About those "Feed the Children" commercials.

I hate to say it,but sometimes they irritate me,and here is why:
What about tbe thousands of starving children in THIS country??? Second reason: How much of my money is REALLY going to the CHILD? (I know there is a site for that; gotta go find it). I know this smacks of nationalisim,but come on....dosen't this fall into the realm of you have to take care of yourself before you can help others? This group just pushes the guilt trip so hard it is almost offensive. Where is their compassion for the poor and starving of THIS country? Some group needs to make similar commercials showing the poverty HERE. I can do my part alot better by getting phisically involved at my local hospice or soup kitchen, and usually do. AArgh.Rant off.:rant:

They want you to feel guilty by showing these pictures of kids with distended bellies covered in flies. That is some how more picturesque then showing people in America who aren't in quite as bad shape. The organizations' purpose is to raise money. How much of it goes to the people who need it not to their executives? It varies by charity, but it seems the ones pushing the guilt the most are also doing the least (proportionally speaking)

Now, that's enough of my cynicism. But if you really want to know which organizations help people who need it and which just help their executives, check out CharityNavigator.org or find a similiar site.

Regardless of whether or not money sent to help out them is stolen or it is used to make you feel guilty, the suffering you see is REAL and cannot simply be minimized or swept under the rug by you.

Sure there are people suffering in this country and I agree that we need to address things going on at home first, but you are buying into the scarcity theory that the republicans put out. Right now the richest 1% have the financial means to eradicate poverty, provide health care for all the world, provide the means to educate the masses and work towards peace, but they choose not to. They choose to manipulate people, prop up corrupt and bought politicians and keep wars alive. It is good for business and ensures chaos, which is always profitable.

Do not close your hearts to the suffering of others, it doesn't have to be "our pain is greater than your pain" argument.

I've travelled to some pretty bad places and seem amazing poverty. The only poverty I've seen in the State comparable to what I saw in the Third World was on the Hopi Reservation, which just made me sick. I've done work in the inner cities, and I grew up in the country and had friends who came to school in the one outfit they had who had dirt floors and no running water--and what I saw in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua was worse.

We have many problems here, yes, and there is no reason that any American should suffer in poverty. That said, it is disgusting that we don't help out the world's poor better and actually do a lot to keep them poor.

But I do my homework.

They show the commericals during prime time, how much do you think that costs them? They show the horrible pictures and emphasize children. You know they had some marketing genius tell them what would get you pick up the phone. They are "selling" - make no mistake. I'm not going to be maniuplated into giving money to an organization so their executives can travel by limo and private jet.

Of course, that's the cynical heartless side.

In truth, I budget a certain amount each month for charitable giving. I research the receiving organizations to make sure they use the money to really help people, that they aren't wasting donations. To be even more candid, I would like to give more, but my husband is immune to guilt and we have a compromise.

It's not charity, it's a business. Why are they allowed to run these con games?