Money

Modern Messiah, Motorised Mule; lead the Masses.

The events of the past few days have seen over a trillion dollars pledged to save the world from what could possibly be the worst financial disaster since the Great Depression. The money came forth freely and I suppose, rightfully so in light of the fact that we are after all trying to avert a disaster. Ironically, the people pledging the trillions are the same group of people who balk whenever money is required for aid, disaster relief and humanitarian intervention; disasters of a different genre. The same people who casually ignore the real weapons of mass destruction such as starvation, disease and poverty whilst spending billions on a war that has yielded no WMD of the radioactive kind.

The UN's millennium goal is to eradicate poverty by 2015 and the campaign carries an inspiring slogan, "We are the generation that can end poverty". Judging by the trillion dollars raised in a couple of weeks, I don't doubt our capacity to do so or the truth in the slogan; a trillion dollars could easily end poverty overnight. I think the issue is whether we will choose to do so and not whether we can. Unfortunately, from the reaction of world leaders, it appears that poverty is not a disaster worth averting even though it has and will continue to claim many more lives than are expected to be lost to this financial disaster. Yet such a situation is not surprising given the fact that there are no poor countries that are members to the exclusive club that calls the shots; of course, how can the poor afford the elusive membership fees? Like a sheep without a shepherd, they are an ignored mass without a voice.