Poverty Reading Response

In "Live Free and Starve," Chitra Divakaruni makes a persuasive argument that though America is technically doing the right thing by no longer permitting the import of goods from factories using child labor, we aren't putting ourselves in their place, rather than thinking about it from our perspective. She states, "if the children themselves were asked whether they would rather work under such harsh conditions or enjoy a leisure that comes without the benefit of food or clothing or shelter, I wonder what their response would be." If an American child were to answer that question, they would surely choose the leisure. On the other hand, a child from a factory that runs with child-labor would probably choose the work.
Her belief is that America's bill is no use unless we provide programs for the newly released children. I believe that it is a valid idea, not bad at all. However, America is setting an effective example for those countries with child labor to quit the practice and set up a better life for the children.

In "The Singer Solution to World Poverty," Peter Singer discusses poverty in interesting imaginary examples. He references the movie Central Station where a Brazilian sells a homeless child to organ peddlers to buy a TV set. He then counteracts that by comparing the situation to an American who already has a decent TV but upgrades to a better one--aware of the fact that the money spent on the new TV could be donated to an organization. He then talks about "Bob," a fictional man who is faced with the decision of saving something from a runaway train: a child who is a stranger, or his precious Bugatti? Ultimately he chooses his Bugatti. Henceforth he is saying that being unwilling to donate to an organization is just as bad as not helping the situation straight-on. He is convincing the audience of their horrible acts of unkindness.
It is a great idea to address to Americans the idea that we can help these children, but the majority choose not to. He says, "I accept that we are unlikely to see, in the near or even medium-term future, a world in which it is normal for wealthy Americans to give the bulk of their wealth to strangers." It is in my opinion that Americans should become more aware of poverty and take steps to help, but not to keep the burden on us and decide that it is wholly our job. Singer had great points but seemed to be more accusatory and not as persuading.