Why on Earth....!

[Celsius]

Why whould the United States send so many supplies like food and water to places in Africa and Asia when there are starving people on our own soil?! I just don't understand it. Instead of taking care of the world, why don't we take care of ourselves? Every person is a Family in their country. Just like the Americans and British are two seperate families. Family first, friends second.

Please tell me your views on this.

[PointOfViewGun]

Why whould the United States send so many supplies like food and water to places in Africa and Asia when there are starving people on our own soil?! I just don't understand it. Instead of taking care of the world, why don't we take care of ourselves? Every person is a Family in their country. Just like the Americans and British are two seperate families. Family first, friends second.

Please tell me your views on this.

There isn't really that big of a help. Couple of years ago I read an article where it focused on a certain health issue in Africa. There is a disease that has a cure, something simple and US has enough supplies of vaccine to wipe it out of Africa but because African governments couldn't pay for them they didn't receive the cure. So most of the help that goes to Africa is pretty much for the show.

[Celsius]

Why must we be so selfish?


Edit: Yay, 3,000 post

[Mithiras]

I agree completely, we all take too much time to help others in other countries we ignore those in our own countries. I say we help people in our own country first, that way they can become functioning members of society and then be able to contribute to others later.

Congrats Celcius

[C-Rob]

because little boys and girls with stomachs that are about to explode because of gases and not food are shown on TV and a guy guilt trips us into sending stuff over to Africa, even though it's largely worthless.



Congrats celcius on 3000 posts! haha.

[wilting]

Why whould the United States send so many supplies like food and water to places in Africa and Asia when there are starving people on our own soil?!

Why must we be so selfish?

I'm a little confused by your position....


The US Government is propotionally a small aid donor compared to other States in the Global North, but its public is proportionally a large donor in the same comparison, so its very much a case of this:

because little boys and girls with stomachs that are about to explode because of gases and not food are shown on TV and a guy guilt trips us into sending stuff over to Africa

...as oppossed to a case of the US Government throwing money at other States, at least relatively speaking.

Aid is short term action for States unwilling to take the steps to promote long term solutions; namely a fairer trading environment. That is not to say it cannot be genuinely altruistic, but often that altruism is somewhat hypocritical, and of course much occurs through a political lens.

As to whether the US should be focusing on its own citizens, wouldn't that be socialism?

Are you suggesting that you or the governmetn knows better how I should spend my time and resources? Do you suppose freedom may be an issue in this debate?

Well I suppose the question is does NGO distributed or State distributed aid do more good?

I really have no idea, so if anyone cares to do the relevant research...

The former might be more subject to tragedy of the moment and less focused.

The latter might be subject to politics and something of a sledgehammer.

A lot of free goods being pumped into an economy can cause all kinds of economic problems, either way.

[Ulyaoth]

This is exactly my belief. A country's job is to take care of their own first, then if they should feel so magnanimous, they can go waste supplies on philanthropy. This is why I don't believe it any first world countries responsibility to take care of poor third world countries, and why it's not our duty to allow any sack of crap free entry and total freedom in our countries.

[Scar Face]

This is exactly my belief. A country's job is to take care of their own first, then if they should feel so magnanimous, they can go waste supplies on philanthropy. This is why I don't believe it any first world countries responsibility to take care of poor third world countries, and why it's not our duty to allow any sack of crap free entry and total freedom in our countries.

Agreed. We should not be sending aid to third world countries, and we should not be allowing them in either. We have enough problems, we don't need more. Focus on who you have before you embark on self destructive altruism.

[Celsius]

Im glad mm not the only person who believes in this. Thank you good people.

[Strattios]

The US needs to invest more in ourselves. We have tons of people that need help hear, including children that can't do anything for themselves. They need help, not some foreigners.

[The Noble Lord]

The US needs to invest more in ourselves. We have tons of people that need help hear, including children that can't do anything for themselves. They need help, not some foreigners.

Not only when it comes to foreign aid and investments, US should also turn inwards when it comes to the politics as well. Instead of trying to influence and dominate the world affairs US should concentrate on many problems in its own house. In 2005 during Hurricane Katrina we saw one of the many ills of the today's United States that needs to be addressed.

[Viking Prince]

Not only when it comes to foreign aid and investments, US should also turn inwards when it comes to the politics as well. Instead of trying to influence and dominate the world affairs US should concentrate on many problems in its own house. In 2005 during Hurricane Katrina we saw one of the many ills of the today's United States that needs to be addressed.

And a great power is not capable of performing many duties at one time? Also -- Katrina is a silly reason to not perform foreign aid. Hurricanes happen and sometimes Governors and Mayors misjudge what assistance is needed by the federal government.

[Misery]

You should not be looking who & where person is that needs help, if you got means you should help.

They say that compassion makes us human, not helping somebody who is starving is awful thing to do.

If you would like to help somebody do it, does not matter are they in your country or not.

[Aetius]

Well it makes sense actually.

If we take care of ourselves first, we are btter prepared to help others later.

Its like investing in your own business so you can get rich and then donating a lot to charity, instead of just donating a little bit to charity and remaining poor.

[Viking Prince]

I do not recall a single person dieing due to food and medical supplies being shipped overseas. Perhaps a bit of documentation before the thread gets derailed?

The USA is both a wealthy country and a generous country filled with people choosing to donate time and resources to charities of their choice. Are you suggesting that you or the governmetn knows better how I should spend my time and resources? Do you suppose freedom may be an issue in this debate?

[Scar Face]

I do not recall a single person dieing due to food and medical supplies being shipped overseas. Perhaps a bit of documentation before the thread gets derailed?

People die in the West all the time due to lack of shelter, food, proper medicines. Do you wish to make a case that with added resources, the rate of deaths would not decrease? If aid was being sent to your own countries streets rather than Foreign countries, logic dictates your people would benefit.

The USA is both a wealthy country and a generous country filled with people choosing to donate time and resources to charities of their choice. Are you suggesting that you or the governmetn knows better how I should spend my time and resources? Do you suppose freedom may be an issue in this debate?

You are arguing against calls for restriction on charities giving money to foreign countries, and there were no such calls. People are angry that the Government gives such money to countries when it should be focused on its own people. They are also angry that Charities focus on Foreigners and not their own Citizens. They are free to do it if they want, just as we are free to Criticize their misplaced empathy.

In africa people consider it luxury to be able to live on 3 dollars a day. In america people live on 3000 dollars a month and have a TV and car and still consider themselves "poor"

Are you trying to make a point? You can live in Africa on 3$ a day, you can not buy enough food to give you proper nourishment for a single day in America. Money doesn't go as far, we have different standards of living and therefore different standards of what we are accustomed to, we have less ability to simply go off and work on a farm, or for that matter, operate a farm. We are, due to being so highly Civilized, utterly dependent on the greater society; 3000 dollars IS poor in America, and 3 dollars IS rich in Africa. It's partly a difference in perception, and partly a difference in reality.

[Thorn777]

My advice to the US:

1.Get a social system that lives up to its name, and your fellow citizens dont have to starve or sleep on the streets hence go crimminal.

2.Stop sending money to characters like Mubuto, that whas the last time a "really" large amount whas spend on Africa from the USA. Those poor donaters........ I guess you Americans dont have an idea why its so sad.

The EU needs to "offer" fairtrade, we also are highly guilty on much of "Africas misery", and dont let me start with France and the UK.

[Viking Prince]

I stand by my statement.

Regards.

[Viking Prince]

There was another thread on this a few months ago. Erik emphasized that the European style government aid was more focused and thus more important. I had argued that the NGO form plus private remittances to family members was more effective. No stats are really available -- it reallly depends on what you are going to measure. Comparing cash does not measure effectiveness. Comparing people treated does not measure changes such as roads and ports. Measuring NGO's vs Government direct aid ignores private family remitances which may actually be of greater importance. For example: Which does more good -- a Lutheran Hospital in Nigeria or an IMF/World Bank road paving project or $300 per month from a legal immigrant to a family back home. It will always be in the eye of the beholder. My preference is toward the private sector method, but then I am an American.

[Old_Scratch]

Shipping mostly poor quality grain to starving countries hardly hurts the US. If anything, it's keeps more farmers in business. There's no way Americans alone are going to consume all that extra grain. Whether or not it actually feeds starving people or ends up in the hands of war lords is debatable though. Foreign aid in general is good for encouraging US policies around the world.