Mikes Forum - Questions for Mike

This is the place where you can fire any question at me. I may not have a definitive answer, but if I don't I may have an opinion or some ideas to weigh up.

People throughout history have identified family, extended family, community etc with varying degrees of priorities.

I can understand why people prioritise family over others but in a global village the whole meaning of neighbour extends beyond the boundaries of our fences to other countries.

In my opinion, no one person is more important than another. That is the basis of racism. It is where we afford other people less rights than ourselves.

In regard to the money, here's a thought. What would you rather give, $60,000 to save a life here or $60,000 to save literally thousands somewhere else in the world? Sometimes a simple, cheap pill to stop diarrhea will save a life.

We do have certain responsibilities in our own communities but often the very governments we elect prevent us from being able to help others effectively. So we need to campaign against those sorts of injustices that prevent people from being helped effectively. Look at how we ignored the sacked Ansett workers. As a result of the payments being held up for so long by the Howard government over 50 people committed suicide.

East Timor is another example of how Australian governments ignored the plight of the East Timorese overlooking the massacres. In that case I believe we have an obligation to right the wrongs.

When you consider helping someone on another country our money seems to go so much further. A dollar a day is able to give a child food, medicine and education. Compare that to Australia.

Even though I am not a Christian, I still think the “love your neighbour” idea is pretty cool. To choose whether we help someone or not based on geography or distance seems a bit weird. It’s like me saying I’ll help out someone in Brisbane but not in Ipswich. Or I’ll help a Queenslander not a New South Welsh man. Or I’ll help a person from WA and not someone from PNG even though PNG is closer. The whole idea of not helping one person because of the colour of their skin or nationality is strange to me.

At the end of the day, it is important that you do help someone if you can. If you want to help in Australia there are good organisations helping Aboriginal peoples with the daily necessities that we take for granted. History has shown they've received a raw deal from the Europeans who came here, so let's right the wrongs there too.

There is so much more I could say, but there’s a few thoughts there to chew over.

Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows. Mohammed.

No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them.” Elie Wiesel Nobel Prize for Peace in 1986. b.1928

"Should we look after our own first?" It's a good question. Let me suggest a scenario and see what your response would be. Imagine there was a solitary fisherman in a boat. The weather suddenly changed and he found himself battling huge waves. But before long the boat capsized and the fisherman was left clinging to a life belt. He wasn't sure how long he could hold on. At the same time 200km away another fishing vessel with 20 people on board struck a rock and began to sink. There is only one rescue boat close by and it happens to be half way between the solitary fisherman and the 20 people on the second boat. Imagine you are the captain of the rescue boat. Which way would you go?

REK's question shows how deep racism pervades us as people. In some ways it seems so natural yet at the same time so disgusting. I hear so many people saying “I’m not a racist, it’s just that these people ….” That is racism! Racism is where we afford one person, based on their race, more advantages or privileges over others. Most people never like to admit this, but that is the heart and soul of racism.

It starts with favour to our own blood family and extends to our local communities, state and country. I suppose if we had people from another world we would identify ourselves with the earth race.

This natural extension of racism is subtle and it is something I fight against it within myself. Even though I do want to favour my own family, I am careful not to exalt them at the expense of others. That is the key to my own ethic. I do want to be selfish, for myself and my own wife and sons, but not at the expense of others.

There is another side too, from an environmental perspective. I know we as humans like to exalt ourselves above other life on this planet. I used to think that humans were more important than other life forms. However, now I'm not so sure. We all depend on each other. If we exalt ourselves above other life then we will surely die. Think about it.

REK says 15/2/06

Thanks Col for your response. I so understand and agree with yours and Mike's response. I did send a separate scenario to Mike regarding what would happen if you had to spend a like amount of money on your own child. I didn't mean to be a smart arse by any means. But the question is there for those who are!

REK says 15/2/06

Mike & Col - I appreciate the comments. I couldn't agree more. However, can I put this question to you: "if you needed $60,000 or so to save your own childs life - would you not sell your home, car - and put everything possible into saving the life of your own child?".

Thanks REK. Of course.

Is there a second part to the question?

There is a big difference between my child and fellow Australians vs someone from overseas. I took on a vow to love and protect my wife and family. That is certainly in preference to other people.

REK says 15/2/06.

tku for that answer - it allows me to explain to people so much more logically. something i believed in any case (just need a bit of support in reasoning - know what i mean!)

all i was trying to say was that lady on tv thought she deserved money from the government - as most likely any one would in that situation........................for oursleves or our children, partner or parent. Thinking about it now - it has turned into a 'political' situation rather than a 'from the heart one'. I am sorry i ever brought up the question. i certainly didn't mean to try and justify ones 'bloodline' compared to a 'someone who might get better'. Sometimes it is truly not worth mentioning at all. I am sorry I have.

Yeah I know that does upset us, but it’s the system we have and vote for. I think the 9 and 7 news is very lop sided most of the time. They sensationalise stories and twist things out of proportion. I would have serious doubts if they relayed and reported the story with integrity. I know they really stuffed the story about Muslim teenagers not wanting to be part of Australian culture. That story was one of the biggest miscarriages of injustice in reporting I have ever seen.

Always worth mentioning stuff. Have I misunderstood something? Put me straight then. It’s just that I choose to look at all the avenues of possibility before I judge what is right or wrong. It is painful for people at times, but it’s just me.