We Got Money. A lot.

So I'm taking this class entitled World Development Problems on Wednesday nights, and on Monday afternoons I'm taking Human Rights Advocacy. Between the two courses, the incredible privilege I live in has really been brought to my attention. I know we've all heard it before, but just sit down and really think about it for a second. I don't care how broke you are right now --- if you're reading this post you are most likely in the top 1/5 richest people in the world. You are wealthy.

I was reading this chart today in my world development class. The chart was on the living styles of the world's three major classes: overclass, middle class, and underclass. Right away, my assumption was, "oh, I'm definitely middle class." Then, I read the descriptions. I've copied them below for your reading pleasure, they are circa 1992:

Global Class: Overclass
Category of consumption overconsumers (1.1 bil)
Income per capita over USD$7,500
Diet meats/packaged foods
Calories consumed too many
Transport private cars
Materials throwaways
Shelter spacious/climatized
Clothing image conscious

Middle:
Category of consumption: moderates (3.3b)
Income per capita: $700-7500
Diet: grain, clean water
Calories consumed: about right
Transport: bicycles/public tranport
Materials: durables
Shelter: modest/ext. family
Clothing: functional

Category of consumption Marginals (1.1)
Income per capita: less than $700
Diet: insufficient grain/ unsafe water
Calories consumed: too few
Transport: foot/donkeys
Materials: local biomass
Shelter: rudimentary
Clothing: secondhand/scraps

So according to this chart, I am swimming in it. You are too. It's just strange, because we are all surrounded by those who have just as much -- so we never think we're rich. We think other people are rich. People with Mercedes and huge homes. We complain about being broke and poor.

Broke and poor? Please. If I'm hungry with no money... well wait, that's never happened to me. It probably never will happen to me. I have my own car, my own room. That's apparently more than four billion + people have on this earth. That's crazy. We are privileged beyond belief. To say that we are broke is an affront to the people who actually are broke. Instead of not being able to buy those Seven jeans, they can't buy their dinner.

Sorry, I don't mean to get all preachy here. I'm just awed by this myself as it all starts to sink in. I'm not sure what to do about it, except for try to give where needed--- to the extent that I'm able. As Spiderman discovers time and time again...with great power comes great responsiblity. I'd like to say that I will be responsible with the privilege I have, by somehow making a dent in the seemingly undentable scales of global inequality. Perhaps I will begin...by curing AIDS. Jk. I'll let you know my mode of operation for using my responsibility as soon as I figure it out.

Liberian Prez Part II

OK I was reprimanded for abruptly halting my last post – so let me continue on....

Back to the Liberian President. As I mentioned, she was recently elected after Liberia emerged from a 14-year civil war. As one may expect, Liberia’s war was pretty intense. Upon its demise, the war left a seriously corrupt government and pervasive poverty in its wake. Liberia was in rough shape.

In 2005, the country held its first democratic election – part of its attempt to pick itself up and start over. Johnson-Sirleif was elected, and since then, Liberia’s economic and social situation has dramatically improved. Its paid more than half its national debt, has increased its government revenue by more than $280 million dollars (enabling a pay raise for federal workers), installed three new community colleges outside of its capital, implemented a scholarship program for young girls (of which 3,000 have received scholarships to attend school already), and set an unprecedented standard for freedom of the press in Africa. Additionally, Transparency International recently recognized Liberia’s significant progress in in fighting corruption within its government. Obviously, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and there is still a long way to go, but as the Dean of Minnesota’s Humphrey Insitute of Public Affairs stated, Liberia’s progress is considered “miraculous.”

When President Johnson-Sirlief was introduced, her introducer (I think I just made that word up) gave a rundown of her experience. Her resume is quite impressive, and includes stints such as Minister of Finance for Liberia, Vice President of the Africa Regional Office of Citibank, Director of UN Development Programme Regional Bureau for Africa and of course, President of Liberia. Undoubtedly, President Johnson-Sirleif’s experience has contributed to her ability to give her country hope. This makes sense. Consequently, this leads me to conclude that all high-ranking government leaders should have the kind of leadership and international experience Sirleif-Johnson had when she took office. I mean, I know I’m drawing assumptive conclusions – but look at Democratic Republic of Congo. The country’s in bad shape due to an overwhelming amount of oppressive historical factors. However, I wonder if the DRC would be in better shape if its president, Joseph Kabila, had more education than a supposed degree from some mysterious online university, and more leadership experience than simply being the son of a former president.

Ahhh… anyway, those are my long-winded thoughts on Friday’s event. It is really encouraging to see that things can change – esp. in a continent way too many think is beyond hope (it’s not!). This means that it’s possible my intelligence-level will change (for the better) tomorrow and I’ll be able to successfully finish this semester. Yeah! I love change. Yes we can.

Liberian President Comes to Town

Friday, I found myself embedded in a crowd of about 3,000 people, listening to the majority robustly sing the Liberian national anthem. For a moment, I had one of those “how did I get here” moments – I can’t say I experience the Liberian national anthem everyday.

The moment’s foreignness dissolved as I gazed upon the familiar stage of Northrup Auditorium - a reminder I was close to home. It was the woman I was there to see, however, who had traveled far from home to speak that day. Ellen Johnson Surleif is the president of Liberia – a small African country of about 3.5 million that has just emerged from 14 years of civil war.

Undoubtedly, the 25,000 Liberian refugees currently living here inspired her visit to Minneapolis. Liberian refugees arrived in Minnesota beginning in the 80s, when civil war erupted in their country. Currently, controversy is boiling among the Liberian community for since the civil war has ended, they are facing deportation back to Liberia, despite the fact that many have built there lives here for the past 20-something years.

Ok this post to be continued as I have to finish something else at the moment. Check back later...

Saving Lives - Glamorously.

Last night I went to this charity fundraiser at Seven downtown. Seven is one of the swankiest spots in the Twin Cities. It’s a side of Minneapolis I barely knew existed. I love Minneapolis because of its unpretentiousness. At Seven however, pretentious is the soup du jour, or rather, soup toujours. People were dressed up. And that’s an understatement. Holy crap did I feel weird, and I was even dressed up. I mean my whole outfit did only cost $25 (shoes included!), but my shirt was originally $60 people! That has to count for something! Ha.

I felt particularly weird last night because we were there for this clean water fundraiser. (One lesson learned: Stay away from bottled water.) We watched a documentary and then went to a reception – that included a professional hula-hooper. Sweetness. Additionally, I sat in front of Vita.mn's "hottest female in the Twin Cities." Ha. I recognized her from a few issues back - mainly because we talked about that particular issue all day at J-School.

It’s just weird to get all dressed up and go to this fancy place to watch and learn about people suffering in the third world. I felt weird. However, I’m not sure it’s necessarily a bad thing. I mean, these kind of fundraisers raise awareness of issues among groups that would otherwise (in my prediction) remain oblivious. Plus, it generates money for causes in need. So even though I felt like a poser, I probably shouldn’t judge. All in all it was an okay time. There was free wine and free entertainment. I partook all for the sake of the children. Who knew saving lives could be so glamorous…. and, well, fun?

Write a Letter for Congo... PLEASE!!!

Harper posted an update on the situation on HEAL Africa's website. She talks about how the recent conflict is rooted in a natural resource available in Congo called Coltan. What WE can do to help this conflict is urge our senators to pass a bill that was recently introduced in the senate that endeavors to enforce restrictions so we don't end up using "Coltan of Conflict" here in the States. So read her note, and SEND A LETTER! It's easy, she already wrote it for you.

Let's lighten up this heart of darkness!!! Ha. Ok, that was bad. Sorry. Peace.

Congo

Things are getting really bad in Congo. The rebel troops are closing in on Goma - and they have never threatened to enter the city yet. Apparently, at the moment they are within ten miles of Goma. Fortunately, Cristina left the city to stay in Kigali, Rwanda for a few days. Thank God. So she is safe.

Things have gotten so bad that civilians outlashed against the U.N. for not protecting them enough. Though I'm afraid there's no much that could be done. The U.N. attempted to evacuate the fifty or so aid workers currently in Rutshuru, a village like, maybe 50 miles outside Goma, but an envoy of soldiers just would not let them pass. So the aid workers and all the villagers are stuck there in the middle of this conflict that is fought in a major part with horrible sexual violence. I was shocked to see that this situation is bad enough that it is actually on the front page of the NY Times right now. Usually Americans don't care about international news enough for anything like that to make the front page.

Anyway, I'm sorry to be a downer, but just pray for the conflict there to end. It's just a huge mess, the soil of the Congo is seeped in blood and I'm not even being dramatic. Whew. I need to watch 27 Dresses or something to stop thinking about it. Or not. If anyone feels moved to do something about the situation in Congo write your representatives. The Congo NEEDS more international attention and support. That's the only way the country could possibly be healed - like Rwanda.

So messed up.

Slavery

Today I learned that there are more than 27 million people in the world who live in slavery.

In 2007, it's estimated that slave traders made EIGHT TIMES the amount of the annual U.N. budget.

And more than 1/3 of sex slaves in South and East Asia are children.

That's crazy. This modern-day slavery includes sex slaves, labor slaves and child soldiers, to name a few. Despite images of third world countries most likely popping into your head right now, slavery is actually super prolific right here in the good 'ol USA.

I went to see this "rockumentary" called "Call and Response," and it was awesome. The best part about it, is that it didn't dump all this hopeless information on me about how there are all these millions of slaves in the world and it's hopeless and we're all going to die. It was actually part kind of like, benefit concert; they featured all these musicians like Matisyahu and Natasha Bedingfield and Nickle Creek, singing for the benefit of the new abolitionist movement. Plus my favorite journalist EVER was on too, Nick Kristof. Holler. Anyway, please please try and see the movie if you can. Even though it's only in Mpls. for two more days. And CHECK OUT THIS SITE. There is so much that can be done. For instance, I may have to stop buying stuff that I don't know where it comes from. Boooooo for my overabundance and yeah for children now enslaved (KIDDING).

Ok ah salaam alaykuhm, and remember: "All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men and good women to do nothing." - Edmond Burke