I am sure you have heard about it. There is a civil war raging in Africa. The tales of "The Night Walkers" in Uganda, the war in Darfur, Sudan, and the current AIDS crisis in Africa are all over the media as stars ban together to bring attention to this nightmare. Just last year, the world was in a tizzy over poverty. It seems people in the U.S. were unaware that poverty existed until they saw footage of poor people during the hurricanes. My question, why is it that we will continually run to aid other companies and pretend that things are content in our own nation. Just because the Katrina media blitz died down, does not mean that poverty in America is still not an issue. Poverty is EVERYWEHRE in this country: from the streets of L.A. to the slums of the Mississippi Delta. I do believe we should assist other countries, I recently volunteered my time to bring attention to the Darfur, Sudan crisis. But, I also believe that we are too quick to overlook our own problems and if we continue to do this, we will become Africa and the other countries we assist. Who will help us then?
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There is so much poverty in the US!! I think people over look it because they think of the great nation of america. It is not shown so much on tv as poverty in other countries is shown so it seems like its not there.
This is very true. We were discuss poverty in my Intro to Liberal Studies class and we as Americans do have "the greatness complex." This simply means that we never believe anything bad can happen to us. We are the land of plenty and since their are so many government programs people assume everyone can live a decent life. WRONG!!!!
I'm fighting poverty in Louisiana!
I moved from an affluent suburb in Los Angeles, CA to Baton Rouge, LA where I am living at the poverty line and building a low-income homeownership program.
I think part of the reason we're blind to poverty is...
...how well poverty is marketed by the Media!
In the US, poverty is like some old romantic story that isn't really happening to us. I mean, Eminem understands poverty very well. The viewers of the movie "8 Mile" THINK they know poverty from seeing the movie. In "Ray", we see Ray Charles depicted as a romantic survivor of poverty, at the end of the movie, it almost seems like it's vanished. In the musical Annie, we see poverty as a source of broadway show tune fodder and Annie is whisked away into the home of a millionaire. Rap stars have made the clothes worn by the impoverished a fashion statement, ironically priced too high for most living in the ghetto to every afford.
Poverty is still here in a big way, with even more poverty during the Bush Administration. We're fighting a war in Iraq, poor Americans. For many poor high school seniors, to get out of it, your choices are limited: Enlist or shut up.
Enlisting should not be the only answer. Also, I read where the family of those fighting in Iraq were not being properly compensated. Another myth of the inner city is not being able to afford college. Though you may not make it out of school with six figures; you may make it out better than you were and money is available for those who truly seek it.
People are blind to the problem that lie so close to home!
I think its the arrogance in us that causes our blindness.
some of The worst problems are right here in America!