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Thursday, February 12, 2009

not the popular view I know

Yes: Bushfires are tragic. Yes: Many have died in horrible ways and this is sad and sickening. Yes: It will take a lot for these communities to rebuild.

HOWEVER.

Carl and Lisa from some morning breakfast news show are on the TV at 9.15pm with hoards of screaming crowds like they're at some fucking Coldplay gig, yelling and screaming and doing the two fingered salutes to the cameras.

$45 million has been raised. That's right, millions of dollars. Many, many millions. For families who have insurance (or should have). And businesses who have insurance (or should have). And services, such as schools, that will have government support. That is why I very happily pay tax.

Thousands starve in Africa. Millions are washed way by floods in the sub-continent or squasedy by oriental earthquakes. Do people give a shit??? Hell no! And I can understand that these people need food and clothing and shelter now, and that this needs to be provided. But 45 million worth?

Look around you people. The Red Cross has enough for this. Give to the homeless guy near your work, or the family in another country who have nothing to lose in the first place. Or give blood or something practical. No amount of money will bring back the dead, which is the real tragedy here.

I have a fold-out couch that any (small-ish) family is welcome to until their house is ready to move back into. I make a mean pasta sauce and the liquor cabinet is fully stocked. Just let me know.

Outrageous I know!

PS: There are many of you who have enquired about my well-being either through this blog, text, phone and email. I thank you all, particularly Marilla, who as I have mentioned previously, rocks! and enquired on this site. So I am glad to be able to tell you that the fires are a good two days drive from my house. May it always be so.

5 comments:

A Free Man said...

Controversial, Kitty. I don't disagree with you but at the same time it's heartwarming to see the flood of support. Could it be better used elsewhere - probably, but I reckon that the folks in Victoria could use it as well.

Kitty said...

It's just such a media circus. After I wrote this there were actors on the appeal plugging their new show. I fear it's more abour ratings that any philanthropic urge. It is great to see people wanting to help, I just wish we could do the same for people who aren't in our backyard. It's also very easy to hand over $10 rather than do something. I've got lots of friends who work in social services who say they don't necessarily need more money, they need people to give time, to do things.

Suzer said...

One thing I can say, as an American, or from the American perspective, is that I've found the amount of support and even the outlook of the survivors, so positive (compared to what I would expect). Yep, the money might be better able to be used for other causes etc...but people aren't donating it to those causes, so let's hope it does some good and perhaps alleviates what cost could come from our taxes.

Kitty said...

Suzer, I wouldn't get too excitied. Australians are not normally this good with giving, again I put it down to the major televison stations dukeing it out to see whose show can raise the most money and pushing their particular network. I wish I didn't feel the need to be this cynical, but there are these sort of events occuring all the time, and the response is rarely, if ever, like this.

There's a fire fundraiser morning tea at work tomorrow. I'm not going, and instead I am taking the $200 I had put aside and donating it to the north queensland flood appeal. If there is such a thing. Kochy and Mel don't seem to be so big on that. I guess footage of fire makes better TV than footage of water.

Kitty said...

oh, and to the RSPCA. I've noticed very little has been said about animals, domestic or wildlife, so I'd like to send some money their way too.