New Facebook Status Trend

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Nate

Formerly Known As Keebler

3,949 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:15 PM
Has anyone seen the new status messages on FB saying:
Shame on you America: the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment - yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations. 99% of people won't have the guys to copy and re-post this.
It's causing a few Facebook status fights on my Feed.

What are your thoughts?

I agree but I also disagree. It's selfish if we only help ourselves in time of need but it is also sad that so much is being done for Haiti when there is TONS we still need to do here.
Jan 27, 2010 1:15pm
THE4RINGZ's avatar

THE4RINGZ

R.I.P Thread Bomber

16,816 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:18 PM
Charity starts at home.
Jan 27, 2010 1:18pm
Heretic's avatar

Heretic

Son of the Sun

18,820 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:19 PM
I know that if I ever want to go on a crusade to change/save the world, Da Book is the place I'd start!
Jan 27, 2010 1:19pm
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:20 PM
We're the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment?

Have these people ever been to any country in Africa, or any other country for that matter?
Jan 27, 2010 1:20pm
hasbeen's avatar

hasbeen

Excuse me, Flo?

6,504 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:21 PM
My only real problem is if we don't help, the entire world will bitch at us. And when we do help, they'll say we're helping too much. The USA is fucked regardless.


My opinion is that we have to take care of ours first, but this was a natural disaster and they need relief immediately. People in this country can't be helped immediately all the time.
Jan 27, 2010 1:21pm
gorocks99's avatar

gorocks99

Senior Member

10,760 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:22 PM
Heretic wrote: I know that if I ever want to go on a crusade to change/save the world, Da Book is the place I'd start!
QFT.

Fbook is obviously the forum in which shit gets done. With out it, shit wouldn't get done at all, and we'd have a bunch of undone shit everywhere.
Jan 27, 2010 1:22pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:27 PM
Manhattan Buckeye wrote: We're the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment?

Have these people ever been to any country in Africa, or any other country for that matter?
It's not saying we are the only country that has those problems..it's saying we are the only country that has that problems and then has a telethon to help send millions of dollars out of the country to help another.
Jan 27, 2010 1:27pm
U

Upper90

Senior Member

1,095 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:31 PM
Manhattan Buckeye wrote: We're the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment?

Have these people ever been to any country in Africa, or any other country for that matter?
This.

And for the last time, though I'll probably say it again, it gets old. People are sitting on facebook complaining about people putting effort towards doing something positive.

Irony?

Look, if you don't give, no one cares. And if people do care, then shame on them, they don't have their priorities right. It's fine that YOU do what YOU want with YOUR time/money.

But the last thing anyone should be doing is criticizing those who DO give time and money. And it's funny to me, because I recall the exact same thing with Katrina. Except that time it was "Well, there's people in MY city who are poor/homeless....."

Disaster trends. Those who are doing nothing are often the first to start the backlash against anyone doing something.
Jan 27, 2010 1:31pm
ts1227's avatar

ts1227

Senior Member

12,319 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:31 PM
There is a strong correlation between the level of education and the frequency of said postings among my facebook friends. I assume you can all figure out in which way it is correlated.

It's somewhere in between. We (as a whole) may not be the best off, but we (as a whole) are still better off than them and we should do what we can within reason to help at least a little.
If you (personally) can afford to do so, please do it. We all get it if you can't swing it though, it doesn't make you a monster.

The same logic works here at home. If you can help out the less fortunate here, feel free. If you can't we all get it.
Jan 27, 2010 1:31pm
U

Upper90

Senior Member

1,095 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:32 PM
Not to mention, I find it funny that it starts with "Shame on you America".
Jan 27, 2010 1:32pm
O-Trap's avatar

O-Trap

Chief Shenanigans Officer

14,994 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:33 PM
Unfortunately, we as a country have become numb to the pains that our own feel. As a result, we do not give to our own.
Jan 27, 2010 1:33pm
LJ's avatar

LJ

Senior Member

16,351 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:34 PM
I do give. I volunteer 2 weeks of my own time per summer down in Appalachia and I can't get 1 damn person to donate when I am helping people 300 miles away. Yet when it comes to people 2000 miles away, people are jumping head over heels to give.

Honestly, it really pisses me off to no end...
Jan 27, 2010 1:34pm
SportsAndLady's avatar

SportsAndLady

Senior Member

35,632 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:34 PM
Upper90 wrote:
Manhattan Buckeye wrote: We're the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment?

Have these people ever been to any country in Africa, or any other country for that matter?
This.

And for the last time, though I'll probably say it again, it gets old. People are sitting on facebook complaining about people putting effort towards doing something positive.

Irony?

Look, if you don't give, no one cares. And if people do care, then shame on them, they don't have their priorities right. It's fine that YOU do what YOU want with YOUR time/money.

But the last thing anyone should be doing is criticizing those who DO give time and money. And it's funny to me, because I recall the exact same thing with Katrina. Except that time it was "Well, there's people in MY city who are poor/homeless....."

Disaster trends. Those who are doing nothing are often the first to start the backlash against anyone doing something.
This.
Jan 27, 2010 1:34pm
Sage's avatar

Sage

Senior Member

2,070 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:36 PM
anybody who posts this is too fucking stupid to argue with.

shallow logic like this really grinds my gears.
Jan 27, 2010 1:36pm
ts1227's avatar

ts1227

Senior Member

12,319 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:37 PM
Sage wrote: anybody who posts this is too fucking stupid to argue with.

shallow logic like this really grinds my gears.
QFT

It's not that they're even completely wrong (because on a base level they aren't). Their stupid asses just phrased it the worst way possible.
Jan 27, 2010 1:37pm
U

Upper90

Senior Member

1,095 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:38 PM
O-Trap wrote: Unfortunately, we as a country have become numb to the pains that our own feel. As a result, we do not give to our own.
I work in the non profit sector, and I find that we never have a problem getting MONEY from people. Where my frustration often lies is that I have a hard time getting TIME from people here to help their communities, which in some cases is equally, or more important than money. I ranted about that on the thread about the breast cancer fb status trend.

That said, I don't criticize anyone taking time to go to Haiti. The need is greater right now. Simple as that. Sure, I'm frustrated if I can only pull 2 volunteers for a fundraiser. But the devastation in Haiti is far more important, tragic, and beyond the control of the people.

Like I said prior, I'm proud to be American, but I'm more interested in humanity as a whole, regardless of nation of origin.
Jan 27, 2010 1:38pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Jan 27, 2010 1:47 PM
Upper90 wrote: I work in the non profit sector, and I find that we never have a problem getting MONEY from people.
My wife works for a non profit organization that finds homes for kids that have been sexually and physically abused. They have just recently had to shut down 2 of their offices and lay off a few employees at other offices b/c they can't get the money needed to operate. Very unfortunate.
Jan 27, 2010 1:47pm
krambman's avatar

krambman

Senior Member

3,606 posts
Jan 27, 2010 2:16 PM
GoChiefs wrote:
Manhattan Buckeye wrote: We're the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment?

Have these people ever been to any country in Africa, or any other country for that matter?
It's not saying we are the only country that has those problems..it's saying we are the only country that has that problems and then has a telethon to help send millions of dollars out of the country to help another.
That's still not true. That was an international telethon being broadcast all over the world.
Jan 27, 2010 2:16pm
O-Trap's avatar

O-Trap

Chief Shenanigans Officer

14,994 posts
Jan 27, 2010 2:26 PM
Upper90 wrote: I work in the non profit sector, and I find that we never have a problem getting MONEY from people. Where my frustration often lies is that I have a hard time getting TIME from people here to help their communities, which in some cases is equally, or more important than money. I ranted about that on the thread about the breast cancer fb status trend.

That said, I don't criticize anyone taking time to go to Haiti. The need is greater right now. Simple as that. Sure, I'm frustrated if I can only pull 2 volunteers for a fundraiser. But the devastation in Haiti is far more important, tragic, and beyond the control of the people.

Like I said prior, I'm proud to be American, but I'm more interested in humanity as a whole, regardless of nation of origin.
I volunteer in a local youth program, and I know what you mean. It was easy to get people to donate the funds to buy meals for the kids. It was hell trying to find people willing to come in and cook those meals.

And I fully recognize the need in Haiti, as I did during the tsunami a few years ago, and Katrina as well. My wife actually went down to Mississippi during that, and I fully supported it. The need was there.

However, as in the cases I just mentioned, the need is also "sexy" right now. Donating time at a local non-profit that has been around and in need for years is not NEARLY so sexy as a short-term volunteer in a highly publicized disaster.

People in other states aren't going to hear about the knife fight that took place between a kid at the Urban Vision teen club and his classmate on the evening news, so if I tell them about how I broke it up, I'll likely get something along the lines of, "Wow, that's scary." That'll be the end of it. They won't likely think of me any differently than they did before.

However, if they've been hearing about all the need in Haiti, and I tell them I went THERE, I guarantee there will be more discussion on the subject.

I really do think that the sexiness of a disaster plays a large role in how many volunteers sign up to help. Working in non-profit, I'm imagining you'd agree.
Jan 27, 2010 2:26pm
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Glory Days

Senior Member

7,809 posts
Jan 27, 2010 2:30 PM
ts1227 wrote: There is a strong correlation between the level of education and the frequency of said postings among my facebook friends. I assume you can all figure out in which way it is correlated.
haha wow, now that i think about it, i have noticed the same thing.
Jan 27, 2010 2:30pm
S

SnotBubbles

Jan 27, 2010 2:30 PM
200K died in Haiti. I see it, and it pissed me off. I don't comment though.

Sure, we have problems in the US...but not this catastrophic.
Jan 27, 2010 2:30pm
I

I Wear Pants

Senior Member

16,223 posts
Jan 27, 2010 2:32 PM
If you think we seriously have a large amount of poverty in the US compared to anywhere then you are either stupid or naive.
Jan 27, 2010 2:32pm
U

Upper90

Senior Member

1,095 posts
Jan 27, 2010 2:32 PM
Well, that's true, but if you're doing it for the right reasons, you don't even need to publicize to people that you went there/have helped out.

I know the point you're making, and yes, you're correct. But sexiness aside, if the help is TRULY needed, as in this case, I'm fine with not totally caring WHY people sign up to help. So long as they do. If their intentions aren't as close to pure as they can be, that's on them.
Jan 27, 2010 2:32pm
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FatHobbit

Senior Member

8,651 posts
Jan 27, 2010 2:34 PM
Glory Days wrote:
ts1227 wrote: There is a strong correlation between the level of education and the frequency of said postings among my facebook friends. I assume you can all figure out in which way it is correlated.
haha wow, now that i think about it, i have noticed the same thing.
Now I can't wait to go home and see who posted that.
Jan 27, 2010 2:34pm
U

Upper90

Senior Member

1,095 posts
Jan 27, 2010 2:36 PM
I've actually had no one (that I've noticed) post it.

If they did, I wouldn't respond, as Sage said, it's just not worth the fight. The fact that they would latch on to such a juvenile trend to make this particular point would speak volumes.

But, I don't know if I have too many FB friends that would post that. Even if they feel that way, I'd like to think that the majority of them could articulate that point better than just "THIS IS AMERICA! WE HAVE PROBLEMS IN AMERICA!!"

I actually, while I disagreed with it, thought that Paul Shirley got some good points across in the piece that he wrote. But, he ended up coming across misinformed in some spots, and in others seemed like he was going for shock value. If you have to say "I know this is going to make me look bad, but..." at least twice in one piece....eh....
Jan 27, 2010 2:36pm