What the Hell?
By now you all should have heard about the cyclone in Myanmar that has reportedly killed 22,000 people. This is indeed a great tragedy and reminds me of the tsunami from a few years ago. While i agree this is a tragedy I am perplexed at why the united States feels the need to come to their aid. We have enough problems of our own.
The price of oil hit a record today at $122 a barrel. Our homeless situation is getting worse due to the multitude of families losing their homes because of the crumbling housing market. People are losing their jobs because of our crappy economy. The cost of groceries is skyrocketing due to the price of gas. I could go on and on about our problems that have yet to be addressed and probably won't be addressed. Yet the United States is pressuring the reclusive Myanmar government to let us help them out.
This is our problem. We can't stay out of other people's business. Any time human life is lost it is a sad day but it isn't like they died due to genocide. They died because of good ole Mother Nature. Not much you can do about that now can you? So why is the United States so eager to help others when we can't help ourselves? This question has plagued me for a long time. We are always ready to help another nation out. Which I can see the good in it but Jesus Christ, fix our fucking problems first.
Our nation was once a great and mighty nation. Now we are a laughing stock and pretty much hated everywhere due to our elected officials and their policies. What happened to non-interventionism which at one time was what this county was about. That has long since been abandoned. It makes perfect sense to me and is something we should get back to.
I look at taking aid from the United States like asking a crack whore for money. It doesn't make sense. Just to look at the US with all of its problems you have to wonder how we are in any position to help anyone else.
So here we go helping another country in need while our very own country is in desperate need. This makes me want to move to Canada. You never hear about them rushing to help anyone. They seem to keep to themselves. Smart move Canada, smart move.
Comments
sad, but true.
6 May 2008 - 2:38pm — Craig (not verified)I'm completely in agreement with you here. Whilst it's always very sad to hear about the weather causing this much trouble and killing so many it's not necessarily a right for the USA and the United Kingdom (where i'm from) to provide aid. The problem here is everyone feels like a politician and unfortunately our governments feel that the majority would approve against them should they decide not to provide Aid.
I guess what's so unfortunate about being an American is that people see the USA as the leading country, the worlds most powerful nation. So for a country with the reputation you all have you are bound to face even larger pressure to provide aid towards Burma regardless of the whole political mess that their own country has.
The UK is also going through the same mortgage problems and the rate of inflation doesn't even come close to the dramatic increase of general living costs here. I mean, people are barely making enough to survive yet our government like the USA seems to be more focused on international relations. We could all get pissed off by what has been happening, but at the end of the day there is too much pressure on our countries to provide the aid and help that is needed that any domestic problems (regardless of how big) will always take a lower priority.
Excellent Point
6 May 2008 - 3:12pm — GrinchYou do have a point there. It is just so sad to watch our own countries suffer when the government is doing all they can to help other countries.
Thanks for the comment Craig