

Source: United Nations Millennium Project
This makes me physically ill. It is amazing to me that we can consider ourselves to be an evolved and modern society, yet we allow the world to be ravaged in the way that it is by poverty - which could be stopped. I know we have problems in our communities to solve and that there is poverty right here in America, but it just seriously pains me that so many people are suffering so greatly.
Do we (Western society) have any sense of morality at all about our fellow man? How can we sit in our houses, drive our SUV's, and get fat while most people on Earth are a meal or two away from starvation?

To be clear, I am not attacking anyone here. I know the vast majority probably share my shock at these statistics. But conceptually, do we have any responsibility to humanity about this? As Americans, the greatest consumers and exploiters in the world, do we have any responsibility toward "the least of these"? As African Americans who have experienced oppression and poverty more than others here, do we have any particular responsibility to do something about this issue; or, should we just focus on poverty in our communities and let the world resolve itself? Is it OK for us to enjoy whatever trappings of the middle class (like computers even) that we have while also being sensitive to what's going on in the world? How do we rationalize our personal desire to provide more for our families and to "do well", with awareness of the condition of most on our planet?
Your thoughts?