LINEKER'S APPEAL MISSES THE TARGET.

As with most things these days, governments seem to have no idea as to what should be prioritised and what put on the 'back-burner'.

Over the last couple of weeks, the BBC and, no doubt, other media outlets, have been attempting to pick the pockets of viewers, listeners and readers with appeals aimed at helping the poor children of Brazil. The latest appeal that I've heard had former footballer Gary Lineker begging for money on Radio 4, using his most earnest tones of voice. While many may be conned into sending money to the 'ABC Trust' appeal, I find it unbelievably offensive.

'Action for Brazil's Children' has been around since 1998 and apparently tries to help the hordes of children who spend their lives as homeless drug addicts and thieves on the streets of Brazil's cities, while being run from offices in Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk. The organisation operates as a UK charity, therefore benefiting from a range of tax benefits, and has several high profile, and wealthy, patrons; it's founder is American born Jimena Paratcha who appears to have found a vocation to help children throughout Latin America, though she is now living in Sussex and concentrating on Brazilian children.

While this appeal is making the most of Brazil's recent place in our headlines, everyone seems to be ignoring the simple fact that the Brazilian government has spent many, many millions on creating the infrastructure needed for the staging of the FIFA World Cup and will spend a vast amount more, at least a few billions, on its preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games. Given that Brazil has a manifestly corrupt society and huge numbers of poor and homeless children, wouldn't all of this money be better spent on dealing with the corruption and providing homes, schools and education for them rather than on grandiose schemes which are principally about the glorification of the nation's political leaders ?

The 'ABC Trust' seems to have laudable aims but, as with all charities, one tends to wonder how much of the money raised goes on administration, how much falls victim to corruption and how much eventually finds its way to the cause for which it was raised. Equally, one wonders why the Brazilian government prefers to spend the equivalent of billions of dollars on sporting events than on solving its societal problems and helping its many people who live in abject poverty.

The simple question that I ask myself is "Is it my responsibility to help ?" The simple answer, in this case, is an emphatic "No". While the Brazilian government does nothing to end the corruption in its society and  wastes billions on frippery, I won't give a penny and neither should anyone else.

ROLF HARRIS GUILTY; WHO'S NEXT ?

Following on from Jimmy Savile, Stuart Hall and Max Clifford, we now have Rolf Harris convicted of an assortment of sexual offences against young people. Additionally, there have been others who've been acquitted for lack of adequate evidence, the on-going saga of 'Gary Glitter' and the allegations against former Liberal MP, Cyril Smith. Who will be next ?

There can be no doubt that some people in positions of power and influence have abused those positions in particularly nasty ways. That those brought to account in recent times have all been connected with very public and high profile jobs and yet were able to carry on their activities unchallenged for many years is a shocking indictment of the way in which our society has operated. People knew or, at the very least, suspected that things were 'not quite right' but did nothing. These people should also be in the dock, answering for their lack of action.

One suspects that more culprits will emerge as time goes by and the media will indulge in more hand wringing. That it is the media which was probably most culpable in failing to identify the activities of these perverted individuals over a period of many years seems to be ignored; indeed, the perpetrators so far brought to book appear to have been almost exclusively employed in aspects of the media. The facts suggest that the media is a major part of the problem, populated as it is by people with large egos, great influence and plenty of opportunity. 

Who will save us and our children from the all-encompassing and disgusting attentions of the media and its revolting inhabitants ?