Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
My rant about the tsunami relief
Brian
Detroit, MI Moderator
I have been asking people if they have donated to the tsunami relief effort. I have been somewhat pushy about it. Here we are, fat, rich, priveledged people sitting in front of our computers, in our lit, heated, air conditioned homes, with our internet access, having fun, talking to friends, and spending our money on things to entertain ourselves.
Half way across the globe, people are suffering and dying because of something that nobody had any control over. No politics, no corrupt leaders, no evil warlords, no religious fanatics, no corporate conspiracies. Just rotten luck.
I am broke. I am in debt. I am getting phone calls from bill collectors. I don't give a shit. I donated a significant amount of money to OxFam yesterday. It is my duty as an overfed and overpriveledged American to do this. If a freak earthquake or tornado or other monumental natural disaster swept my home away and killed my sons and wife and left me alone with only the clothing on my back and no way to feed myself, I would hope that somebody out there in this world would do something for me.
I am not posting this to say "look at how altruistic I am".. I am not altruistic. I could give even more. I am too selfish to give more. I could say "fuck the new year's eve party. fuck stocking the fridge. fuck the movie I want to rent tomorrow. fuck the coffee I'm going to buy tomorrow." but I don't. Instead I will give what I can for now without impinging too much on my comfortable american lifestyle.
As I asked people if they donated money today, and they said "no" and then gave me reasons "why they couldn't" I found myself infuriated. Every single person who is able to read this is luckier than they can ever believe. Think of all the things you have. Think of how safe and healthy and happy you are. You can buy video games and computer equipment and high end computer hardware, stuff for your car, stuff for your house, anything you want. And you're not going to give money to a charity that is out there in Sri Lanka providing clean water that will save someone's life? Or money to a charity that is in Thailand helping reunite toddlers with family members after their parents have been killed in front of their eyes? To that, I say I hope something bad never happens to you. Because if it does, you may find your selfish unkindness visited back upon you.
Half way across the globe, people are suffering and dying because of something that nobody had any control over. No politics, no corrupt leaders, no evil warlords, no religious fanatics, no corporate conspiracies. Just rotten luck.
I am broke. I am in debt. I am getting phone calls from bill collectors. I don't give a shit. I donated a significant amount of money to OxFam yesterday. It is my duty as an overfed and overpriveledged American to do this. If a freak earthquake or tornado or other monumental natural disaster swept my home away and killed my sons and wife and left me alone with only the clothing on my back and no way to feed myself, I would hope that somebody out there in this world would do something for me.
I am not posting this to say "look at how altruistic I am".. I am not altruistic. I could give even more. I am too selfish to give more. I could say "fuck the new year's eve party. fuck stocking the fridge. fuck the movie I want to rent tomorrow. fuck the coffee I'm going to buy tomorrow." but I don't. Instead I will give what I can for now without impinging too much on my comfortable american lifestyle.
As I asked people if they donated money today, and they said "no" and then gave me reasons "why they couldn't" I found myself infuriated. Every single person who is able to read this is luckier than they can ever believe. Think of all the things you have. Think of how safe and healthy and happy you are. You can buy video games and computer equipment and high end computer hardware, stuff for your car, stuff for your house, anything you want. And you're not going to give money to a charity that is out there in Sri Lanka providing clean water that will save someone's life? Or money to a charity that is in Thailand helping reunite toddlers with family members after their parents have been killed in front of their eyes? To that, I say I hope something bad never happens to you. Because if it does, you may find your selfish unkindness visited back upon you.
0
Comments
I came over tonight with the specifiic intention of posting asking people to donate something, anything to help everyone affected. http://www.redcross.org
please help people