I don't usually make too many topics discussing my opinions on a lot of these matters (mostly because a lot of the things that cross into my mind are way to radical for this world and best I keep my mouth shut for most things haha). But in one of my most reoccurring idealist thoughts, the Haitian earthquck really has me thinking about this again.
Obivously, we have all heard the news of the 2010 destructive earthquake that has ravaged Haiti. Over 170,000 estimated casulaties with over a million left homeless. Immediately after, a numerous relief effort has been structured and ongoing to help the devestated country. The whole world has put aside their differences to come together as a planet. I've been admiring how it was no longer country boundaries or certain ethnic gropus, but a planet as a whole helping as if Haiti was another piece of it, like it actually is. When the Haitians need the rest of the world the most, they came to their aid as people, not nations.
So what's the problem? They didn't get their late. But they did. Not on the disaster relief, but for humanity in general. I was thinking about that and started wondering why do we need a natural disaster to start treating people on this planet as people not inferiors, other races, other ethnicities, other countries, etc. Why is it with these more economically endowed countries, that we let these other areas get on the brink of destruction before we actually think it is time to go help them. To give a crude analogy, this would be like sending a military squad into a suicide mission, telling them to hold out, and only after 90% of the squad has perished is it time to help them. Why the need for so much sacrifice when something clearly can be done earlier?
Now obviously, I'm not talking about natural disaster relief. There's no way to really stop the forces of nature, accept avoiding and taking preventive measures, but nature will always get its strikes on man. What I'm talking about, is this is a world of people, animals, plants, etc., and yet we don't treat it that way. We treat it like factions, inferior/superior, and boundaries. One of the most evocative pictures of the last century was the first picture of the earth taken from space. The picture showed a few key things: there are no boundaries on this planet, there are no countries, there is only one planet with her children living on it.
So why treat ourselves like anything less or more. We are earthians, not Americas or Haitains or British or whatever your nationaliy. You are from the planet Earth and you are human. This world shouldn't need a natural disaster to actually treat your fellow man like you fellow man. To treat the animals and organisms like earthians as yourself. It just bothers me so much that so few in this world actually view it the way it should be viewed. That we'd rather fight over non-existent border disputes, opininated religious disputes, or chunks of land. I remember one thing my mother always used to teach me as a child. She would tell me this (with some variation due to loss of memory), "There is no such thing as a white man or a black man, no such thing as as Christian man or Muslim man, no such thing as an American man or Chinese man. There is only man." I've tried to hold that to heart as much as possible.
So with my obvious idealists things in there, I'm not questioning why this hasn't happened. I know why it hasn't happened. But does this bother anyone else as well. I mean this gravely bothers me that there are people suffering around this world and yet we nothing about it. Hell there are people even suffering in my country and we do nothing about it. Why does no one care when they are no different from you and I. And maybe I'm a hypocrite for not helping either, but does anyone even consider this an option other than a few. It shouldn't take the worst to do the most. Doing the right thing is not timely.
So there goes my idealist rant. Open for discussion as I'm not sure if everyone here agrees with it obviously. But this has just been something bothering me as of late. Just been seeing a lot of people lately acting as if they care for these people when, if this had been a minor earthquake that didn't do as much devestation, they could have cared less. Especiallyl, myself, who surrounded by a bunch of so called Christians, seem to not understand the philosophy of their faith. Indeed being Christ-like (despite the name) doesn't seem to be a necessity (or attempt haha). Any thoughts (think I'm crazy? haha) or opinions on the matter would be appreciated.
