veritas the Flinty-Hearted -- and Why We must Be

I've had it.

My sympathy is gone.

We've heard forever about "starving Africans" [or "Indian monsoon victims" or "earthquake victims" some other place], and been exhorted to give and give -- not to mention having our tax money taken and sent to those bottomless pits, year after year, decade after decade.

Well, I for one am not buying the pathos any longer.

There's no secret that people need food.

There's no secret about how to grow food.

Nor are basic hygiene, water and sewage treatment, and simple preventive medicine Western state secrets.� Neither are building codes [ref. earthquakes and flood plains].

They can teach themselves "how to fish."

The West, mainly America, needs to get on with two jobs: 1. utterly wiping out terrorists; and 2. advancing civilization so those who can't do so will still live far better than they could hope to on their own abilities.

Nobody else will -- or can -- do either job.

You want what we've got? Then do what we did.