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[Mimzzy]

So there's been this post floating around Facebook that has me a bit irritated: "Shame on you America: the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment - yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations. 99% of people won't have the guts to copy and repost this post."

Now, I've had several people post this and my response has always been: "You may have the guts to copy and paste it but do you have the guts to fix it? Probably every one who posted that would say no, because they wouldn't know what to do."

Ok I was a little cranky when I responded to most of them but it is what I think. So I had an old highschool friend of mine post it and so I copy-pasta my response. 10 hours ago she responded but I'm not able to see what she said because she simply unfriended me. Srsly? You unfriended because I voiced a probably true statement? Granted (and I hate it when I do this kind of thinking), that she has every right to and she probably wasn't a good friend anyway because we never really talked. It just astounds me that it was that big of a deal to her.

Anyway, I'm done ranting about it. What would any of you do or say to respond to the "Shame on you America" post? Regardless of where you are. What would you do if you had a friend like that?


I should really move to Canadia.

[Yannick]

Wait a sec.. is Haiti not also a country where there are homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment? Regardless of the conditions prior to the earthquake, these statements are currently true for an overwhelming amount of Haitians. I think with these affairs, people need to abandon arbitrary borders and just *help* people. You have no more of a connection with the kid starving in the slums of <random city in your country> than you do with Haiti (unless we're counting that they *might* be closer, geographically speaking), so on a personal level, what difference does it make? In the US, even people starving to death or dying of malnourishment can find *somewhere* to safely pass the night, but Haiti at the moment has nothing because the majority of their stuff has been completely demolished. By all means, try to do something to help those in need, but don't ignore a group of people just because other people need help too, especially if you weren't doing anything to help the people in your own country in the first place.

Off topic, but I just thought it was funny that John Travolta went over there with a group of scientologist ministers.

*edit* *shrug* As for your friend, s/he clearly wasn't a friend in the first place. Just let it go.

[Mimzzy]

Off topic, but I just thought it was funny that John Travolta went over there with a group of scientologist ministers.

Actually I didn't know that.. And it is quite funneh to me.

[SPEAKERfortheLOS...]

I have to say that I'm divided on this issue.

On one hand, I believe that each and every country should support itself and fix its own problems to the best of its ability BEFORE it ever considers doing that for others.

On the other hand, if more people thought globally then we would have less issues throughout the world.

So to fix the problems this world has, we either throw away all borders and fix everything omnilaterally or we fix ourselves first. I'll let you decide which way is best.

[Yannick]

I'm torn for a different reason.

I think globalization > a bunch of governments with conflicting ideals, maybe with current countries being considered states which hold some level of independence (ie, Florida can make certain decisions that California disagrees with, but the US can't do anything about it). This way, if you totally disagree with your state laws, the option of moving is still available, mainly because I think it's going to be impossible to please everyone. The problems are that it would take a very long time to get right because of the diversity we currently have. There's also little escape for individuals who just seriously can't stand the government. ..Which is why we should make the government less of our overlords, and more just people who are just trying to help. More of an organizational tool than anything else.

On the other hand...

I just don't care. I like to tell myself I do, I can pretend I do, but when it boils down to it.. I don't? I think the empathy genes just passed by me somehow. On the plus side, I think I grew up a little and no longer want to rid the world of what I consider imperfections (religious people included, guys!). However, only because I'm not really concerned about the future of our species, the planet, et al. anymore. It's like.. *shrug* Just.. don't. It's not even that I'm anticipating the downfall of humanity any time soon. If other people care, they can be the ones to work for whatever their goals are, hence my above post.

[SPEAKERfortheLOS...]

this has nothing to do with this thread... however, needs to be said.

However, only because I'm not really concerned about the future of our species, the planet, et al. anymore.

et alibi/alii (and elsewhere/others, respectively) is the wrong latin phrase here. It should be et cetera (and the rest). This is a pet peeve of mine. I apologize for any inconvenience this causes, but if you are going to use Latin, please use the right phrase.

[Yannick]

Sorry. >_>

Well, "and elsewhere" seems to cover it. Like, "I don't care about this planet or elsewhere." ...?

[gothictheysay]

The new "% people won't have the guts to copy and paste this" status fad that is going around is, to me, just hilarious. I appreciate if you care about something and you're adamant about it, you put a little post up, but the "I DARE YOU TO POST THIS TOO BUT YOU WON'T DO IT 'CAUSE I'M COOLER" thing is just silly. Also, this particular one is just ridiculous. Saying we shouldn't give money to Haiti because we have starving people here doesn't entirely make sense. Should we help out starving people here? Of course we should. That doesn't mean we should ignore Haiti.

What bothers me the most is that I know most of these people are just sitting on their butts at their computers. Look, I find it awful that people in America starve, so I find ways to help out through community service and fundraising. If you are really concerned, how about working to educate people in a way that's not a inane Facebook status post? Or just donating a little bit of money on a regular basis or your time? And honestly, unfriending someone on facebook feels like someone throwing woodchips at me on a playground. Obviously your "friend" didn't have the, er, courage to have a discussion about this with you - because she never even thought about it, she just copy and pasted a status 'cause someone told her she wouldn't.

[CrazyFooIAintGet...]

So there's been this post floating around Facebook that has me a bit irritated: "Shame on you America: the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment - yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations. 99% of people won't have the guts to copy and repost this post."

Now, I've had several people post this and my response has always been: "You may have the guts to copy and paste it but do you have the guts to fix it? Probably every one who posted that would say no, because they wouldn't know what to do."

Ok I was a little cranky when I responded to most of them but it is what I think. So I had an old highschool friend of mine post it and so I copy-pasta my response. 10 hours ago she responded but I'm not able to see what she said because she simply unfriended me. Srsly? You unfriended because I voiced a probably true statement? Granted (and I hate it when I do this kind of thinking), that she has every right to and she probably wasn't a good friend anyway because we never really talked. It just astounds me that it was that big of a deal to her.

Anyway, I'm done ranting about it. What would any of you do or say to respond to the "Shame on you America" post? Regardless of where you are. What would you do if you had a friend like that?


I should really move to Canadia.

Well after I've finished vomiting, I would probably defriend them first (!!!) and make an effort to avoid their company in the future. Kudos for being patient enough to at least respond (although maybe you could have phrased it better).

Seriously, what the f*** is wrong with anyone who would agree with that? Even ignoring the absolutely moronic claim that america is only the only country with these problems, it sickens me that anyone could think of using them as an excuse to discourage people from helping people whose world has literally fallen apart.

[Mimzzy]

yeah. Spreading knowlage is better then ignoring or unfriending someone. At least I tried.


However, there is one status fad I do like....

"Please put this on your status if you know someone (or are related to someone) who has been eaten by dragons.
My wish for 2010 is that people will understand, that being eaten by dragons is not something to be ashamed of.
Dragons are nearly unstoppable and are truly terrifying. 93% won't copy and paste this...
They have been eaten by dragons."

[Silver Star Ange...]

Internet activism is for the lazy. People feel useful by copying and pasting something that all their friends are. People don't realize that by doing it amongst their friends, it's probably going to stay within that group of friends. Or, it'll spread around, but temporarily. Like any fad, it will die.

I don't understand why she defriended you though. I feel as if she was overreacting, but maybe that's me.