Some of you know this already, but I run a charity to help build computer labs for schools in rural Thailand that are too poor to afford computers. Here's a quick link to the mailing we sent out. http://eepurl.com/rNg0L The more donations we get, the better chance we have of winning a larger grant. Thank you for your support, Jonathan Hatch
While your ignorance isn't startling, it is a very poignant iteration of something that is fundamentally wrong with the American mindset today: that we have been duped into believing that America's wealth has dried up and that it's every man/woman for himself/herself. The problem isn't that wealth in America has gone away, it's that the people who have all of the wealth aren't dispersing it. Here's an interesting video all about that. Now, regardless of all of that--and let's set it aside for now--there is really nothing wrong with what you said, because to say that what you said is either true or false would be to imply that there was any value in what was said at all. Essentially, what you have said (and I doubt you knew you were saying what you said) is this: "Giving computers to poor people in Thailand will inevitably lead to the education of a person who will take my job from me." I assure you, sir, that none of these children will be taking any of your jobs--I mean, unless you sew shoes or straw mats for a living. Then, I could see your concern. The fact of the matter is that we're not teaching these children how to fabricate or build complex algorithms or build cars or sell pizzas, or whatever it is you do for a career. Most will consider themselves just lucky enough to be working in a sugar cane processing plant, making less in a week than you make in an hour. Either that, or they'll be forced to steal from or have sex with tourists. Better yet, maybe they'll find themselves selling bottles of "drinking water" they just filled from a leaking water main. Or, maybe...well, I think you get my point. Bubba, if that is your real name: we're teaching them how to use computers so that they don't fall further behind, educationally (and they're already at the back of the line there). We're giving them skills they might need to run a computer shop in their village, or a restaurant's POS in their village, or maybe even a small web design company in their village. And these are high, high hopes. You see, the problem with your head is that you think the world revolves around America, and that people in developing nations are born to do one of two things: die of starvation or take our jobs. Turns out, all of these countries have their own economies that aren't dependent at all upon ours. They have their own game they're playing. All I'm trying to do is to help a community who helped me. When times were tough for me, and I found myself wandering around in Thailand, the people of this community smiled at me, fed me, took me into their homes and showed me what it was like to be happy without things. What they gave me was a very special kind of knowledge. I'm just returning the favor. Worst case scenario? One of them might move here and take your job. And, well, if you can't defend your own job in your own community and having English as a first language, then there's a good chance you didn't study hard enough when it mattered. Love, Jonathan P.S. Thank you, GC8. P.S.S. And an even bigger thank you Brian and the rest of you for your donations. My graphic designer is working feverishly on a new website design for the organization, and when it is done I'll be able to give you all ongoing status updates on the progress being made in Namoon. It's going to be a good, productive trip this year. I hope you all join us at: http:///www.networkingruralthailand.org to watch your money change children's lives in a very real and meaningful way. Grassroots style.
No, man, thank you for your support. This is a passion of mine. I couldn't do it without people like you, but I would try.
