04.21.05
next monday is a national holiday–updated
You all may not know this, but next Monday, April 25th is a holiday. It’s not so much a happy holiday, though. Next Monday is Africa Malaria Day. This day was established to raise awareness about the malaria epidemic in Africa. Malaria is preventable and treatable, yet it kills 1.1 million people each year.
America is a great nation. I take great pride in some of the things this nation has done. I personally find our involvement in the overthrow of the third reich noble, the ensuing Marshall plan to help europe back onto its feet, this country has helped its own and others time and again; we should be proud of these things.
The time to help is here again. However, this time help may just have a bit different face. You see, in the past our military might or our industrial strength was the impetus in our aid. This time around, every woman, man, and child in this country has the opportunity to personally be a very real and tangible part of what makes America great.
This time around we don’t need guns to be great. This time around the blood of our young people needn’t be needlessly shed. This time around proving America’s greatness is an equal opportunity event. There are no rules about who can participate: Republicans, Democrats, Independents, people with disabilities, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Jewish; Asian Americans and Native Americans; black people, white people, tall people, and short people; children, parents, and grand parents alike can all make a difference.
How can you make a difference? (AKA - Brandon’s Poverty Challenge)
1. Get educated about the problem of poverty. Start by learning about Africa Malaria Day. You’ve got the internet at your finger tips. Start with the link I’ve posted above. Then, google it.
2. Tell your friends. If you have a blog, write about what you’ve learned about Africa Malaria Day. Talk to your friends and parents and children about the problem of poverty. Tell them that they can make a difference, too.
3. Join Bono, Michael W. Smith, Jamie Foxx, and I by signing the ONE.org campaign to make poverty history. By doing so, you’ll add your voice to the growing number that are committed to ending poverty by encouraging our officials to contribute one percent of the US budget to people in great need.
4. Include a link to ONE.org on your website or blog.
Now, normally, I would sort of make these requests and not expect people to really do them. But this time is a little different. I’d like to add a little accountability to this little charade. I think it’d be really cool if y’all who take ‘Brandon’s Poverty Challenge’ would post a link to your Africa Malaria Day posts, or trackback. Tell your stories about telling your families and friends about Africa Malaria Day and ending poverty. I’d love to hear them.
Now, for those of you who have been reading this post thinking, “hey, yeah, this is for me, I can do those things.” Good; now, go do them.
For those of you who are thinking, “That’s nice that he’ll get some people to care about poverty, someone needs to do those things.” Wake up.
Wake up. Yes, you, dammit. That ’someone’ is you. That someone is all of us. Together we really can make a difference, but complacency and apathy are no excuse. I don’t care if you’ve never been an activist for poverty before. Frankly, neither have I.
The time is now. Right now. Help make poverty history.
Take ‘Brandon’s Poverty Challenge’ and start making a difference.
ADDENDUM: I’ve decided to ‘up the ante’ a bit. For the first eight posts written about Africa Malaria Day, I’ll personally mail you one bracelet from the “one.org” campaign. You can support one.org to the tune of a dollar by simply making a post about poverty. For all you dutch people out there, you heard right. A free braclet…FREE! No shipping, no handling, no cost to you other than your time.
So far, Zalm and Keith (though Keith already has a bracelet, so he graciously donated his to the next poster) have stepped up to the plate. I’ve got at least seven more bracelets to send out after Zalm’s. All you need to do is make your post and email your mailing address to me at: brandon@badchristian.com . You should be the next. Make a donation, all you have to do is spread the word.
Also, if anyone would like to make a donation to the cause of buying more bracelets so that more than eight can be offered in response to posts about poverty, email me at brandon@badchristian.com to discuss that opportunity. 100 percent of the proceeds donated will be contributed to the purchase and distribution of these bracelets.
Keith said,
April 22, 2005 at 3:13 am
Great stuff, Brandon.
Will definitely be posting on Africa Malaria Day. Good to read about the ONE campaign, too - I was wondering if there was anything like Make Poverty History in the US. Blessings
from the salmon said,
April 22, 2005 at 5:05 am
What’s Your Price on Poverty?
Brandon’s thrown down the gauntlet, and I’m in. I’ll be posting more this weekend about global poverty issues, but for now, read his post about Africa Malaria Day and then visit The ONE Campaign (any group that can convince Pat Robertson and Susan Sar…
bobstevens said,
April 22, 2005 at 5:58 am
An initiative some people took during college alerted me to the fact that, if I remember correctly, 2000 people in Africa die of AIDS every day. I had no idea that malaria killed even more people per year.
Keith said,
April 22, 2005 at 12:22 pm
Okay, first in a short series is up at
http://voiceinthedesert.netfirms.com/keith/archives/2005/04/malaria_1.html
I already have my bracelet. Keep yours for the next person.
E said,
April 22, 2005 at 1:37 pm
I certainly agree that poverty and diseases such as malaria and AIDs are huge problems in Africa and anything that brings attention to those issues is a good thing.
My concern about what I’ve read on the one.org web site is that it, in typical liberal fashion (if you can excuse my generality) looks to government to solve the problem. Where is the call for individuals to donate 1% of their income to fight poverty? What would the impact be if every American gave 1% to organizations like the Red Cross or WorldVision to help in these areas? People would feel more directly involved and have a real stake in peoples lives. They could see how their money is directly impacting the hundreds of thousands of AIDs orphans, for example, rather than sitting back and saying “my taxes are going to help people over there, that’s good enough.”
It’s not good enough. And we shouldn’t just sit back and let our government do what we should be doing. Many of the problems in Africa and other areas of the world are directly due to governments using food and medicine as a weapon against their own people. If our taxes to to provide aid to other governments, how do we ensure that the aid is getting to the people for which it was intended?
Let’s start a campaign to get one.org to encourage both individuals to donate 1% (and yes, that would be in addition to your 10% tithe, for those of you who do that) and have the government of all nations - not just the U.S. - allocate an additional 1% to these causes.
The one.org site also mentions fair trade. How many people consider that when making purchases on a daily basis? How many chose to pay more for fair trade products? Where does that shirt you just bought at the Gap come from? How much was the worker in Indonesia paid to make it? Having the government commit an additional 1% of our money to poverty and AIDs doesn’t give us a free pass. We need to take responsibility for our choices and our purchases. If enough people show that they’re willing to pay more for “fair trade” items, then the market will respond. Unfortunately, it seems that price is the only driving factor in most of our decisions, workers and working conditions be damned.
The solution to the issue is ONE. Not only ONE percent of the U.S. budget, but each ONE of us making a committment to affect the life of at least ONE person in poverty by donating ONE percent of our income and - why not - ONE percent of our time. The difference that each ONE of us would make in this world would be staggering. What an incredible opportunity each ONE of us has.
Brandon said,
April 22, 2005 at 3:00 pm
While your comments are appreciated, E, I really don’t think that this post is the forum for them. You may carry out further discussion about the ‘liberal’ / ‘conservative’ aspects of poverty relief on various message boards, and even other posts on this blog.
This post, however, I’d like to reserve for links to posts people are making to raise awareness about poverty issues.
I’d encourage you to spend part of the ‘one percent of your time’ to make such a post, or tell a friend, or ANYTHING. And, that, you’re welcome to post here.
rmiller said,
April 22, 2005 at 5:00 pm
I’ve joined, I’ve added the banner to our website, and you’ve got me thinking. Thanks for the information and the challenge. It’s a great one to be involved in.
jstaub said,
April 22, 2005 at 6:29 pm
I’m in too Brandon. Thanks for the scoop.
Adam 2 said,
April 22, 2005 at 6:38 pm
My post is up. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Brandon…
Brandon said,
April 22, 2005 at 7:47 pm
Thanks guys!
If you’d like to receive your promised bracelets, all you must do is email me at brandon@badchristian.com with a mailing address.
Danny said,
April 22, 2005 at 9:10 pm
I made a post along the lines of E’s comment, but with more concerns related to the budget. I did just decide to sign the ONE declaration though.
So what are the bracelets made of?
Keith said,
April 23, 2005 at 12:33 pm
Part 2 is up.
Keith said,
April 24, 2005 at 5:02 am
Part 3 is up. Final part tomorrow
The Gutless Pacifist said,
April 25, 2005 at 8:31 am
A National Holiday - Today!
Brandon at a badchristian blog reminds us that we should celebrate today… You all may not know this, but next Monday, April 25th is a holiday. It’s not so much a happy holiday, though. Next Monday is Africa Malaria Day….
The Big Lowitzki said,
April 25, 2005 at 11:56 am
Africa Malaria Day
Brandon, over at Bad Christian Blog, has issued a poverty challenge. Today is Africa Malaria Day, which has been established to bring attention to the problem of malaria in Africa:Malaria claims 1.1 million lives worldwide, over 80% of those lives…
Natros said,
April 25, 2005 at 3:52 pm
I just posted an article in response. My blog is dedicated to the discussion of Poverty and the Christian, so it fits right in. Thanks for helping to motivate people to get involved!
http://worldwidewanderer.blogspot.com/2005/04/world-malaria-day.html
LAmom said,
April 28, 2005 at 4:23 pm
WRITE SOMETHING!
I’ve just added a new category for my blog: Whining.