What's your opinion on Comic Relief?

[Luka]

Thought I'd post it in here because this forum needs a decent thread now and again .. like now.

Anyways, I'm sure you all watched or seen clips of Comic Relief aired on Friday 13th March.(UK- don't know about USA)
The constant showing of African families dying of AIDS/Malaria and various other diseases, in my opinion was pretty OTT. I mean, yes, it's for a great cause and I donated but this isn't exactly new; it's been going on for hundreds of years. It's heartbreaking but do we need to be shown the same clips in order to donate? If that was the case, the whole world would be literally skint because it's not just third world countries that suffer, it's everwyhere - so WHY does organisations like that seem to focus on Africans?

Second thing, Comic Relief was also in aid of Domestic Violence towards women. What about men who're beaten? Wasn't mentioned.
So we have some slapper WAG Danielle Lloyd campaigning against wife-beating and pleading for us to donate .. but in the paper on Saturday, she admitted she 'forgot' to. What a crock of shit, considering she's pretty well off since she's shagging a Premier footballer.
The country is meant to be in recession, but raised over £58 million(?) .. £14/15 million MORE than last year.

Does anyone else, or is it just me, think that the charity is just a little farfetched and focusing predominantly on something which has been going on for centuries?
I'd like opinions.

PS: Don't get me wrong, I think it's fabulous to help the needy but ffs, STOP showing the same shit of dying babies. The rest of the world is NOT exempt from such tragedies and misfortune.
And I donated, before you think otherwise.

[Μř ßłũę Šĸŷ]

I brought up the point to my family yesterday,
I don't understand how the country can be in this great recession,
and yet we can collectively raise over £50 million.
Surely if we tried to input just a fraction of that amount into the economy,
it would help is all a hell of a lot?
And I mean don't get me wrong,
my heart goes out for third world countries, it really does.
But it seems to me that this country always puts others before itself.

The whole thing just doesn't make sense to me.

[pinksky]

Yes i agree this country (uk) does seem to put others before ourselves when it comes to things like comic relief. I think some of the money should go to cancer research in this country because it seems to be one of the biggest killers here and if we can put an end to these awful illnesses then we would be helping everyone..apparently we are close to getting a cure for cancer its just a case of shortage of money dont get me wrong i still feel that people in 3rd world countrys need money desperately because alot of them have alot less than we do but our country has problems too that need to be focused on equally

[Anesidora]

Well as tough as your economy is you still don’t have ppl starving to death by the thousands on a daily basis or who have medical needs and can't get any help because they don’t have a big enuff antibiotic supply. Most of those third world countries don't even have simple commodities like fresh supplies of drinking water and have to watch each other starve to death, which they do at a rate of hundreds an hour.


Im not saying the UK and/or US don’t have needs and their own problems, of course u do just like most any other country..im saying its nowhere near the desperate/dire state of most of these third world countries..for example the unemployed there have welfare and the dole which helps them get thru the month..these ppl will prolly never have that handout. They have to line up in the blazing sun (and sometimes fight tooth n nail) for hours n hours just to get a bag of flour and rice, basic food supplies. Theres simply no comparison..God forbid u ever get to the state these poverty stricken countries are in, cuz then there wud be no one left to help.


Its my humble opinion that it shud always be a case of the stronger helping the weaker..in this case..you’re still the stronger despite the recession..if ppl refused to help the weaker and just concentrated on themselves the world wud be an even sadder place to live in than it already is...and as for the Darwin theory where only the strong survives, I don’t buy it..thats what separates us from animals. It shud be about being humane.

[Luka]

Originally Posted by Anesidora

Well as tough as your economy is you still don’t have ppl starving to death by the thousands on a daily basis or who have medical needs and can't get any help because they don’t have a big enuff antibiotic supply. Most of those third world countries don't even have simple commodities like fresh supplies of drinking water and have to watch each other starve to death, which they do at a rate of hundreds an hour.

We do have people starving here. We have homelessness (just like Africa). I don't know where you're from but last time I went to Edinburgh, I seen a lot of ex-military soldiers HOMELESS .. and that's sad considering they give their life for us.
I get your point about those countries being so misfortunate, but as I said, it's everywhere. Africa is NOT the only place to suffer.
When I mentioned it yesterday to someone, they made a point- "Why have kids, if you can't even afford to feed yourself?'' - Shallow as it may sound, partially, it's somewhat true.

Im not saying the UK and/or US don’t have needs and their own problems, of course u do just like most any other country..im saying its nowhere near the desperate/dire state of most of these third world countries..for example the unemployed there have welfare and the dole which helps them get thru the month..these ppl will prolly never have that handout. They have to line up in the blazing sun (and sometimes fight tooth n nail) for hours n hours just to get a bag of flour and rice, basic food supplies. Theres simply no comparison..God forbid u ever get to the state these poverty stricken countries are in, cuz then there wud be no one left to help.

And to a lot of people in this country, there is nobody left to help. As Mr Blue Sky said, we're meant to be in recession but we can raise a HUGE amount of cash for other countries. What about our own?

Its my humble opinion that it shud always be a case of the stronger helping the weaker..in this case..you’re still the stronger despite the recession..if ppl refused to help the weaker and just concentrated on themselves the world wud be an even sadder place to live in than it already is...and as for the Darwin theory where only the strong survives, I don’t buy it..thats what separates us from animals. It shud be about being humane.

I 100% agree with you. That does not mean we let our own struggle in the process though because someone else is suffering.

I'm not trying to be cruel, it's just my opinion and it frustrates me that people think by showing us babies and families suffering because of malnourishment, we've to donate. You don't see people donating billions to other charities though.
Mr Blue Sky is right .. the UK and it's shitty Government always put other countries etc before itself.

[Nikko]

We actually dont have things like that in aus.. Our red nose day is for raising money for SIDs research, we have bandana day for raising money for cancer etc etc..

We kind of just stick to the world vision and sponsoring a child and the 40hr famine where you go without food or something else that really matters to you for 40* hours and raise money for kids living in poverty overseas, not to say most people dont donate but we dont have a huge fund raiser for it, that i know of.

What I dont agree with is the fact you will raise all this money, about 15% of it will go in what they call admission fees, then where ever they decide to distribute the money to, to help the starving , build wells etc, alot of their governments stone wall the process and the money doesn't actually get to the people that really need it.

If the middle man was cut out and you could guarantee the money would get to where it is suppose to be and used for what it was meant for, I would have no problem with these charity events.

[pinksky]

Originally Posted by Nikko

We actually dont have things like that in aus.. Our red nose day is for raising money for SIDs research, we have bandana day for raising money for cancer etc etc..

We kind of just stick to the world vision and sponsoring a child and the 40hr famine where you go without food or something else that really matters to you for 40* hours and raise money for kids living in poverty overseas, not to say most people dont donate but we dont have a huge fund raiser for it, that i know of.

What I dont agree with is the fact you will raise all this money, about 15% of it will go in what they call admission fees, then where ever they decide to distribute the money to, to help the starving , build wells etc, alot of their governments stone wall the process and the money doesn't actually get to the people that really need it.

If the middle man was cut out and you could guarantee the money would get to where it is suppose to be and used for what it was meant for, I would have no problem with these charity events.

Yes i agree with that.. they should give ALL the money they raise to charity not just some of it!!

[mahina-lani]

Originally Posted by Nikko

What I dont agree with is the fact you will raise all this money, about 15% of it will go in what they call admission fees, then where ever they decide to distribute the money to, to help the starving , build wells etc, alot of their governments stone wall the process and the money doesn't actually get to the people that really need it.

If the middle man was cut out and you could guarantee the money would get to where it is suppose to be and used for what it was meant for, I would have no problem with these charity events.

YES.
This is exactly what I have a problem with.

I used to donate to various different charities regularly, until I found out that a ridiculously high percentage of what the charity collected went into their own pocket.
As you say, Nikko, if you could out the middle man and donate straight to the cause itself; then I'd be happier doing it.

[Anesidora]

Agreed Nikko..its extremely sickening and unfortunate that all the money doesnt go where it is intended for.

Originally Posted by Prυdεηcε

We do have people starving here. We have homelessness (just like Africa). I don't know where you're from but last time I went to Edinburgh, I seen a lot of ex-military soldiers HOMELESS .. and that's sad considering they give their life for us.
I get your point about those countries being so misfortunate, but as I said, it's everywhere. Africa is NOT the only place to suffer.
When I mentioned it yesterday to someone, they made a point- "Why have kids, if you can't even afford to feed yourself?'' - Shallow as it may sound, partially, it's somewhat true.

And to a lot of people in this country, there is nobody left to help. As Mr Blue Sky said, we're meant to be in recession but we can raise a HUGE amount of cash for other countries. What about our own?

I 100% agree with you. That does not mean we let our own struggle in the process though because someone else is suffering.

I'm not trying to be cruel, it's just my opinion and it frustrates me that people think by showing us babies and families suffering because of malnourishment, we've to donate. You don't see people donating billions to other charities though.
Mr Blue Sky is right .. the UK and it's shitty Government always put other countries etc before itself.

Im from Trinidad and we r deemed a third world country but we are doing well enough on our own thank God and dont need foreign charities raising funds for us...and well as I said Im aware u have ur own starving and poverty stricken ppl..as do all countries. But charities like Comic Relief isn’t of the Govt and they obviously felt the Africans needed it more or else they wudve have a programme for the needy in the UK as well.

People give where they wanna and where they feel best giving. We cant dictate to ppl where they shud be charitable. As u said U did give as u felt the need to..Im positive there are charitable organizations in the UK for the homeless, at least one.. ..be it implemented by the Gov’t or private organizations. If u feel that their needs are more dire than the Africans then just stick to those charities in the UK. Its about all u can do to try to help until your Govt decides to do better.

[Luka]

Wtf?? I thought you were from Ireland actually but didn't say that incase I was wrong. Glad I didn't now, lol.

And you're right, if the UK had a programme for the needy, instead of other tripe and pathetic[ness] of 'human rights' it'd be a better place.