SusanofO
Posts: 5672
Joined: 12/19/2005 Status: offline
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Actually I make my charitable donations based on economy: I figure a kid in Ethiopia, who might not ever get to go to school, period - without it, deserves my dollars more than a kid in the U.S., who is gonna get some of my tax money anyway to get a free public education. It's not that I don't think kids in the U.S. have problems - it's just that I think some kids in other parts of the work have much more fundamental problems. Like an ability to get vaccines that we take for granted. Or not be sold as a sex slave at age five. Some of these problems do exist here - but not to the vast, encompassing degree they do in some other parts of the world. Guess I am not much of a patriot, that way. Besides - according to people like meatcleaver (and possibly caitlyn, although I am not convinced caitlyn actually means it)- my donating money to help an already advantaged (relatively speaking) U.S. child is only gonna (ultimatley) help proliferate the existence of more over-privileged "westerners" (actually, I am just kidding about that last part). And isn't that a good thing? (just kidding) I actually don't think our points of view are as far apart as they might seem. But anyway - that is the way I think. I'll donate my time, but not much of my money - and there is a limited supply of it - to some U.S. child welfare problems for this very reason. Some people think that's just _ucked up. Oh well. As far as the governments and enduring cultures of these countries we've been discussing - well, I realize it's gonna be awhile, and maybe never happen at all, to see some of that change for the better. But right now - they still need practical and economic help. I don't really care all that much what the reasons are for their suffering (I mean I do, but not as much as I just want to help it stop). If money can help, that's one good use I think to which it can be put. As for meatcleaver's assertion that it never gets where it is supposed to go - hell, anyone can look up which agencies spend what on administrative costs vs. actual field work, if that's a concern (and it should be a concern). I'd fault the U.S. government on their abysmal record helping child victims of hurricane Katrina, before I'd point a finger at an international charity like World Vision, or the Red Cross, for example. The admin costs of World Vision hover at 15-27% - which is phenomenally good. - Susan
< Message edited by SusanofO -- 8/21/2007 8:38:16 AM >
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"Hope is the thing with feathers, That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all". - Emily Dickinson
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