X-Message-Number: 28127
References: <>
From: Kennita Watson <>
Subject: Re: poverty and progress
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 09:46:38 -0700

Anthony wrote:
> A rich man walks past a homeless man and offers nothing. The homeless
> man only needs a few dollars to pay for a hostel room. That night, the
> homeless man dies of exposure. Would you say that the rich man is to
> some degree accountable for this?

I say no.  If the rich man gave the homeless
man a few dollars, he would be just as likely
to be accountable for feeding the homeless
man's alcohol or drug addiction -- many would
say much more likely.

And guess what -- you are just as accountable
as the rich man.  You have a few dollars and
the homeless man doesn't, so you are accountable
for whatever happens if you don't give it to him
-- or if you do.  It's the price of being free 
to do what you think best with your few dollars,
because it's yours.

Live long and prosper,
Kennita
--
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
none but ourselves can free our minds.
           -- Bob Marley, "Redemption Song"

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