"How much responsibility should individuals have for addressing poverty?"
As I was surfing the New York Times, I came across an article titled, "A Home on the Internet Shelters Beijing's Homeless." When I first saw that, I was intrigued and soon began reading the article. A man named Zhang Shihe, "a 55-year-old blogger, is a marketing expert by day, good Samaritan by night." What exactly is a man from Beijing doing that gives him the title of a "good Samaritan?" This man has been blogging about the injustices in China and "for the last year and a half, he has used the Internet to raise awareness of the plight of the neighborhood's homeless." Mr. Zhang is now "soliciting donations on his blog" for the homeless people he witnesses living in horrible conditions. For example, he saw "32 squatters" living in "knee-high sleeping compartments, assembled from the rubble" of a demolished hotel. By showing the horrible living conditions of these men and women, Mr. Zhang has received many donations which help home the homeless. After reading this article, I realized why he is given the title "good Samaritan."
The amazing thing is, this man lives on "$600-a-month salary" and he still able to help the homeless. My family has a much higher income and we do not help the homeless anywhere near how much Mr. Zhang does. If this man can help poverty stricken people this much, think how much someone who is much more privileged could help. I feel that people who are privileged should help those in poverty. These people are living in ruble, while we are living in a comfortable bed and home. Do you feel called to help those in poverty?
