Global issues like poverty are extremely complex. There is no simple, clear answer. I've rallied against American Politics, the Political system, the Financial Collapse of the Markets and a myriad of other things but sometimes there comes a time where we, the people, need to turn our attention away from our world and focus on THE World.
This day, TODAY, is one of those times. Let our voices unite and speak volumes about our world, our true world and her children. It is through raising our voices, united, that we will be heard and the world will be forced to listen.
A few facts and tidbits about 2008:
Poverty and Hunger run rampant in our world while we witnessed a monumental 1.8 TRILLION Dollar single day loss in the Stock market. Our government has bailed out the banking industry with $700 BILLION Tax Dollars and seeks more while the executives of AIG and their "top sellers" party on the posh. World governments now own portions of the banking industry, effectively Nationalizing the financial system, and taxpayers around the world have allowed their governments to use BILLIONS of dollars, Pounds, Euro's and other currencies to fight a war in the Middle East.
My point? We still live in a world where almost half of her population, over three billion people, live on less than $2.50 a day and over 26,500 children die each day. Every day. Year round. The killers of our children, the children of our world, are poverty, hunger and easily preventable diseases and illnesses. What will you do today to help prevent this?
Mister, can you spare a dime? Don't answer with the standard "you can't fix the problem by throwing money at it..." okay, we know that it's complex and the problems have very deep roots. But maybe that dime isn't in hard currency, maybe it's ten cents of your time. A moments worth of you talking to someone else about the problem. What if the whole world was talking about this at exactly the same time? Maybe your ten cents would be worth millions. Take a moment. Talk to someone. You were given a voice for a reason, use it.
Poverty Facts: These are not debate points, not opinions, FACTS. Plain, hard, cold and oh so real facts. When you read my opening and we look at all of the money that we've chased around in less than 2 months the FACT is that we are a wasteful money-centric global society that preys on those with less and forgets those who can not speak with the same volume and intensity that we can. We want our BMW's, Mercedes and our 4,000+ square foot Homes. We want gratification and satisfaction now and we don't care what it cost. We like to think that what we do does not impact anyone else. Continue with this approach to our world and we just might end up paying with more than our money.
26,500 children die each day at an astounding rate of one Child every three seconds, over 10 Million children die each year. One of those children could have been the scientist that cures cancer, saves a nation, makes the impossible possible. One of those children could have been a friend. Each of those children were fellow humans trying to inhabit the planet the we have been given stewardship over. Ask yourself: Am I a good steward for the children. Take a moment. Talk to someone. You were given a voice for a reason, use it. Statistics: At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.
Worldwide. 2.2 million children die each year because they are not immunized while the United States spends 8 BILLION Dollars a year on Cosmetics, blush, lipstick, eyeliner, etc. every year. European countries and the United States combined spend 12 Billion Dollars a year on Perfumes. It would take 9 Billion to provide Water and Sanitation for ALL.
The list goes on. The world; US, Europe, Japan, and the rest spend enough on Perfume 4, Pet Food 4, Cigarettes 4, and Cosmetics 4 to provide Basic Education, Water and Sanitation and Basic health and nutrition to the WORLD and still have 3 BILLION left over. Speak up, speak out! Talk to someone. You have been given a voice for a reason, use it today.
You can help by contacting UNICEF, the International Red Cross Red Crescent, Your local Red Cross Chapter, OXFAM and other global organizations dedicated to eliminating poverty and providing basic human needs to the worlds populations. Play Robin Hood - donate, let your voice be heard.
TL Woodruff
Sources:
UNICEF - 2000 - 2006 mortality count of 60 Million Children World wide. The term "Children" in the study is defined as age from "Infant to Five years of Life"
For the 95% on $10 a day, see Martin Ravallion, Shaohua Chen and Prem Sangraula, Dollar a day revisited, World Bank, May 2008.
UNICEF
Consumerism, Volunteer Now!
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