yeah shit me two Bigs, I'll tell ya why it stabs my heart, it all comes down to life not being able to fight for themselfs. it's all the same whether it's a baby, child, an elder, a specials needs person, or a puppy. it really turns my stomach and shakes my faith in humanity when others abuse, and or neglect such life. I know I can't save the world even tho I don the red cape, however in my small neck of the woods my wife and I work with and foster the most abused and neglected dogs. we first determine if they will be capable of and have a fighting chance at a recovery and rehabilitation. once we can determine this we pull all our resources together and pour all our love into the animal, sometimes with much expense coming from our pockets in hopes of saving one life and finding a proper family to share in such. we never take more than we feel we can give that much needed and deserved time to. success story, we came to care for a full blooded under 2 year old rottie that was badly beaten to the point she required that her back leg was amputated. her disposition was almost completely compromised. and here's the tear jerker, some inhuman bastard would extinguish cigarettes on her back. really WTF. just a few months back I came to befriend a fellow gulf war vet that also was a amputee from the knee up. after a couple of visits, my friend, and that baby girl bonded so tightly to the point they always are together and she has found her confidence and trust in people. didn't mean to get carried away brother, but yeah I get it lol.

Honestly the only thing I think of when I see those commercials or actually just those situations right here in the US is
Please stop breeding... please.. stop... now.............
I feel bad thinking it but hey there is some truth to it.. I've had to work around poverty and a lot of times these families have a shit ton of kids and aren't stopping anytime soon =/
Not the kid's fault at all but this does become desensitizing

Why don't you have compassion for Rosita, BigWilly? What separates her and the dog from being seen as a sentient being that deserves compassion in your eyes as well? I'd like to understand your line of reasoning is all, not trying to butt heads or start shit. I'm genuinely curious.

Honestly, I used to feel the same way as you, until I had children. Now the thought of a child suffering or in pain or abused is very upsetting to me. I think what if it were my girls, born into a situation or environment? What if it were them? They can't decide. All children deserve love and safety. As do animals. They're both innocent and basically defenseless to the cruelty that this world can be. It makes me sad.

Maybe volunteer at your local Boys and Girls club, or be a Big Brother or Big Sister. A lot of schools have reading programs where you just go in once or twice a week and read to a kid, hang out, maybe make an impact. My mother committed suicide when we were kids, and my little sis has a Big Sister for a few years, it really helped her out. Maybe doing something like that would help you connect a little bit.
Adults can be evil and bad, rotten. But kids and animals are alike in that they're still basically innocent, for the most part. Good luck buddy

Which to save? Which to save?

Generally I feel most of the horrible things in the world are for population control. Sad but needed. But I do feel more for starving children than starving cats.

Thats sad.....they did a poll about if people would save their pets over another human being and 47% said yes....this country has lost its morals and value on human life due to how spoiled and how good we have it....really is sad

I have to agree, im not a fan of those commercials either but is it little ROSITA'S fault no it's not. Those big charity organizations take advantage of dire situations (controversy sells my friend). So I do not donate a penny ever, do I feel bad for the kids? Of course I do but what goes on out there is out of my control. I have given to small local things here and there but thats it and as far as the animal commercial, I feel bad for the animals but would I save some stray cat or dog before a starving child......NO!

There is enough food and resources in this world to feed everyone. Unfortunately, some countries have more than others. People in other countries would fight over the food we throw away.

I like animals, but for me, a starving child trumps a hungry cat or dog. I know the commercials can be pretty damn dramatic. But they are attempting to pull at your heart strings in order to get you to "act." Not just sit on the sidelines and shake your head emphatically.

As a general rule, it is a good idea to investigate the charity in question to determine just how much money they receive is "given" to the people in question. Sometimes only a small amount of the dollar you give goes towards the issue at hand.

On a larger scale, throwing money at problems in Africa or elsewhere is not the solution. Education and real infrastructure will improve things. Teach them to fish right?

Are you wrong? You're entitled to your opinion irrespective of if I agree or not. It does, however, come across a touch narcissistic.

I'm all for charity but I'd rather see it spent in my home country rather than Africa and other bottomless shit holes. There's enough poverty right here, many kids living under the poverty ladder. I can't help feel that a lot of charity cash lines the pockets of the people who run them, not to mention the way they invest the cash. Charity is massive business these days.

Having visited third world countries will change your perspective a little bit. We live like royalty in this country, even our poor when you juxtapose them with the poor of the world. I don't believe throwing money at some faceless charity solves much but occasionally there are opportunities to help them directly. Whether it be taking a bunch of bats,balls and gloves to a bunch of dominican kids, or school supplies. Or maybe donating a few bucks to a church group heading to Nicaragua to help build a few houses. In them ways we can make the world just a little bit better. That, along with helping out locally is where you build real Karma..

On a lighter note , I'm all about saving animals. I'll save a dog long before I'll save some prick kid in the streets

I'll tell you what you're wrong about. The atrocious spelling and punctuation in this post. Jesus H Christ man! Wtf? I'm all about speed texting and skipping to a short cut but God damn you take it to another level. Hats off my man! I didn't know anyone could butcher the English manner so decisively in such a short post.

How thick is your skin? This can go one of two ways. We can get all huffy and defensive which is a huge fucking problem around here lately with ppl crying left and right and making the place I love into a kindergarten grief counselors office , or you can laugh at yourself and smile like we all need to do periodically. Your call. But the first choice is going to end with me standing over your virtual corpse with virtual blood dripping from your virtual beating heart in my hand ;-)