Regarding the woman shown in my profile photo: Of course, it's not me. But over the summer, I read a few articles covering the latest Israeli/Palestine conflict. It was implied that the woman shown in the photo was one of the innocent victims. Of course, it's possible that she was paid to pose for the photo. I almost never rule such possibilities out. The 'for profit' media has become a disgusting industry riddled with corruption and ratings/political/marketing tricks. However, my guess is that she is in fact, an innocent victim. If not of the latest conflict, then of another which resulted in her photo being stocked away for later use (it happens).
When I saw that photo, I was stopped in my tracks. It broke my heart. To this day, it still has an effect on me. I still can't help wondering what circumstances led to such anguish on her face. Perhaps, she was in search of a new place to call home for a while. Perhaps, she was mourning a lost loved one. Perhaps, it was sheer frustration.
I knew there was nothing I could do to help her specifically. I didn't even know if she was still alive. But I was reminded, as I often am, how incredibly easy we have it in America. There is some legitimate hardship as there is in every country. Particularly, in areas that have been deindustrialized. But in general, we have become a nation of spoiled brats. We have by far, the largest economy, the largest circulation of wealth per capita, the largest supply of fresh water and some of the most fertile land. Of the serious issues we do have, including deindustrialization, most are caused by Earth shattering greed.
Still, our hardship, in general, pales to what hundreds of millions around the world endure on a daily basis. So I decided to use the photo of that poor woman in yet another attempt to open a few eyes and a few hearts while making a reference to what I consider to be the greatest injustice of all time.
By the way, that little photo does not do that poor woman any justice. Her pain is much more evident in the larger version I have saved on my computer.
The text:
I don't know how to help this woman. But I do know one thing for sure. We have some rotten pathetic ignorant nerve as citizens of the richest nation on Earth to complain about aid to foreign countries when we allow a single percentile of rich pigs to reap over 24% of our private income and hoard over 40% of our private wealth as a nation. This injustice is the primary underlying cause of the hardship that many Americans do suffer from. Hardship that pales in comparison to what others endure.
So the next time you complain about aid to another country or the hardship that many Americans do suffer from, shut up, stop giving so much of your money to the rich, stop causing poverty and give some of that money instead to a legitimate cause.
and never support any big celebrity foundation. They blow half their money on private jet rides, 5 star accommodations, and PR crap. Always do your research first. CharityWatch.org
