And I probably wouldn't give it to animal shelters. With Katherine Heigl's announcement this week that she's giving $1 million to LA-area animal shelters, I was wondering what that same million dollars might do for LA-area homeless shelters.
Don't get me wrong. I love animals. And I think we should do everything we can as a society to treat them with respect and prevent an overpopulation. But I also think the least fortunate of us humans may be a bit higher up on the food chain than animals. And while it's noble that Heigl is helping out our animals, it would be great to see that same amount of money go to helping out those in our species. Heigl says in People:
"How can we change the results for these animals?" she said. "[Shelters are not only] euthanizing sick, old dogs. It's gotten brutal, you know. It's inhuman, really."
3 comments:
Of course I agree with your sentiments but also I find it sad that you are sort of being critical of Heigl and her incredibly generous act. She has a right to spend her money where she choose. What is to say she hasn't spent a lot of money helping people as well? I know for fact she is a huge supporter of organ donation and cancer charities. So, I think it is wrong to sort of suggest the money could be spent better elsewhere. There is always a need for so many things and noone can solve every problem. Just be grateful for those who try to do something because many do nothing at all.
I don't disagree that Heigl can spend her money however she chooses. Nor do I think her donation to the animal shelter in any way diminishes her previous charity work. But that doesn't mean that I don't think that $1 million could, in fact, be better spent elsewhere...ie, not on dogs and cats.
It's true...one person can't - and shouldn't be expected - to solve everything. I do think it's interesting, however, that we as a society (not just celebs) choose to support "popular" causes - animal rights, cancer, organ donation, adoption, etc. These are neat and clean things to support. It's not so neat and clean to want to help the smelly guy digging for food in the garbage can who sleeps with a blanket of newspapers.
You don't hear about too many celebs supporting that cause...but that's the very cause that probably needs the most money, and which $1 million could probably make a huge societal difference.
Interesting discussion.
RE: helping the homeless (thus potentially making a huge societal difference)- I constantly think about the Oprah episode in which the show planted a suitcase filled with $100,000 in a dumpster and waited for a homeless person to find it. When he did, they followed him around to see how he would spend it.
He rented an apartment, bought food, then a $32,000 car. I think he also bought some of his friends cars. He got married, too.
He was given access to a financial adviser and free financial counseling, both of which he declined.
A short time later, the money ran out, his wife left him, and he was back on the streets.
Although this social experiment was doomed to fail (IMHO), it did highlight the extreme challenges associated with poverty and homeless in our country. First and foremeost, It's not a money issue. It's a very complicated and heavily ingrained behavior pattern that requires education to reverse (one could argue that education requires money and therefore, it IS a money issue).
Although our charitable giving spans many causes, I think the one cause that will always make a difference is helping youth, especially at risk youth. Give them hope and opportunity, educate them on their options in life and that will have lasting effect for generations.
Education would improve and so would communities.
This may be another example of our need for instant gratification, though. It's easier to help animals and cancer and such b/c we can see quicker results of our investment in those causes.
Helping people is frustrating (people have free will) and often times uncoordinated, therefore is not as appealing as a cause.
Ultimately, I agree with you that helping people should be the priority and if that is done, other causes will naturally be improved because of it.
Great thought-provoking post! Glad you're blogging more :)
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