Frustrating Message Board at work

Ok. So, when I refer to a message board I am not referring to something you would see while sitting at your computer. I want you to imagine a big board that is stuck on the wall, maybe 3 feet by 3 feet. One that you could stick tacks in or on which you could staple things. This is the old style message board that we still use in our work place.

At my office people post information about work functions, education classes, places to get lunch, etc. I've also seen posts for sporting events, cancer benefits, animal rights dinners, etc. Awesome! What a great idea! People are trying to raise awareness for their cause on the message board.

That's what I thought the first few times I saw these messages. Then I noticed that I see more and more posts for animal rights awareness. This is really great that someone cares about animals so much! I have a pet, Sidney, that is just like a family member. Our daughter even calls her a sister.

Then I started thinking about this a little more. A benefit to raise money for animal awareness, costing $$$ a plate. This is a good idea. Especially since animals don't have a voice to express their needs. However, how many starving children could be fed around the world with all the money that we spend on animal rights? Are not these children more valuable than animals? Many children are dying of starvation and disease around the world. I can't help but think we are not helping this cause enough when we give money to animal rights dinners instead of feeding a child or healing/vaccinating a child from disease.

Even in our country we have starving families, families without homes, people without jobs. I imagine that the homeless man begging for money on the corner is collecting less than the college students collecting money for animals. I can't prove that but I sure know I see much more love shown to the college students standing on the corner. People at least look at them and smile instead of turning away from them.

Back to my thought here...

Why is it that an animal dies on a TV show, which is fake, people will cry. However, if I tell you about a child in Africa who dies of starvation you will only say, "That's sad." Some may even suggest that someone should do something about it.

If you value human life and you have more money in the bank than in debt, you can do something! There are a ton of organizations who feed the poor and take care of orphans and widows and others who are also in distress.

There are many reason why we should help and very few and selfish reasons why we shouldn't.

I know this, if my child was starving, I would hope that someone, anyone from around the world, would feed them.

It could be any of us. The accident of the geographical location of my birth blessed me with a wealthy country. Why should any child, who didn't choose where they could be born, suffer and starve to death.

Any of us reading this can do something to help, even if it isn't financial.