A Bone To Pick
There are so many programs like the Christian
Children's Fund, etc. that strive to feed people in far flung countries.
I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing. I'm saying I don't
understand how people can create such programs or contribute to such
programs while driving by our very own homeless every day. When we
give to others without first taking care of our own, aren't we a special
kind of hypocrite?
The other day I got a package of seeds in one
of those guilt packages that comes in the mail where a charity sends you
an envelope containing an unsolicited "gift" so you'll feel guilty and
send them a donation. This particular guilt package was from World
Vision. It was the typical spiel like for the price of a cup of
coffee a day, I'd be contributing seeds and farming materials to these
indigent people in Africa. I don't have a problem with that
part... I have a problem with the idea that they wasted seeds
sending them to me in the guilt package when they could have just sent
them to the starving people in Africa. Isn't that the whole point?
Hello... Don't these folks need seeds? So send them x-amount of
seeds and then hit me up for some dough so we can buy them some farming
tools, but don't send me the seeds when there's a better use for them.
I mean... are these people hungry or not? They can have my seeds.
But I digress... the marketing error takes me away from my point
which is... It's noble to help those in need all over the world, but
it's a bit hypocritical to drive by the homeless in your own
neighborhood on the way to the post office so you can mail your check
for these Africans who need seeds.
Again, I have no problem offering aid and support to people in other
countries and I have no bad feelings about Africans (aside from the fact
that they should have these seeds instead of me). What I'm saying
is that it's not very big of us to have a better attitude about foreign
poor people than we do about the poor people in our own communities.
Nobody ever mails out anything that says, "This man lives under the
bridge in your town, where the old unemployment office used to be.
For the price of a daily Starbucks, this man could have a month's supply
of clean water, a new foam pad to sleep on, and one warm meal every
other day. Your dollars can help him get the medication he needs
to act rationally, will provide soap so people will sit next to him on
the bus, and will provide necessary job rehabilitation skills."
How come? Why don't we ever see mail
like that? Don't you think we should?
You know what a new set of clothes could do for these people?
How about a safe place to shower? Or someplace he can get his
teeth worked on? Or a zillion other things he doesn't have?
And how about this kicker? We always hear about the problems
with the "homeless community" like it's a separate thing.
Shouldn't it really be "the community's homeless"? Back in the old
days, when we all lived in villages, people who lost their home would
have been absorbed into the village. They'd have been given a
meaningful way to contribute to the community, they'd have been given a
share of the food, they'd have a place to sleep and bathe.
Donate to Salva Nos and your money benefits the homeless right here
in Gilroy, San Martin, and Morgan Hill.
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