roof at least for the weekdays.
My sister is at Nugkurr as of ... tomorrow midday.
I'm sure that it's a worthy cause. People want to help people - that's great! How wonderfully socially acceptable behavior this is! Let us all preach about PROMOTING gender equality, becoming environmentally stable, and sending taxpayer dollars overseas.
First there were the concerts. Why on EARTH were there concerts? Why didn't they just DONATE the money that was spent on airfares, equipment and security to the Milliennuim Development Goals? Why didn't the people performing in the concerts donate the money that they could have received from a concert of the same magnitude to the cause that they were supposedly supporting? What are the people wearing "I want to help end poverty" T-shirts ACTUALLY doing to end poverty? Why do I see them SELLING WESTERN MADE tee-shirts? Why are the people buying these shirts? They are unlikely to wear them anywhere but at school, over the uniform, because they are so big, so ugly, and so not Sass&Bide worthy. Social responsibility, perhaps? Why not just donate the $20 to the MDG funds? Maybe it's because then no-one would be able to see JUST HOW MUCH you REALLY cared.
Let's take Bill Gates. I've not seen an advertising campaign for his charity. He's a RICH man, and he donates a percentage of his income every year to his African-based charity. "The VISY Recycling Guy" also donates a percentage to charity. Oddly, neither of these people spend money advertising that they are donating to charity.
In Chapel, A.L. let us know that the money we were giving to the poor was not, in fact, our money at all, but that which we had stolen. She said that maybe that would "touch a nerve". I didn't steal any money from the African nations. And, thank-you, I'm quite happy with the way I live. So, it would seem is everyone else at the school - they're attending a private school for a start. If they REALLY cared wouldn't the leave MLC and go to the local High, then giving what would have been spent on uniform and fees to aid the MDGs? Wouldn't they dream of "growing up" and going overseas to help other people? Or, when they dream of becoming a successful lawyer/designer/architect, wouldn't they want to be successful so as to donate large percentages of their income to the MDGs? Somehow that just doesn't seem to fit the girls that I've seen.
Promoting gender equality does nothing. Enforcing it simply proves that it doesn't exist. I do believe that men are better at some things than women, and vice verse.
Selling me a bottle of water with "Make Poverty History" emblazened on it might make me feel good, but why not sell the bottle that I paid for to those without access to clean drinking water, as mentioned in the MDGs?
And then they say that they want the Government to allocate a larger percentage to foreign aid. WHAT ABOUT US? Yes - what about the Australians who are illiterate, who are impoverished, who are not equal, who are not aided substantially medically? What about our homeless, and our Indigenous communities? What about our mentally ill and handicapped? What about spending Australians' money on Australians?
I also ask just WHERE they want the money to get the money to allocate a larger percentage to foreign aid. Last time I checked, the interest rates rose. The Australian economy is STRETCHED. There is no room for us to actually be allocating Government dollars without either a rise in inflation, or a rise in interest rates. Considering the Reserve Bank works to ensure that inflation is steady and low, it'd be the interest rates that went up. And then there would be something else for them to complain about - the Government's inability to come up with a sufficient Economic Policy. The same Government that they lobbyed with free music concerts and expensive plastic banners about Making Poverty History.
If you actually care and want to make a change - go for it. If you're really quite happy with the way that you're living and feel guilty, and *then* you buy something - I'll talk to you. But if you just want to be seen as special, if you want to SHOW THE WORLD just how much you REALLY care, if you're looking for some points on the 'socially desireable' scale... it'd be nice if you just let the world know how happy you are living a comfortable life. If you actually believe that buying a t-shirt, standing behind a table and selling me badges, bottled water, shirts and stickers that weren't even produced in the country where the funds are going, if you're telling me that the money I've got isn't mine, if you're saying that the government should be spending taxpayers' money helping people internationally before they should be helping Australians, and if you actually believe that the government can create an economic policy that allows for this... you need help. And I'm offering. I'll even do it myself - I won't try and sell you things to promote the fact that I want to help you. I won't even preach it in your face 8h5/5 ... much.
(Helen said that I was "harsh and critical". This took her an hour to establish. *sigh/groan*)
First there were the concerts. Why on EARTH were there concerts? Why didn't they just DONATE the money that was spent on airfares, equipment and security to the Milliennuim Development Goals? Why didn't the people performing in the concerts donate the money that they could have received from a concert of the same magnitude to the cause that they were supposedly supporting? What are the people wearing "I want to help end poverty" T-shirts ACTUALLY doing to end poverty? Why do I see them SELLING WESTERN MADE tee-shirts? Why are the people buying these shirts? They are unlikely to wear them anywhere but at school, over the uniform, because they are so big, so ugly, and so not Sass&Bide worthy. Social responsibility, perhaps? Why not just donate the $20 to the MDG funds? Maybe it's because then no-one would be able to see JUST HOW MUCH you REALLY cared.
Let's take Bill Gates. I've not seen an advertising campaign for his charity. He's a RICH man, and he donates a percentage of his income every year to his African-based charity. "The VISY Recycling Guy" also donates a percentage to charity. Oddly, neither of these people spend money advertising that they are donating to charity.
In Chapel, A.L. let us know that the money we were giving to the poor was not, in fact, our money at all, but that which we had stolen. She said that maybe that would "touch a nerve". I didn't steal any money from the African nations. And, thank-you, I'm quite happy with the way I live. So, it would seem is everyone else at the school - they're attending a private school for a start. If they REALLY cared wouldn't the leave MLC and go to the local High, then giving what would have been spent on uniform and fees to aid the MDGs? Wouldn't they dream of "growing up" and going overseas to help other people? Or, when they dream of becoming a successful lawyer/designer/architect, wouldn't they want to be successful so as to donate large percentages of their income to the MDGs? Somehow that just doesn't seem to fit the girls that I've seen.
Promoting gender equality does nothing. Enforcing it simply proves that it doesn't exist. I do believe that men are better at some things than women, and vice verse.
Selling me a bottle of water with "Make Poverty History" emblazened on it might make me feel good, but why not sell the bottle that I paid for to those without access to clean drinking water, as mentioned in the MDGs?
And then they say that they want the Government to allocate a larger percentage to foreign aid. WHAT ABOUT US? Yes - what about the Australians who are illiterate, who are impoverished, who are not equal, who are not aided substantially medically? What about our homeless, and our Indigenous communities? What about our mentally ill and handicapped? What about spending Australians' money on Australians?
I also ask just WHERE they want the money to get the money to allocate a larger percentage to foreign aid. Last time I checked, the interest rates rose. The Australian economy is STRETCHED. There is no room for us to actually be allocating Government dollars without either a rise in inflation, or a rise in interest rates. Considering the Reserve Bank works to ensure that inflation is steady and low, it'd be the interest rates that went up. And then there would be something else for them to complain about - the Government's inability to come up with a sufficient Economic Policy. The same Government that they lobbyed with free music concerts and expensive plastic banners about Making Poverty History.
If you actually care and want to make a change - go for it. If you're really quite happy with the way that you're living and feel guilty, and *then* you buy something - I'll talk to you. But if you just want to be seen as special, if you want to SHOW THE WORLD just how much you REALLY care, if you're looking for some points on the 'socially desireable' scale... it'd be nice if you just let the world know how happy you are living a comfortable life. If you actually believe that buying a t-shirt, standing behind a table and selling me badges, bottled water, shirts and stickers that weren't even produced in the country where the funds are going, if you're telling me that the money I've got isn't mine, if you're saying that the government should be spending taxpayers' money helping people internationally before they should be helping Australians, and if you actually believe that the government can create an economic policy that allows for this... you need help. And I'm offering. I'll even do it myself - I won't try and sell you things to promote the fact that I want to help you. I won't even preach it in your face 8h5/5 ... much.
(Helen said that I was "harsh and critical". This took her an hour to establish. *sigh/groan*)
AGREEMENT!! 8D
Events/fundraising/awareness like this is so hypocritical. I really admire people who actually donate to charity without acknowledgement and the people who actually go out there to do something. You know, something other than giving the impoverished their rich arse hugs, their well-fed smile and taking photos of the poor, suffering faces with their thousand dollar cameras.
Oh Yes