Priorities Please!

This is what I know. The world spends 800 million U.S. dollars on military each year. America and Europe spend 400 million dollars on narcotics, 17 million on pet food, and 12 million on perfume. Europe alone spends 100 million dollars on Alcohol and 50 million on tobacco. This all happens while the entire world only spends 12 million dollars on women's reproductive care, 9 million on all other health care, and 6 million on education. How sad is this? Europe and America spend 3 times the amount of money on food for our pets than for our children's education. Guess that puts our priorities in perspective. We like to get liquored up, smoke, and feed our dogs before we take care of our sick and hungry...but don't worry because we smell nice while doing it due to all our perfume purchases.

Don't get me wrong. I am very far from perfect myself. I have 62 pairs of shoes sitting in my closet. But something has got to be done. As a world, we have got to make a change. And as the national great power of America we should stand as an example. America holds only 5% of the population while consuming 28% of the world's goods. And each day 30,000 children die from poverty around the world. What are we doing people? Instead of spending 580 billion dollars on the Iraqi War we could have given that money to provide basic healthcare, needs, and education for countries not as fortunate as this one.

The 3 richest families in the world have a greater fortune than the total GDP of the 48 poorest nations. Lets start today. I gave away a pair of shoes tonight. I know it's not much, but if you knew me at all, you would understand what a huge personal step that is for me. Start today. Today is a gift. That's why they call it the present.