Extend the Trend

Without trying to take away from the desperate situation in Asia, I can't help but shake my head as to why this giving trend has suddenly become so popular and monumental. Why does it take an earthquake, hurricane or tidal to get people’s attention why do I feel that CNN and all the other news networks are again cashing in on the exploitation of people’s misery.

I think it’s wonderful that we are helping out the tsunami victims but lets extend the trend to include estimated 11 million people throughout southern Africa that will need food to survive over the next six months, these people particularly children will die slowly from famine and starvation.

I read a story about a young Malawian mother who attempted to sell three of her children into slavery to earn money to feed her two other children. Her sixth and youngest child died earlier that week after starving to death. She explained her situation with utmost lucidity: "I cannot provide food for all my children they will certainly die if I keep them all. If I sell the oldest ones who are strong enough to work, I will have money to feed my two youngest and perhaps they will have a better chance of surviving. I wonder if she had the choice this women wouldn’t choose hurricanes or tidal waves over starving to death unnoticed in the middle of the dessert.

I think it would be a great idea if there was a humanity tax of ten dollars to be paid each year by every taxable person in North America and other prosperous nations. These billions of dollars would be used first to help the needy and homeless in the donor countries the rest would be distributed throughout the world as a humanitarian relief fund and there would be billions every year. Just do the math!

D.M.