TOPICAL TUESDAYS: THE WORLD CRUMBLES

I know this is grim, but if you can't deal with grim, then maybe you should move to another planet, cause things aren't too wonderful for most people right now. For liberal fucks like myself, natural disasters and the like are times for us to finally show compassion to others. I like to think I'm better than that, but how come I start counting money for donations only after something bad happens?

Here I was last over a week ago reading a new report about Burma or Mynamar or whatever we're supposed to be calling it and the typhoon. At first it seemed like nothing too major, then the numbers went up and up and up until I saw one prediction that the death toll could top 500,000. Only then did I feel it was my duty to write a check of some amount. It's completely insane to me. See I'm talking about it right now, I know that there's something wrong with this picture, but yet, when all mellows out over there, I won't feel the need to give money any more to anyone... until something else bad happens.

I gave money to the tsunami and Katrina. Both times, Iit felt good. I thought I should start doing this more often. But then I had a doubt. Was I giving money to actually help others or was this some sort of validation? I remember I used to go off on my parents, saying "It's great to give to charity and all, but that's so easy." Back then I thought I was dedicating my life to helping others through art. Sure entertainment is an act of social vitality, but looking back it seemed like a bunch of excuses so I could keep my hours smoking weed per hours awake regiment intact. I do believe that people too often write a check and that's that. But yet here I am falling into the same trap.

Back to Asia. As it became obvious that the corrupt (at least according to the media) Mynamar government didn't plan on letting aid come in, even going so far as feeding victims rotten rice as they exported the good shit for just as high a profit as ever, I held back my donation. I already was pissed when I heard about how Red Cross botched up Katrina donations. Did I really want my money going to a gold floor tile in some war lord's palace?

Then it all got more complicated after a 7.9er hit China. The stories of students being buried alive. Living in an earthquake zone myself. Suddenly Burma became an afterthought. As if my do-good brain could only comprehend a single tragedy at a time.

So shit, where does this leave me? Money to Burma or money to China? Or money to both? Or no money at all? Questions like this make me want to pursue social work all the more. I hate that I'm being forced into this upper class white Democrat model of charity. Writing checks, writing checks, writing checks. It's like how so many Jews (myself included) go to High Holiday services only. We're secular most days of the year and then we go. Just to give ourselves an out, in case there's a God after all. Although, I justify the High Holidays thing more as: I may not believe it, but people were burned in ovens for my right to worship freely, so maybe I should do it. As for the charity, I say fuck it. Enough's enough. I'll write a check to China, I'll write a check to Burma, but for every dollar I spend, I'll pledge to do that much actual work next year. No I won't adopt families, but I'll do something a bit more concrete.

It saddens me that I even need to ramble about this. Loyal blog readers, please don't let me forget that I want to help. As I get sucked into hours upon addicted hours of Mario Kart, I lose sight. But please, pull that Wii wheel from my hand and drag me down to a homeless shelter one Saturday afternoon so I can wake up from my bougie daze and remember that I love people.