It probably seems like I'm jumping on the whole bash-the-media bandwagon - and I am.
During the past week, the media has been fairly consumed with the debt ceiling issue, political monkeying, what the royals are wearing and the location of Casey Anthony - all the while giving very little coverage to the famine in the Horn of Africa.
The US estimates that over 29,000 children have died in the last 90 days in southern Somalia. The famine (due to the historic drought) is expected to worsen and be far more catastrophic than the 1980s famine in Ethiopia (remember the whole We Are The World song). Essentially (and this makes sense), it's disasters that have one isolated event (like, an earthquake and tsunami) that tend to get more media coverage and raise public donations quickly. A disaster's ability to raise public funds is also very dependent upon the media.
Which goes back to why so many media outlets have their thumbs up their butts wondering why Kate Middleton has worn the same outfit twice. It's ridiculous.
It seems impossible that children could die of starvation. I donated $50 to Unicef this week, specifically to the famine in Somalia.
Why are you bashing the media? Kate's outfits are important and she and William have their own charity which donates millions of dollars to many worthy charities around the world - if she dressed like crap no one would donate. Duh. Also if it weren't for the media we wouldn't know about George Clooney's latest girlfriend, Casey Anthony's possible new home, and, most importantly, about Shark Week.
ReplyDeleteIf I were really snarky I would make a joke about how giving money to children in a drought and disease ridden country is just throwing your money away because they are going to die anyway. But I would never say something like that.
If I wanted to suggest an alternate charity for you I could suggest one that just gives doses of morphine to starving children who will not live to see their teen years instead of giving them food - at least then they wouldn't be in pain while starving to death. But, of course I wouldn't even think of making jokes or suggestions like that because I am a humanitarian and a famously kind person (in my mind).
Instead I say to you: well done, that was $50 well spent...I am sure you will see a big return on your investment one day. You know, kind of like buying magic beans from Gypsies or making a large donation to LizWorld (TM).
Your soon-to-be-Ambassador-of-Peace-to-a-3rd-World-country friend,
Liz