First... do no harm

BBC NEWS | Africa | Can aid do more harm than good?

I have always wondered why the west is eager to write checks to save the poor in Africa and else where but reluctant to remove the subsidies on agriculture in their own countries. It is the classic case of giving fish but refusing to teach/help them learn fishing.

A few years back I used to be a member of Amnesty International. I quit when I realized that I can't get involved in human rights activities related to my home country. Instead, I was being asked to send petitions to governments of other nations based on the stories in the Amnesty International newsletters. The person who is close/ on the ground is the best resource to assess and act, not someone sitting miles away.