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Tsunami Relief

Dream King's picture
Submitted by Dream King on

It goes without saying that this is a terrible tradgedy which has befallen a region which obviously can't afford the clean up. It is something which has affected people in 40 different countries. Across all religious, political and social divides.

Given the financial state of countries like Canada and the US, at what point should they be putting their fiscal responsabilities to their own countries ahead of the world. Meaning, Canada has pledged $80 million dollars of tax payers money to relief, but at the same time there is a national debt and numerious programs in Canada which it could use that money for eg Headstart programs or more money for the heath care system here.

Australia's relief ($1Billion plus man power to assist in the clean up, rebuild and body id) had totally political motivations. Mr. Howard has been accused of running off with the Americans, causing him to lose favor with the Asian nations, this gesture was an attempt to make up. In Australia a lot of the effected area is of great economic consequence, due to tourism and trade so this move was a way of ensuring Australia's

economic stability. If Africa had as much consequence the people would also receive the aid they needed. Human life is an expendable recourse in this modern world. If the original expenditure can't be returned than it's not worth it. As for problems in one's own back yard, when disaster strikes, it gives politicians the perfect reason to shift the spot light away from their short comings and onto their generosity. Come election year, very few people will admit to thinking about how the money spent helping a nation in need should have been spent on their home land.

Even Mother Theresa said that one must take care of the problems in their own backyard before going to their neighbour's aid.

Not only that, but one must realize that the same amount of people that perished in this tragedy die every day in Africa...  and yet, since that death toll is constant, we seem far more willing to sit by and let them die with very little help from us.  I don't know...  I believe that helping the countries who suffered due to the tsunami and earthquakes is the right thing to do, but there are so many other "right things" we fail to do.  When the tragedy is sudden and when white tourists die, we scramble to help, to give up our spare change...  but when, every day, thousands upon thousands of Africans die of AIDS, poor nutrition, etc, we lament at their plight, but do very little else.

Those are just my thoughts...  and as I said, I am not really sure as to what our obligations are, what we should do...  It's too bad these questions need be raised at all.