Humanitarian Aid

[ShooterMcGavin]

maybe i'm inhumane, but does anyone else ever hear about the sh1t we do for other countries and find it ridiculous? case in point the situation in burma/myanmar, we're giving metric sh1t tons of stuff away and in fact, THEY DON'T EVEN WANT IT. seriously, like there aren't ppl back home who could use it that we have to force it on someone else?

maybe it's cruel to think in terms of natural selection but dammit, how else are you going to keep the world's population in check if you don't let some ppl die off due to natural causes/disasters?

discuss.

[ironchef]

Agreed, personally I think America needs to focus on America first and foremost, then maybe think about helping others. We've got our own problems that need more attention.

[tony]

I just like how they're sending C130's into Myanmar but people in New orleans were stranded for days.

[Leisa]

yeah, I totally agree.. there are Americans here that would appreciate the help far more than these other countries.. I say do for our own first...

[MistaCee]

I just like how they're sending C130's into Myanmar but people in New orleans were stranded for days.

x2

But I think its a good thing. It is always good to help the less fortunate and people in need.

[ShooterMcGavin]

x2

But I think its a good thing. It is always good to help the less fortunate and people in need.

exactly, and my point is thatthere are plenty less fortunate and in need inside our own borders, so why are we fighting to spend $16 mil on someone else?

[MistaCee]

exactly, and my point is thatthere are plenty less fortunate and in need inside our own borders, so why are we fighting to spend $16 mil on someone else?

Well maybe because there are like tens of thousands dead, and if help isn't giving then the numbers will increase.

[carbon_crash]

^^I totally agree with you on this man. I mean, look at Katrina, no other country was sending plane loads of supplies to help out. Just my .02!

[Ran]

America needs to worry about America first. If another country WANTS our help, then fine. If not, f*ck 'em.

[carbon_crash]

^^Agreed

[ShooterMcGavin]

Well maybe because there are like tens of thousands dead, and if help isn't giving then the numbers will increase.

like i said, i think of it as natural selection. ppl die all over the world every day, how much aid can we afford to send before we end up in the same state? (that's assuming we aren't already, which is up for debate).

[MistaCee]

America needs to worry about America first. If another country WANTS our help, then fine. If not, f*ck 'em.

Totally agree. Why should we force help upon anyone.

[MistaCee]

like i said, i think of it as natural selection. ppl die all over the world every day, how much aid can we afford to send before we end up in the same state? (that's assuming we aren't already, which is up for debate).

I mean the country is getting bad... but I don't think we are anywhere near these third world countries.

[R32Dragon]

Two words to explain why:
Liberal Douchebags

[JITB]

well i mean , it was their own government who wouldnt let anyone help their people... so i think the people appreciated and wanted the help.

...about the katrina comparison...it is hilarious...to see how quik help gets over there. but there were alot of countries who helped the US when they needed it during the hurricanes...

[RandomGuy]

you know the US gives more foreign aid to israel than all of the other countries, combined....

A country with such a small population..../ high standard of living.

[ShooterMcGavin]

^^^jews are greedy, that's all i gotta say about that?

[Total_Blender]

^^I totally agree with you on this man. I mean, look at Katrina, no other country was sending plane loads of supplies to help out. Just my .02!

Actually, there were other countries that offered aid. Even Cuba offered us something.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...ricane_Katrina

Helping less fortunate countries recover after disasters is in our best interest. We don't want the large outbreaks of Dhengi Fever to become epidemics that threaten regional economies. Since a lot of those poor folks work at manufacturing jobs, they are pretty much working for Wal-Mart. These are the people making your Nikes and your I-pods

[MistaCee]

Actually, there were other countries that offered aid. Even Cuba offered us something.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...ricane_Katrina

Helping less fortunate countries recover after disasters is in our best interest. We don't want the large outbreaks of Dhengi Fever to become epidemics that threaten regional economies. Since a lot of those poor folks work at manufacturing jobs, they are pretty much working for Wal-Mart. These are the people making your Nikes and your I-pods

Wow I would have never known that! One of the many things I hate about the media. You hear about us giving all the help, but not the others giving it back.

[ShooterMcGavin]

go tally up how much we've given in aid and compare it against how much we've received....i'm willing to bet there's a pretty farking big gap....and don't give me the, it's the thought that counts horse manure, thoughts don't pay bills or feed the poor

[Miranda]

Guys... you do realize that people living in "poverty" in the US have a higher standard of living than most working class adults in major metropolitan areas of Western Europe (Paris, Berlin, etc), right?

Moreover, the vast majority of the our homeless population are either mentally ill or have chosen that lifestyle (an issue that needs to be addressed, but that money has not been able to remedy).


We live in a transglobal world where ignorance is no longer a viable excuse. When you see what happens to people in the world because of natural disasters, wars, genocides and neglect, something has to be done. We are the major hegemonic power in the world today, regardless of current economic issues. Like NawzDawg said, we've reaped the benefits of imperialism over the Third World for a long time... we have a duty to extend a helping hand.

Let me ask you something: say your neighbor was dying in his house after a tornado or something... would the fact that your kid had a cold be justification for choosing to let your neighbor die... especially when you were the strongest person on the block, and you could have saved him?

We had a duty. This has nothing to do with domestic politics.. this is an international relations theory/policy issue.

[ironchef]

Guys... you do realize that people living in "poverty" in the US have a higher standard of living than most working class adults in major metropolitan areas of Western Europe (Paris, Berlin, etc), right?

Moreover, the vast majority of the our homeless population are either mentally ill or have chosen that lifestyle (an issue that needs to be addressed, but that money has not been able to remedy).


We live in a transglobal world where ignorance is no longer a viable excuse. When you see what happens to people in the world because of natural disasters, wars, genocides and neglect, something has to be done. We are the major hegemonic power in the world today, regardless of current economic issues. Like NawzDawg said, we've reaped the benefits of imperialism over the Third World for a long time... we have a duty to extend a helping hand.

Let me ask you something: say your neighbor was dying in his house after a tornado or something... would the fact that your kid had a cold be justification for choosing to let your neighbor die... especially when you were the strongest person on the block, and you could have saved him?

We had a duty. This has nothing to do with domestic politics.. this is an international relations theory/policy issue.

I agree with most of your points, but the hypothetical situation you outlined is a bit out there.

That situation in no way can be compared with what happened during Katrina and whats occuring now in China/Myanmar.

[Miranda]

I agree with most of your points, but the hypothetical situation you outlined is a bit out there.

That situation in no way can be compared with what happened during Katrina and whats occuring now in China/Myanmar.

I understand that the analogy is overly simplified... by the same token, aid got to Katrina WAY faster than US aid got to Myanmar (and is still *trying* to get).


Let's not forget, also... the delay in aid to New Orleans was the mayor's fault first and the governor's fault second. At the time, federal guidelines for DHS/FEMA mandated that the federal govt could not intervene in any way without a direct request from the governor (who was basing her initial decisions on the mayor's ****ty word). The president actually BEGGED them to let the feds send aid in...

Yes, there were problems with the relief effort, but FEMA was never meant to be a relief organization. It was created as a means for emergency preparation.

I say all this because we can't lump the issues of Katrina into a discussion about US humanitarian aid/intervention. Those two issues couldn't have any less to do with one another.

[MistaCee]

Guys... you do realize that people living in "poverty" in the US have a higher standard of living than most working class adults in major metropolitan areas of Western Europe (Paris, Berlin, etc), right?

Moreover, the vast majority of the our homeless population are either mentally ill or have chosen that lifestyle (an issue that needs to be addressed, but that money has not been able to remedy).


We live in a transglobal world where ignorance is no longer a viable excuse. When you see what happens to people in the world because of natural disasters, wars, genocides and neglect, something has to be done. We are the major hegemonic power in the world today, regardless of current economic issues. Like NawzDawg said, we've reaped the benefits of imperialism over the Third World for a long time... we have a duty to extend a helping hand.

Let me ask you something: say your neighbor was dying in his house after a tornado or something... would the fact that your kid had a cold be justification for choosing to let your neighbor die... especially when you were the strongest person on the block, and you could have saved him?

We had a duty. This has nothing to do with domestic politics.. this is an international relations theory/policy issue.

Thank you Miranda

[mad3nch1na]

Wow I would have never known that! One of the many things I hate about the media. You hear about us giving all the help, but not the others giving it back.

And yet the US criticizes other countries for media censorship. Some of the things shown on US new networks are out right lies. As for humanitarian aid, the best thing the United States could do is to gtfo of Iraq, they literally had it better under Saddam's rule. Iraq is the biggest humanitarian disaster and its not even justifiable today. America needs to either take all their oil and set up a puppet government or leave because staying is is too costly both financial and from a humanitarian perspective.

[ShooterMcGavin]

Guys... you do realize that people living in "poverty" in the US have a higher standard of living than most working class adults in major metropolitan areas of Western Europe (Paris, Berlin, etc), right?

Moreover, the vast majority of the our homeless population are either mentally ill or have chosen that lifestyle (an issue that needs to be addressed, but that money has not been able to remedy).


We live in a transglobal world where ignorance is no longer a viable excuse. When you see what happens to people in the world because of natural disasters, wars, genocides and neglect, something has to be done. We are the major hegemonic power in the world today, regardless of current economic issues. Like NawzDawg said, we've reaped the benefits of imperialism over the Third World for a long time... we have a duty to extend a helping hand.

Let me ask you something: say your neighbor was dying in his house after a tornado or something... would the fact that your kid had a cold be justification for choosing to let your neighbor die... especially when you were the strongest person on the block, and you could have saved him?

We had a duty. This has nothing to do with domestic politics.. this is an international relations theory/policy issue.

who said anything about ignorance? knowing what's going on doesn't mean you have to stick your hand in it.....and losing that grip steadily AT LEAST in part to our "helpful" nature.....and why is it we get to choose where we lend aid? is aid not needed on a daily basis in many parts of the world?.....debatable.