Comical Musings

So I’m sure you’ve all heard about the perilous situation in Japan at the present time. Thousands dead, even more injured or homeless or otherwise in dire straits, and a nuclear power plant on the verge of a meltdown.

There are numerous charities directing aid to those currently in crisis, such as the International Red Cross. I’ll also endorse Save the Children, a charity devoted to helping children in need, all around the world. You can see the main areas for their efforts here. They also offer a program where for a certain amount each month, you can also sponsor an individual child and provide them with the help they need while growing up.

Natural disasters like this are painful and destructive reminders of how fragile human existence really is—but they are also an opportunity to show how strong and bright the human spirit can shine when people work together to help each other out. So here’s a chance to shine.

Blogger’s note: This is cross-posted from a few other places I leave my mark.

So there’s a copy-pasta meme going around people’s Facebook status updates right now. It reads as follows:

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.

I would like to offer the following rebuttal.

Shame on you, Facebook copy-pasters. If you just want to sit there and feel self-righteous, then by all means do so. But you’re not part of the solution.

On the other hand, if you want to DO something about America’s farsighted charity, then look up Covenant House, CityTeam Ministries, Homeless Voice, Domestic Abuse Shelter, AARDVARC.org, Nisa, DASH, Laura’s House, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Illness Education Project, SoupMobile, St. Peters Soup, your local food bank, Daily Bread … See MoreMinistries, CHIPS Online, HandsOn, the FirstHand Foundation, Force for Good, Living Hope Food Kitchen, NeedyMeds, and many, many other worthy non-profit organizations that I found in less than five minutes on Google.

To all of you out there who might feel that America’s place as the most charitable nation in the world is somehow unearned: here’s some places where you can put your money and your mouth. Go to.