Rachel Jackson- It’s funny how the masses will FREAK OUT over an animal but when you have real babies dying daily people be like “meh…whatever”…

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Garrett Robins

“It’s so cruel, but I don’t understand the whole fuss, there are so many pressing issues in Zimbabwe — we have water shortages, no electricity and no jobs — yet people are making noise about a lion?” -Eunice Vhunise, a Harare resident.

People will support any cause, as long as they can do it from their computer. It’s easy to say that you support love, that you would do anything you can to help another person, when you are living in a part of them world that is privileged.

Don’t get me wrong. Poaching Cecil the lion, or any animal, is wrong. To kill for sport is an abomination. Taking lives is not to be commended no matter where it happens. Life is precious. You can’t ever get it back, and you can’t ever take back your choices, either.

You have food. Everyday. Whatever you want. Multiple places to eat. Fattening foods constantly. Most likely, there are dozens of places to eat in your neighborhood. The grocery store is a walking distance away, and you have neighbors that will share out of their garden. The community offers a place to eat for free, and the Salvation Army gives out boxes and cans of food for free.

You have running water. You shit and piss in fresh water. You bathe in it, nice and hot and steamy. You water your GD lawn to make sure you are keeping up with the neighbors. Your kids run through the glistening sprinkler. There is a pool downtown to keep cool, maybe even a lake to swim in. Water water, everywhere.

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You have clothing for any and all occasions. Your closet is overflowing. You have seasonal apparel, way more than you actually ever wear, and when you are done with it, you sell it instead of giving it away or sharing it. You have 10 pairs of shoes that you spent a pretty penny on. You have hair products, makeup, lotions to keep your skin soft, and ointments for your ailments.

You have access to healthcare. The system isn’t perfect, but if you have an emergency, the community will take care of you. You will be strapped with bills, but you won’t die if they can save you. You will get the care that you need.

You can take care of your family. Jobs are available to make money for living expenses. Again, the system is not perfect, but there are services for those who need it. Yes, there are people on the streets, but not very much where I am from.

You tuck your children into a nice, warm bed with dozens of stuffed animals and warm blankets. Your children don’t “need” anything. They may want a lot, but they are not in need. They have all they need to be healthy. They are comfortable. They are cozy. They are warm. They have much more than would ever be necessary. Some are spoiled. Ok, fine, a lot are spoiled.

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Kids and adults are starving to death. They are drying up for lack of water. They have no care. They have no Lightning McQueen blankie or stuffed blue elephant. They don’t have a special backpack with their name on it. They don’t have a free school system to provide them with an education (again, not perfect, but much better than nothing.)

The communities here care for their own. Sometimes its hard to see, but people want to help others around here. Why do we turn a blind eye to children that need us from other areas? We have more than enough.

We are too damned busy.

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We are giving out money to non-profits that don’t actually do anything but fatten pockets of lazy execs.

We don’t care.

We only care for a fleeting moment when we see a meme or a picture on the internet.

We don’t talk about it because it could be (gasp) socially awkward.

We sort of, kind of, maybe a little bit, SUCK. Admit it. We could do more. Why aren’t we doing more?

Gluttons. Gluttons that are consuming, consuming, consuming. And in the process, we are destroying our planet. People who live in underdeveloped countries don’t even have a chance. We are going to overheat the world, suck it dry, and then point fingers. But until the need for US actually arises, until we SEE something tangible, things stay the same.