Hey, maybe you’ve seen this floating around the inter-tubes, probably on Facebook:

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. Why arent we helping our own first ???????? Most people won’t have the guts to copy and repost this.

I sure saw it, and it kinda made me wanna punch my computer…

Really?

America is the ONLY country in the WORLD where there are homeless, hungry, and hurt? We’re it? No where else are there destitute people, dieing for no reason beyond an uncaring, neglectful government or because the government itself simply cannot afford to maintain its people? Just the good ole US of A? … Really?

Haiti was hit by an EARTH QUAKE. They didn’t get down sized by some capitol-hungry corporation. They didn’t overspend 5 credit cards, take out 3 mortgages and end up loosing everything they own. They didn’t break their bones while trying to jump a moped off their roof over a flaming trampoline in their back yard. They didn’t get denied by a Hospital for habitual drug-seeking habits. The EARTH under their FEET said, “… Eeeh, that’s enough for you.”

Are you people actually suggesting that they should be left to fend for themselves? And Why? Because the street corners of your cities are littered with pan handlers? Because our Healthcare system is a steaming pile? Because most people would rather eat out than learn to cook? Because we, as a society, choose to sweep the unsightly quietly away? This is why we should forsake others even though we have the ability to help?

Stop.

I understand that the point is that we should take care of our own before we try to fix the world. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” – Matthew 7:3 (NIV) I get it, I really do.

It’s about paying attention to what’s wrong with our own brothers and sisters, rather than ONLY focusing on what we absolutely cannot ignore, then telling ourselves that we’re good people for it. But lets not let our zealous for shedding light on the forgotten and ignored cloud our judgement and start making wild accusations like that our nation is the ONLY country in the WORLD with these problems. Come on, lets be reasonable.

P.S. (by the way)

There are NUMEROUS organizations devoted to helping our own citizens. So if you’re really that upset at the neglect those charities are getting, why not DONATE to them? Copying someone else’s empty words not only does nothing, it’s insulting to the people who are -actually- trying to help someone.

You’re basically saying, “Man, someone should really DO something… But not me.”

But to those of you who DID repost that idiotic notion and you actually DO donate to domestic charities, good for you; but it doesn’t change the fact that what you re-posted was a massively insulting fallacy — especially to those who are in need in other countries.