[Leica] IMGS: Children of the World

[nod at bouncing.org (Philip Clarke)]

Tina Manley wrote:
> At 10:29 PM 4/15/2009, you wrote:
>
>> In the interests of balance, I expect to see poor USA street kids or
>> some in a police cell or juvenile detention facility. Maybe you could
>> tie in the global recession/ credit crunch theme in and have some
>> American children in vests, after their parents lost their homes and
>> their shirts. Mexican children being escorted back over the border.
>> Venezuela and Cuba also appear to be missing as well as the UK. I'd lend
>> you my children but their mother worked her way out of the Calcutta
>> slums without charity and their disabled father gets no benefits or
>> social support, so they're probably not suitable candidates.
>
> What in the world does all of that mean?  I photographed most of these
> children while working on mission projects in developing countries. 
> I've also worked on mission projects here in the USA and have photos
> of those, too, which I will include.  For these particular talks, I'm
> telling school children about how children all over the world have
> more in common than outward appearances would lead you to believe.  I
> tell about the families I've stayed with and the people I've met in 53
> countries.  I really don't understand what you're objecting to.
>
> Tina
>
The perpetuation of the myth that only the USA (or indeed any "first or
second" world country) should bring it's charity to the rest of the
world. The USA should sort out it's own problems first, so for balance I
expect to see identical photos taken in the West so that the children
you're showing the pictures too, identify with the homeless people down
the road as well as in a different country. India has a space program,
China too (plus the greatest manufacturing ability in the world and
they're commies), Taiwan has the greatest ability to manufacturer CNC'd
and Kevlar based items, so instead of seeing a countries strengths the
pictures highlight the unfortunate,. So if the unfortunate is to be
relished in for the amusement of children, then the unfortunate side of
the USA should be given exactly the same position.

The only reason that these pictures are considered "special" is because
they aren't taken at home so they don't encourage an ability to identify
on an equal footing, they put down other nation's triumphs, and what is
worse is that there going to be shown to the next generation.