I've spent a lot of time in third world countries and agree that people in the USA have a very skewed view of the needs in the rest of the world. No doubt, more needs to be done to bridge that gap. But there is one other VERY IMPORTANT point that is not raised in that video.

MANY COUNTRIES IN THE REST OF THE WORLD HAVE SUFFERED FROM DICTATORSHIPS THAT WORK HARD FOR HUNDREDS AND EVEN THOUSANDS OF YEARS TO KEEP THEIR MASSES RELATIVELY IGNORANT (I know that is a very general statement) THUS MAKING IT EASIER TO CONTROL PUBLIC SENTIMENT. LIKEWISE OUR MEDIA IN THE USA HAS CHANGED TO A FOCUS THAT DOESN"T REPORT NEWS BUT RATHER ATTEMPTS TO ENTERTAIN WITH SENSATIONALISM.

If we are to be effective at bridging this important gap, far more important than getting people to sign a petition, will be getting people more educated. By saying that, I most certainly do not mean that we need to show them the way things should be. They have much they can teach us too.

We all need to be be more willing to see the big picture. The problem comes from those who try - for their own personal or political gain - to tell us what the big picture is, rather than allowing us to see it for ourselves.

Final thought: What ever happened to the journalists of yesteryear who took it as an important fundamental principle to report both sides of the story and let us come to our own conclusions?

Where's Joe Friday when you need him, "Just the fact Ma'am."