(no subject)

[dreamer_easy]

So. Infant mortality. I'm sure I sound naive and sanctimonious and middle-class and White in my surprise and anger. Not being directly, personally affected by it, you read all these statistics about the results of racism, about mortgages and glass ceilings and whatever, and it all seems so abstract; and then one figure smacks you between the eyes like a shovel. Piles of dead babies tend to have that effect. That's what racism is, what sexism is, what war is, what it always has been. The most vulnerable human beings, like miner's canaries, tumbled into mass graves, dead of greed.

*takes a deep breath*

Meanwhile in Australia:

Forced to live in hunger: a study of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory (infant mortality: 16.7) finds they can't afford to eat healthily - or sometimes at all. Researchers suggest short-term help (eg fruit and vegetable hampers) but also long-term change. Lemme see if I can find the full report online.

Comments

Re: O RLY?

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

WHEN I AM HIT BETWEEN THE EYES WITH A SHOVEL

*** I SHOUT ***

Re: O RLY?

[thegameiam.livejournal.com]

Shouting fixes nothing. If you want to actually improve things like this, work on improving access to medical and food services in poor communities. I'm certain that there are lots of groups who need volunteers.