tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36420158.post5395294124914944622..comments2024-03-03T11:14:57.517-07:00Comments on George's Window: If I had a million dollars, I'd buy you . . .Geo.Epphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722142979716416551noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36420158.post-64414479526369540932011-07-31T08:04:44.732-06:002011-07-31T08:04:44.732-06:00Hank Feld writes:
Hi, George -
When I read you...Hank Feld writes:<br /><br />Hi, George - <br /> <br />When I read your Window piece this Sunday morning and got to the section that asks what our responsibilities are re Somalia, and what it represents re. “inequities”, I kept saying, “Yes! Yes!”<br /> I have thought about this issue most of my life and, although it’s not a simple matter, I have a strong bias which I’ll share here:<br /> I believe that one specific moral issue that our era (post W.W. 2, say) will be remembered for, is the existing world state re the haves and the have-nots. The discrepancies are as clear as they are, by and large, indefensible. I’m not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but my hunch is that history will not look fondly on how we responded.<br /> It is true that individuals can’t change this situation fundamentally (although I don’t minimize the importance of letters to MP’s and MLA’s, and letters to editors and participation in applicable demonstrations, and etc.), for me the issue must essentially falls to individuals. Us. <br /> We can ameliorate the inequities. When I personally see hungry and/or malnourished babies and children and adults in a variety of countries -- Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the island countries of Nevis and Dominica (not to be confused with Dominican Republic) -- I know that there are fewer desperate people because of individuals donating money to, for example, the Canadian Food Grains Bank which has an excellent record of low administrative costs which ensures that most of each dollar actually gets to the ones the monies are intended for. This doesn’t resolve the enormous world problem of inequities, but it makes a difference to identifiable, specific people.<br /> What I’ve said here may make some feel guilty. Well, tough. I know guilt is often the result of nasty manipulation; perhaps, though, there’s a guilt that’s appropriate, a legitimate guilt that leads to action. <br /> What takes courage for me, George, is not insisting that political policies change in order to avoid a famine. It takes a little bit of courage to write this kind of (public) letter and risk being thought of as self-righteous. That doesn’t feel good. Most of all, what takes courage for me is to put my money where my mouth is. To act on my convictions. That’s where the rubber hits the road the paper hits the plate!<br /> <br /> HankGeo.Epphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14722142979716416551noreply@blogger.com