so here i am watching the news about niger

[Heathcliffscathy]

and crying. and seeing ds in all of the starving childrens' faces. and knowing that it isn't nature to blame but every one of us. i know i'm always doing this, but i just feel so awful about the state of the world at the moment.

the famine in niger was predicted years ago. we obviously on a governmental level haven't given a toss.

we worry about being blown up by a terrorist. we tolerate a world where people are starving to death. we wonder why people are angry and hate-filled at us at the west.

i had really good news today. we exchanged on a house ending a long process of house hunting and i can't feel anything but over indulged and despairing. and so angry.

we spend billions on slaughtering civilians in iraq. and begrudge pennies to africa.

i don't even know why i'm posting this except that i don't know what to do with myself.

I don't understand how anyone (Loulabelle22) can see those little children starving and turn away and do nothing. It makes me sick.

Skint my arse - none of us are that skint. Look at what we have and all we have to do is give a little.

Some of us may be struggling but everyone could go without something this week to donate even a small amount to these children.

GBD - while there ARE some people in the UK who genuiely could't afford to give anything - I certainly agree that none of us could be that skint - we're all using an internet connection!

Exactly. And couldn't everyone just chop a few luxuries off their shopping list and donate £10 instead?

Loulabelle rants on about bloody baby clothes ffs - how dare she. It's disgusting.

I have had too much to drink to get safely involved int his thread. Suffice to say I'm disgusted by some of (one of) the commenst here.

Btw, a lot of people are doing something - I can't' get on the DEC website at all at the moment.

You can download a fundraising starter pack from the Oxfam web site with lots of practical ideas for fundraising if you want to do more.....

I heard tonight on the news that the Niger government had organised food to be delivered June/July time, only the people who were supposed to be supplying the food, didn't.

Although this measure failed, I thought it did show the Niger government in a good light - when we hear so much about corruption and fighting in Africa.

So glad to see this thread getting some attention
HMC and I were both active on the sleepy thread that she mentioned earlier on.
I work for a large University and have just contacted the Senior Management to see about having 50p/£1 deducted at source from everyone's pay next month (following an email asking people to opt out if they wish).
Really hope we can do this.
Made my own donation to DEC yesterday but believe that large and collective responses are more powerful - not just financially but in terms of social awareness and education. Some of the early postings on this thread (you all know who) would suggest that there is a huge amount of ignorance about why people are starving to death.

saw the plea for aid on bbc3 last night and I was in bits am off to bank today to donate!!

I've been sponsering a family in sengal for a year now with world vision it doesn't half make me appreciate my life.

Them poor babies

EXCUSE ME---- did i say i was going to do nothing? Who do you think I am telling me that I am disgusting did I say that I am not giving anything.. no I didn't. I might not be giving money because I don't agree with it myself but I will try and see if I can do something else. So don't turn around and say that I turn my back on starving children because I bloody well don't because I couldn't imagine if nobody would do anything and that was my son.

SO please get your facts straight before you accuse me of being some horrible women that wants to see people dying because believe me I don't!

and yes I am skint...but I will try to help out in any other way that is possible....I can't believe that I have been put down as this person who is so horrible!

it was v sobering hearing the found of MSF saying that although Geldof is a friend of his, that it was a pity people were watching a rock concert instead of doing something about the situation in countries like Niger

Sorry if I misunderstood you Loulabelle, but you did come across as pretty heartless and selfish in your posts.