Editor,
About once a month when walking to and from classes, I get asked “Do you have a minute to help save the children?” I am talking about the men and women from Save the Children. Every time I see these people, I wonder why they are allowed to stand there and accost students going about their business. Why are they so special?
Each time I have seen other organizations on campus, they are set up at tables and booths in locations where students can approach them, and not all over campus yelling out to students. Why is this not the same for this organization?
Looking closer at the organization, it claims to have helped 100 million children worldwide in 2011. Its website claims that one in four children in America, about 16 million total, live in poverty.
It states the organization helped 5,012 U.S. children through their Early Steps for School Success program, 59,000 children with its literacy program, and 12,899 children with the Physical Activity and Nutrition program. That adds up to 76,911 U.S. children helped out of the estimated 16 million needing help — a significantly smaller amount than the 99,923,089 children Save the Children claims to have assisted in other countries.
I am not against helping organizations designed to help others, but charity begins at home. This University removed the peaceful protesters of (un)Occupy Albuquerque from campus under the guise of safety concerns, but I would rather walk by a group of peaceful protesters than by these people who yell out to me several times a day.
Give them a few tables and let them set up a booth in a central location and let those students interested in helping approach them, not the other way around.
James Ralls
UNM student
