U.S. Donors Should Look Homeward First

To the Editor:

Marc Ross Manashil implied that we should all make an effort to assist the people all over the world and not concentrate on the United States (“American Donors Should Look Abroad,” October 18).

As one who has been to a great part of the world, I could not disagree more. Mr. Manashil questions if his “3-year-old child” is more human than other 3-year-olds. He mentions Afghanistan, Congo, and India. Having been in each of those places, I believe that if he would look around the United States he could find 3-year-olds who need the help as much as those in other lands. I therefore suggest that we should take care of them first.

I am sorry that is the way things are, but I believe we have an obligation to do so. I wonder if Mr. Manashil was not very well off and his 3-year-old needed help, if he would agree to send that help off to any other nation? I doubt that would be his choice.

As one who has provided help and assistance in many places, I have sadly gone back to find the conditions have reverted quickly regardless of the help. The fact is that in many places in the world they don’t really help one another, or make any effort to raise the level of living for the people.

Perhaps just as important is the fact that the production of children seems to be without any concern for the world in which they live. I am all too familiar with the philosophy that the children will care for the parents, therefore we should have lots of them. The net result is that they have many, and many of them die because the facilities aren’t available to care for them. Moreover, many become extremely hostile if you suggest they limit the number of children produced. Some of the worst areas prohibit any effort to introduce birth control. In some they accept the idea, but do everything they can to defeat the effort.

Mr. Manashil states that, “Each day, 8,500 children and young people worldwide are infected with HIV and 2,500 women perish from AIDS.” Whose fault is that? I suggest that it is the failure of their own nations to do something to change the conditions that allow that to happen. I have personally watched millions of dollars poured into programs to assist and the results are negligible. Much of the money is siphoned off by local authorities and even those who allegedly are serving the recipient agency.

Sorry, but I’ll put my money where I can see the results, have confidence in the use, address problems in my nation, and don’t believe it is going down that bottomless pit.

Paul E. Wilson
Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)
Longwood, Fla.