The ethics of citizenship

Originally posted by jaguar
In my opinion, poverty is america, even as you describe has sweet fuck all on the way some people live. My experience has taught me to assume Americans are myopic as they come unless proven otherwise.

Giving money to charities so they can help the most disadvantaged is fiscally irresponsible and treating the symptom not the cause? What the fuck do you want to do? Change human nature? Shit happens and people end up at the bottom of the heap, they need a hand back up and charities can help do that. Fiscally irresponsible? How the fuck is it fiscally irresponsible? If you want to be fiscally responsible buy a few shares in a mutual fund. Helping people isn't fiscally responsible.

Poverty IS america? I assume you mean IN America. I reject your argument that just because this nation's poor are better off (supposedly) than the poor of some other nations that we don't need to be concerned with poverty in America. Its a bit like saying "Who cares that this guy has only one arm? Look at the person over there who's missing an arm and both legs!" especially when its concievable that you could help the man with one arm, but far more difficult to help the second since he lives 10,000 miles and an ocean away.

Americans ARE myopic. Have you ever traveled to a Third World Country? I have. Yes, we Americans are comparitively lucky. I have also traveled to various European countries which actually have a higher standard of living than does the US and provide all their citizens with health care as the US does not. From the perspective of a Swiss citizen, America is a barbaric place. Its all point of view and many Americans lack in perspective. You are right on that.

It is my personal experience that had I simply been given access to health care when I finally found out what had happened to me, I could have undergone treatment and voc rehab and gotten on my feet a long time ago. As it was, I had to subsist on charitable handouts and inadequate government subsidies which ended up costing everybody, taxpayers included, far more than what it would have cost to just give me a little medical attention in the first place. I WANTED to go back to work, but no one would give me the medical help I needed to do this.

So just WHAT are you saying in your last paragraph? "... they need a hand back up and charities can help do that...Helping people isn't fiscally responsible." Huh?