In just a couple days, the 8 wealthiest nations in the world will get together in Scotland to discuss what they will do with the AIDS and Poverty epidemic. The G8 Summit takes place once a year, and this year, these 8 men have the ability to literally “Make Poverty History”. The statistics of poverty, AIDS, and death is astounding. Over one billion people live on less than $1.00 per day and 40 million of them are infected with HIV/AIDS. Every year 10 million young children die from preventable causes and over 100 million are unable to attend school. Today alone, 30,000 people will die of extreme poverty. These statistics shock me. The fact that every 3 seconds someone dies unnecessarily because they don’t have what they need to survive appalls me.
I share this because I think many of us are oblivious to this atrocity, and that if we knew what was going on, we would do something about it. Aside from giving of our own finances (which we should do) we can partner with ONE, the campaign designed to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. The ONE Campaign doesn’t ask for your money, they only strive for more Americans to join the movement by being a voice to our governments and others about the desperate need of global poverty and AIDS.
To me it is amazing to think that we have the power to end poverty in our lifetime. Millions and millions of people are dying every year because of poverty, and to know that we have the ability to stop people from dying is extraordinary. On July 2nd, ONE is holding 8 large concerts they are calling the Live 8 in an effort to “create a wave of support, a mass lobby , that will communicate to the G8 governments what they should do: develop a historic plan to work with African governments in fighting AIDS, extreme poverty and corruption.”
I am here as only one voice hoping that more will join in this movement. As a first step to get involved, head over to ONE.org and sign the “ONE Declaration” and the letter to President Bush to show him your support for making poverty history.
I realize I have run the risk of sounding like a commercial or a salesman, but I feel it is necessary for me to voice my opinion (especially since I have a place where I do so regularly: my blog) and I am almost ashamed that I have not done so sooner. Please forgive me if I sound corporate or formal, but I hope you all hear the desperation of this matter. I hope you all will get involved.
Please leave a comment telling us that you signed the ONE Declaration and the letter to President Bush.
7 Responses
Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.
I couldn’t remember if I had signed it before, so I signed it (again?). Thanks for posting this Ryan!
Posted by Marieke
Hey I like the new look of the Transformed. I’m trying to figure out how to get pics from our new canon. it will take me some time but I am working on it. SO your the new salseman for ONE, keep it up because we need more people like you to continue to talk about One.org
Posted by Mark
Thank you for the girl ONE bracelet. I am so glad that I no longer have to wear a boy one for ONE. Or maybe I could wear them both…you know, wear two bracelets for ONE.
Haha I am sooooo funny.
Posted by Sarah
I saw this commercial on TV, if all the celebrities, especially Pat Robertson, donated just 1/5 of what they earned in a year, they probably could make poverty history; so why do they need me?
Posted by toad
See, to me, its that sort of selfish thinking that causes the elimination of poverty effort to stagnate. The thinking that passes the buck off to everyone else but ourselves. “Well, if all of Hollywood would just give some of their millions to help, then we won’t actually have to do a thing. We can just sit back and let the rich do something while we go through life munching crackers and watching TV.” This is brilliant because it means that I don’t actually have to care; and the millions of people that are dying are not my problem.
The fact is that if everyone helped in a small way, we can change the world. The thing about ONE is that they dont ask for your money. They just want to raise awareness so that our governments will do something that we cant. We dont have the power to change trade policies that cripple farmers in the third world, we don’t have the power to stop rebel militia from burning crops and killing children, but we do have our voice. If more people would actually care about what is going on in Africa and other third world countries, maybe our governments would do something about it. But till then, I will raise as much awareness as I can, and give financially to help the needs of others.
Posted by Ryan
Well, we do have the ability to affect trade policies. The Democrats who voted for CAFTA are on my page, if they live near you, vote them out of office the next time, If a republican is up for election vote him out too.
I guess the bottom line on the militia thing is find oil and we will fight for you, other wise you are on your own. At least under this administration.
Posted by toad
I hear what you are saying…I don’t consider myself to be a republican or a democrat. There are things that I like and dislike about both parties. I tend to be nonpartisan.
Posted by Ryan