American charities should offer help to the United States before looking abroad.

Something has been bothering me for quite some time now. It just ignited a fire when the American Idol telethon aired last week.

I am just as compassionate as the next person, but I was really offended that the poverty- stricken families of the United States had to share the lime-light with nations overseas.

For those of you who aren̢۪t ritualistic viewers of American Idol, last week they took all the money from every text-messaged votes and sent it to poverty-stricken children in Africa and the United States.

Between performers, the panel of judges was shown traipsing around Africa and marveling at the comparative poverty in which these people were living.

Was it sad?

Yes.

Was it profitable?

Yes.

American Idol raised more than $30 million for the charity that night and proved its clout as the most watched television show in the nation.

The only good thing I have to say about the fund-raiser was that it included the United States.

I mean, for goodness sakes it is the “AMERICAN� Idol, is it not?

I am completely aware of the hardships that underdeveloped countries face, but it seems like the people and programs that hold clout in this country have forgotten they are Americans first — take care of our own first, then expand worldwide.

A tragedy like Hurricane Katrina was enough to make the nation wake up and help the needy.

But, soon after the publicity fizzled, so did the charity for those in poverty in the United States.

There is poverty right here in our own neighborhoods. Why are we wiring money to other nations when we can̢۪t even seem to keep our own out of the sticks?

Why are we adopting outside of the United States when our own orphanages are overpopulated with abandoned children?

Why wouldn̢۪t celebrities like Madonna, Angelina Jolie or even Oprah Winfrey, for instance, want to give a chance at a privileged life to children from the United States?

What have other countries done for them?

The biggest problem people might have with this article is the fact that the aforementioned celebrities have helped in U.S. charities as well as ventured overseas.

But my problem is how they can just move on to another country before our own children are completely taken care of.

Oprah started a school in Africa this year. She spent $40 million building the school for underprivileged teenage girls.
That could be $40 million spent somewhere in the U.S. school systems.

We are constantly complaining that the U.S. may not be the land of opportunity anymore.

Why wouldn̢۪t we do everything possible to help out people right in our backyards?

All I keep thinking is the people that we make millionaires; like celebrities and political advisers, all throw the money we provide through record sales, ticket sales, and even taxes out to other countries who have contributed maybe one percent of that income — if that.

I do have to commend American Idol and the celebrities involved in the telethon last week, for including the people of the USA.

I know that asking to halt all charities outside our nation may seem ridiculous, but is it too much to ask to at least include our neighbors in the hand-outs?

Now, I am concerned with how our nation plans to grow if money earned and made through the United States is immediately sent off overseas to benefit other countries.

I know it seems like I am a ‘cold-hearted snake’ but really I am just more concerned about the welfare of my nation.

I want to make sure that my country stays strong and my country unites without a tragedy like Sept. 11th or Hurricane Katrina, that my fellow Americans will recognize that a little charity in the United States can go a long way.

And I hope that they can recognize the need for generosity and compassion way before it has to hit telethon-status.

At this point, I̢۪m ready to sell my assets, buy a ticket and live in another country as underprivileged.

Then maybe Ryan Seacrest would offer to pay my tuition.