USA 1.1: Lazy self centered Americans

U.S.A. (Unexcusable Stupidities of America)

Stupidity #1.1 -  "You Stupid Lazy Self-centered Americans"

Originally written: 31 March 2006

Updated: 5 April 2006

Today, in English class my teacher told the class about how we as Americans are too lazy and self-centered to care about other countries. In fact, she showed us photographs of poor starving children over in poverished countries like Sudan to show us how people who don't contribute to the cause to stop the starvation are part of the problem. She even pointed out that Americans are overly greedy in money and food while other countries are starving. One person in class even pointed out how Americans are dying to be so thin (gee thanks Teen People and you bullsh** magazines for contributing to those eating disorders among American teenage girls) while people in imporverished countries are thin because they can't afford even a grain of rice. I admit: I after hearing this found out I am a big sinner. My high school has held several disaster relief efforts: one of them a Hurricane Katrina walkathon, others I don't remmeber, and then tonight at 19:00 a Red Cross Benefit rock concert starring several of the school's rock musicians, and of all of them: I HAVE NOT CONTRIBUTED A PENNY TO ONE OF THEM. That means I'm not going to that rock concert tonight. I found out how stupid I was, how I and many other lazy-a** Americans are being part of the "problem" of the starvation crisis in the Third World by not contributing a bit to relief efforts.

And then I was thinking, many rap/hip-hop music videos - notably "Stay Fly" by Three 6 Mafia and "Still Fly" by Big Tymers - promote bling-bling and riches toward American kids - especially blacks, their target audience. That's the scene over in 'hoods like Memphis, Atlanta, New Orleans, etc. But then go to 'hoods as Darfur, or over in Africa. The black people THERE don't look anything like Mannie Fresh or T.I. In fact, they're starving to death and are struggling for money, while greedy rappers in America get millions of dollars a year for all the airplay they get on MTV and radio and CD sales. I have yet to hear of any rap superstar who's contributed to the relief efforts in Sudan and such, and then I hear of Ludacris contributing to charities in Atlanta, David Banner contributing to Hurrican Katrina relief efforts, and then Kanye West. Remember when he said "George Bush doesn't care about black people"? Well, I think West is kinda being the good boy among all the greedy and dumba** rappers out there. He's making a good point, as (1) Bush was being a jacka** by procrastinating on HurrKat relief efforts, and (2) Bush keeps saying that Sudan is in trouble but hasn't really done anything about it. In fact, did you know that West appeared on the Live 8 benefit concerts in July 2005 to show he really cares about his ancestors homeland? Honestly, read the KW Wikipedia article and see.

So, please, if you want to be seen as a good person, whenever you ehar of a national/international famine/crisis/whatever that puts the people in dire situation, please at least contribute a dollar or two. Think about how we are so greedy we've made the poor people in the Third World unable to live a good life like us. (Politely) write to President Bush to make him take more action about the Darfur crisis. Don't be very rude or angry at him for being a jackass, just make your point politely, especially you Bush-haters out there, because if you sent Bush anything that makes him nervous, the Secret Service will be after you. In the meantime, you should write to Def Jam or G-Unit or (any major hip-hop records label) and encourage their artists to contribute to the crises out in Africa. We as Americans are mistreating our friends outside the country by being greedy and showing we don't care if they're so poor they'll starve to death. Take...action...NOW.

UPDATE 4/5/2006: On Sunday night I was flipping through TV and saw a P.S.A. for the website www.one.org. There were various celebrities on the ad, most being white, and the only blacks being Jamie Foxx, Kanye West (you knew that didn't you?), and someone else who I think is either Wyclef Jean or more likely Nas. Now that emphasizes my point. You see, E-40 and Ludacris care more for their hoods in their USA rather than their ancestors in Africa! Also, notice this is now U.S.A. #1.1 because I pimped it up a bit.