I don't normally watch 20/20, but on Friday night I started watching it and I couldn't stop. Did anyone else watch the show? It was on Camden (?), one of the poorest cities in America and it followed the lives of 3 children. There was a 4 year old boy on there that broke my heart with his sweet innocence!

Anyway (this probably doesn't belong in the TV thread after all), but it got me thinking. I know so many people who send money and do a lot of mission work in other countries helping the people there. But I was wondering how many spend the time and money helping out people within their own country.

Don't get me wrong - I think the work done abroad is necessary and admirable, but when you see these people living like this in the richest country in the world, it is hard to understand (and yes, I know it happens in Canada too).

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The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.

--W.M. Lewis

I saw that as well on Friday - it was a good look at poverty in USA.

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Don't take this the wrong way but I get really annoyed with countries like America and Canada who have poor people. Especially America!!! Excuse me but the good old USA holds the majority of the world's wealth....why the hell should there be ANY poverty there??? Pisses me off that a bunch of regular people who just happen to be in the movies can make that kinda money and spend $50,000 to get their eyebrows waxed....yet up the street there are starving kids.

I don't think its blindness, I think its BLINDERS.

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I would have to agree with you JC its sickening really.

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Yah I don't have much tolerance for stupid things like that. I just sit and wonder how/why/who, etc.

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I agree.....the lopsidedness of wealth is sickening. But, what do you do about it? I have enough trouble trying to keep my own family afloat right now.

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Life's just a crazy ride on a run away train
You can't go back for what you've missed
So make it count, hold on tight find a way to make it right
You only get one trip
So make it good, make it last 'cause it all flies by so fast
You only get one trip

I definitely agree!! Some people make more money than they can EVER spend in a lifetime - and everyone fawns over them when they donate $100,000 to the Tsunami relief fun. For one, that is a tax credit, so it isn't like they aren't going to get something back for it. And it would probably be the equivalent to me donating $1!!!!

I will admit I haven't been doing enough to help out, but I am going to start looking into what I can do right here in my own country.

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The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.

--W.M. Lewis

Yep, Oprah spends $50,000 to get her eyebrows done cuz she has to fly to L.A. to a special person to do it. That is almost my entire yearly salary. Stupid **** I tell you.....yes she does her "angel" network thingy but its definitely offset by the eyebrow thing.

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Where do you draw the line then, JC, on what she should spend helping others and what she should spend on herself?

__________________
Life's just a crazy ride on a run away train
You can't go back for what you've missed
So make it count, hold on tight find a way to make it right
You only get one trip
So make it good, make it last 'cause it all flies by so fast
You only get one trip

Im not sure about others but I notice the huge gap between rich in poor much more than here in Canada. not sure why but that is just my perception.

And ive worked in underprivliged areas in Toronto and Montreal

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They say there is no middle class at all in JA.

__________________
Life's just a crazy ride on a run away train
You can't go back for what you've missed
So make it count, hold on tight find a way to make it right
You only get one trip
So make it good, make it last 'cause it all flies by so fast
You only get one trip