Aren't you Brits/Aussie/Kiwis/Canadians embarrased?

And I find every contribution made by any country noble regardless of the monetary amount.

You know what countries made me cry after hurricane Katrina? The nations devastated by the tsunami of 2005, who donated incredibly small amounts of money. You know what was totally awesome about it though? Those countries were still recovering, but they saw New Orleans and felt a kinship with the suffering, and donated what they could. That is in my opinion the most amazing thing I saw after the storm.

Your thread used for "getting back" at others for creating threads that "diss America" is both childish, and immature. Nations donate what they donate, and that is great, regardless of what amount it is.

*makes squealing voice...*
"my remote car is super triple time infinite cooler than yours, ha ha...."


*Edit to add - You know what else this reminds me of? It reminds me of how every year in our parish bulletin from St. Charles Borromeo Church, we got a list of what family donated what, down to the penny. It thoroughly disgusted me at age 14, and it still does now.

[edit on 1/4/07 by niteboy82]

I agree... That is very generalising, and not suitable for a discussion. Nobody likes it when they here you Americans, or you Europeans, or You Arabians etc...

It's not acceptable in a discussion.

Originally posted by intrepid
My comments are my own and no reflection of the stance of ATS.

This thread IS "Martyr Bait". "Oh my poor country".

I wouldn't be sad to see some Americans putting this abortion of a thread to bed though. It's only purpose was to inflame and incite anomousity towards others.

As were the other threads I pointed out earlier. The only difference was that I admitted my motives, I'll sleep well tonight. Just as every night.

Regards.

In my family, each year at Christmas time, instead of giving gifts, we all give towards a charity chosen by the receiver. The children get presents of course, the delight of children, the glow in their eyes when they get toys is great, but us adults instead try and do something to better the world. I choose my charities and my siblings and mother donate. They choose theirs, and I donate in kind. For us, it is simply a way to keep in the spirit of giving, while trying to bring about positive change.

I live in a place with HIGH national taxes, and one of the highest local taxes. I don't always agree with what they pay for, but then again, most people don't agree where ever you go when it comes to tax use. Yes, the guy running the show is an idiot and a criminal, and should be impeached. But he, is not me. I travel all over the globe, have friends everywhere I go, and if I don't, I make some. I speak several languages and have always found my fellow man, no matter where he resides, to be kind and of warm heart.

Sadly, there will always be those who choose to stir up trouble. It doesn't reflect on you and me, as a matter of nationality, but unfortunately it does as a matter of species. Us Stupid humans haven't cleaned out the gene pool, nor sufficiently educated the masses. Social graces are often lacking and there will always be some who just don't play well with others. To the rest of you, no matter where you hail from, personally, it doesn't make a lick of difference to me whether you donate or not. Everyone does their part in their own way. Just please don't lump me in with the OP, as borders and nationality mean nothing to me when it comes to being Human.

We are all our brothers keepers.

yes please remove this thread it only contributes to bickerings and insults and ego and ECT.........



peace and love....

I agree this topic is without merit.

Leaving aside the pathetic misuse of statistics to make nationalist points I think we need to consider what's actually behind all of the figures quoted in terms of aid.

Much of this aid is in the forms of subsidised food surpluses which gives a wholly false picture.

Example: Wheat is fetching $20/ton on the world market, subsidies mean the govt pays the farmers $40/ton for it. When 10,000 tons are donated the value of the aid given is calculated as $40,000, where as the value of the aid is actually $20,000 and the actual cost is nil (ex transport) as it's already been paid for. (Prices purely for example)

For $ substitute Euro, the US and the EU are both guilty of this.

Also much of the aid is partial and self-serving: a $/£4M donation to fund a dam construction project carried out by US/UK companies in a country also counts as aid whereas it's actually a straight injection of govt cash into the home country's economy.

'Aid' also includes grants to buy UK/US etc tech - radar systems etc.

Very few of us have many reasons to be proud of our so-called aid; much of it is self-serving and benefits 'us' more than 'them'

My question to all those folks from the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, that start threads at least once a week tacitly attacking the intelligence, will, and moral character of American citizens, is how do they feel about living in societies that don't seem to care about their fellow humans as much as Americans do.

I attack the 'intelligence, will, and moral character of American citizens' because

a) I am an ashamed american, and I am *VERY* embarassed by the people of america... their televised intelligence, their knee-jerk will-power, and their 'moral character' based on what's popular instead of what is *correct*. Damn ashamed.

b) As Anok pointed out, charities are pointless, and almost a jab at those in need.
The US cares about humanity??
Riiiight... sure.
Is that why I lived around hundreds of homeless people in chicago? Because people care? Care just enough to feed them and clothe them, but not give them jobs or places to live?
Is that why I live in a town with more people on welfare than not? At least half of these people don't have jobs, but waste others' tax dollars on lottery tickets and junk food!

c) If the US truly and honestly cared about the whole of humanity, then it would change its policies and practices lickity split. But, no.. it does not. Why? Because this is a capitalist country that is only concerned with profit.
Profit at the expense of humanity!!
THAT is the gripe with America... The gripe that HUMANITY takes up with the US...


I know there are many well-meaning people in this country who work hard and try to give and do what they can. But everyone is soooo worried about themselves (re: getting a paycheck) that there's little energy and will-power to do anything for anyone else.

Besides that, if it's not on the news -- we don't care!!!!


Edited to add: This might very well be a rant rather than something that adds to the discussion... for that, I apologize. But I, along with a few others on the thread, am sick and tired of the US being touted as a great country when we're not.

[edit on 4-1-2007 by Diseria]

Originally posted by Terapin
I agree this topic is without merit.

Do you really think examining the interplay and dynamics of the relationships between the people of different countries/cultures is meritless?

This thread is now closed.