As I take a break from my paper writing, I must comment on the load of bullshit that I am reading. It is the 2005 World Summit Outcome in which the UN had previously discussed the MDG.
"We reaffirm..."
"We support..."
"We are encouraged..."
and my personal favorite:
"We express dismay at the increasing number of children involved in and affected by armed conflict..."
Boy, is that the understatement of the century.
The very nature of the document isn't in specifics, just a general consensus. But let's face it - anyone can agree on problems and policies and putting forth "efforts" to finance aid. The US is notorious for agreeing and then backing out with a technicality, although it certainly isn't the only one (only 5 countries have been able to keep the promise of 0.7% of GNP towards aid for developing countries - US isn't one of them).
But then again, is it so surprising that countries have such a difficult time trying to put money into a good cause? No one has it perfectly. There are homeless and diseased and unemployed in each country in varying degrees. We're all trying to figure it out.
It also always comes down to nickels and dimes. When you can make the average Joe (because there are a lot more than the altruistic tree-hugger) stop worrying about his bills and food and job security, then maybe there would be more money and interest in solving a complex issue like global poverty*.
I love how I stopped writing my paper to write in my journal... about my paper. Sooooo pointless.
*The poverty I mean is extreme poverty, not the income-based number that can vary country-to-country.
