Analysis on Mountains Beyond Mountains

Forgotten Nations

“Land of the free, and the home of the brave,” the crowd of baseball fans enthusiastically concluded to signal the start of the game (Key Scott). Whether at work or at a baseball game, United States citizens hear their national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner,” numerous times throughout the year. Although most people comprehend the lyrics of the song, few abide by its message. These coddled citizens have taken the fruits of their nation’s founding father’s acts of bravery and ideas of freedom for granted, the most important of which being healthcare. As a result, many fail to realize that “the world is filled with miserable places” that are in dire need for help; areas such as South Asia, where the term healthcare is unheard of and where people notably benefit from any modicum of aid (Kidder 4). Looking at this wide gap between the wealthy and the destitute, citizens must realize that “equity is the only acceptable goal” and in order to reach this goal they need to give support to the gamut of suffering countries (Kidder 261).

As impoverished nations wedged between Thailand and the Pacific Ocean, Vietnam and Cambodia portray all connotations of a third world country. Bacteria and viruses constantly pervade the countries’ war plagued inhabitants and millions die every year. Most male Vietnamese inhabitants do not live pass their 40s due to episodes of severe anemia and severe cigarette addictions prompted by lack of food (Urvina). The situation in Cambodia is worse with the “life expectancy in Cambodia is around 37 years for men and 35 years for women” (Yee). Their “major killers are malaria, tuberculosis, severe anemia, and diarrhea” (Urvina). This is the quality of life that the majority of American citizens are ignoring.

However, the minority of people, in this case a small group of organizations, acknowledged these adversities and provided support to these countries (Yee). Although their aid was relatively small, it had an immense...