What else could we put your paycheck towards?

With not only our country, but also the world, in troubled economic times, I find it hard to believe that Hollywood actors and actresses are demanding ten to twenty million dollars per film, if not more.  I find it outrageous that billions of dollars are set aside to fund these celebrities’ paychecks when our world is full of poverty, starvation, and disease.  I am aware that some celebrities donate money to various charities, putting the money to better use then buying hundred thousand dollar cars and billion dollar homes, but I feel that this is not done nearly as much as it should be. I understand that everyone has the right to spoil themselves to some degree, as long as they work for it, but I believe many purchases of celebrities are unnecessary. As I read over my last statement, I realize that in fact not everyone has the privilege of spoiling themselves which brings me back to my original point. Hollywood actors and actresses are paid incredible wages when they are in no need of such a grand amount of money. There are bigger causes in this world than which sports car or mansion to spend the next million dollars on.

            Sub-Sahara Africa is a region that spreads over the bottom two thirds of the continent.  According to “Avert,” a site dedicated to “averting HIV and AIDS,” twenty two million people were living with HIV by the end of year 2007 and 1.9 million people were affected that same year. Millions of people continue to become infected from this disease as well as the actual AIDS virus.  It has been reported that 1.5 million people have lost their lives in this region and more than eleven million children have been put in orphanages because of this epidemic. Africa is not the only country to be infested with the HIV and AID viruses, it is found around the world. If such diseases are killing such extreme amounts of people I believe not only America should be spending money in attempts to solve this disaster but other more fortunate countries as well. (http://www.avert.org/aafrica.htm)

            In more local news, applicable to our country, health care has been a great debate among American citizens. So not only is money not helping out the people of our world, we cannot even support our own people. I believe health care should not be looked at as a privilege, but as a right for every single person in this country. President Obama had called for a health reform that is made up of three main ideas. His goal is to reduce costs, guarantee choice, and ensure quality care for all. I definitely agree with Obama’s reform and hope that Americans will sign this declaration, bringing the issue to congress. (http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hcreform?source=OM_LB_google_HC-search_O-search&gclid=COWDnu2b5pwCFRPyDAodY3XSGg)

            And lastly is the issue that I feel is the most basic and visible to almost everyone in America. Everyday, people of our country are starving or are homeless, living horrible lives. I have heard people say that these people deserve this because they are lazy and do not work for anything. I do not care who you are or what you do to better yourself or live, but I firmly believe that no one deserves to starve or live on the streets. Luckily our country has established food pantries and shelters but the increasing number of people who are in need puts a test to these facilities. Food pantries are running out of food and shelters are running out of beds. I find this extremely depressing.

Ultimately, I realize that taking ten million dollars from Angelina Jolie and another ten million dollars from Tom Cruise is not going to put a stop to HIV/AIDS, make health care available to all American citizens, or keep people off the streets and with food in their stomachs but it still agitates me. I also realize that this is such a little amount of money when it comes to looking at our country’s actual debt and other spendings, but I do think that every little bit helps. Apparently I am more upset with the American economy than I recently believed and for some reason it took seeing the amounts that actors and actresses made to spark the interest. Sad but true, coming from my world of watching E news and reading tabloids. Maybe that will be my next topic! :)