I honor a person's selflesness, courage, and/or foolishness if they wish to go to a dangerous place and help people in need. That is great. Let those folks overseas take care of themselves so we can get our own house in order.
If they are American and so well off or driven that they can go off to the middle east or where-ever and help them, perhaps, they would be safer helping the many homeless children and addicts on the streets of our own country. I don't know how many people here at IW live in or near a big American city, but here in Boston and as well in New York City and Denver, the homeless rate has been skyrocketing.
Those volunteers could be so kind in the sanctuary of the homeland helping fellow citizens.
I'm really just being selfish, I tire of seeing homeless people everyday. Homeless men, women, young, old, Veterans, children. Some crazy, some sane, some all juiced up, others sober but for despair.
The shelters are out of space and the food groups low on food. Budgets were slashed last year. I just don't have the heart at moments to deal with that much hopelessness, so I fall back to irony to make myself feel better.