Privilege is not an excuse for apathy

Twenty-seven thousand children died yesterday from easily preventable diseases. Last year alone, nearly 10 million kids died before reaching the age of 5.

These raw numbers illuminate the state of our world in the 21st century. While some easily ignore this tragedy, others feel compelled to donate their time and money to alleviate this suffering.

Student groups on campus such as UNICEF at UCLA, the One Campaign and the American Red Cross club have honorable aspirations, yet these programs remain vastly underfunded and understaffed.

Indeed, most people in the world are currently contemplating their next move in the face of a global recession.

And while college students sip $4 lattes and $2 bottled water, teenagers in Malawi go days without any nutritional substance. Our current economic woes utterly fail to compare to what citizens in other countries are enduring. Though this disparity is nothing new, Americans today have better opportunities to help out than ever before.

In 2007, Americans spent less than 10 percent of their income on food. Even after rent and other necessities, we are left with a considerable amount of disposable income.

Additionally, globalization and technological advances enable our

awareness of the plight of others more than ever before, as anyone can instantly stream video of the impoverished conditions of billions of people.

According to the ONE Campaign’s Web site, more than 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day, and more than a billion people lack access to clean water. Yet most college students and Americans aren’t motivated by these numbers.

Many point to the thousands of worthwhile charities and government corruption to excuse themselves from helping out. But these justifications ignore the truth of what it means to be a responsible citizen living in our world.

If billions of innocent people are suffering because of a lack of money and resources, how can the rest of us go about our daily lives as if everything is peachy? I’m not advocating chronic depression or withdrawal, but I think it’s just plain wrong to be apathetic and not donate to these people. Many student groups agree.

Connie Lo, a fifth-year biochemistry and comparative literature student, is the president of UNICEF at UCLA, whose mission is to promote the survival, protection and development of all children through advocacy,

fundraising and education.

“The first step is always, always to get educated. Secondly, you need to get involved. UNICEF is always looking for more volunteers, and it’s super easy to donate online.”

It’s unfortunate that Lo’s passion for global assistance isn’t shared by others.

“It’s really easy, as college students, to brush off people asking for money, but it’s important to realize that this money directly affects other people’s lives. You might never see them, but these are real people,” Lo said.

In spite of the pressure from charity groups, a lot of people think they have the right to keep their hard-earned money.

Peter Singer, a bioethics professor at Princeton University and author of “The Life You Can Save,” wrote in Newsweek that he doesn’t look at rights, but rather what is beneficial for the world as a whole:

“This isn’t a matter of rights, it’s a matter of making choices that are wise for our planet, for our children and for ourselves.”

Our duty as responsible world citizens goes far beyond our duty to be True Bruins. We also must help our desperate neighbors and contribute to eradicating worldwide poverty and preventable disease.

To continue making progress in combatting these issues, these student groups need your help and your money. And as UNICEF has proved, even the smallest of donations can have a large impact.

If you’re going to get involved, then e-mail Pearring at spearring@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *