Ignored

Ignored
Originally uploaded by Righteousb.

800,000 children 5 and under starve to death this month in Niger. We watch.

Blind, Deaf America

"We must end the tyranny of complacency that has consigned millions of people to this dehumanizinf existence" -- UN Emergency Relief Coordinator on the situation in Niger Africa.

I was at mass on Sunday and got sick to my stomach when our homilist told us that U.N. reports stated this week that 2.5 million people are slated to die from hunger in the African country Niger this month. And I want to repeat that that is THIS month. Meanwhile - our eyes are fixed on the space ship's loose shingle and the missing girl in Aruba and the hottest fall fashions. How can we as a people be so blind and deaf?

I'm fully aware of the "trendiness" of the African cause with everyone from Bono to Oprah to Switchfoot getting behind it. And I'm aware that it's the cool thing to do as Christians - to preach about the poor in Africa ... but to tell you the truth - I think all of humanity should friggin get behind this. This isn't just talking about saving the seals or getting better roads in our communites...this is an entire continent of people that we are gonna let starve while we're out sipping on Frappacino's and getting our nails done.

How bout some perspective people: We had 3-4 thousand Americans die in 9-11. All of the world stood still and mourned the tradgedy with us. And here we are years later still bellyaching over it and screaming of the injustice. Meanwhile - hundreds of thousands of people are slaughtered in Rwanda... we do nothing. Hundreds of thousands are being killed now in the Sudan... we do nothing. Virtually the entire country of Niger is about to die... we do nothing.

There is something sick and inhumane when we as a people put an unmatched value on the human life of an American but shrug off the rest of the world as though their issues are interfering with us watching "Desperate Housewives". Sorry, if I seem a little angry about this ... but I am. If anything 1/10th this magnitude were to happen to 'good ol' America" - we would expect to be the centerpiece of the world until it was fixed. I also feel like a hypocrite myself - struggling at the pettiness of my life that can be extravagent and unnecessary. I always liked a quote I read from an interview with a saintly man. The interviewer asked him, "What's wrong with the world?" And he replied, "I am". This is so true - it's not just our country's fault or our church or blah blah blah - it's my fault for being so complacent.

Bottom line is it's time to stop writing cute songs about Africa and give them money.

If you want to put your money where my mouth is and help - go here and do something about it:

http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/eappeal.nsf/egift_niger?OpenForm&campaign=1065090&cmp=KNC-1065090&source=goog&keyword=niger%20donate

https://www.unicefusa.org/site/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?c=duLRI8O0H&b=937909&en=pwJWL6MZLqLVI7NSJaLXKmP7LwI3JdM2KtK5KjP6IqL6KvI

And please, please pray.

Polish Power

How cool is this? This girl, Allison Aldrich, just sent me an email that she won a scholarship to college from the Polish Society of Road Island by writing an essay about me (being polish). The essay was entitled, "A Modern Day Polish Hero" - I think I might chage my rapper name to that. Anyway - I just got a chuckle out of the deal - I think it's cool a stupid Polish rapper could win this girl a scholarship. word

Here's the email:

Hey Bob,
I was a recipient in 2004 of the the Rhode Island Polonia Scholarship Foundation. The essay question for the scholarship asked me to write about a Polish figure who had a positive effect on either the arts, history or sciences. I didn't know what to write about, and rather than having to research about some Polish composer I went "duh Righteous B!" I wasn't sure how they would react to the essay, since I doubt any of the judges would have heard of you. But I didn't care! To me, you truly have had an amazing impact on our society through your music, and lucky for me, happen to be Polish too. I thank you greatly for it.
God Bless!

Allison Aldrich