Re: The view from abroad

Tommy Dale wrote: 
"SoK66" <Nospam@xxxxxxx> skrev


Oh, hore***! The commie-dominated gasbags at BBC amplify every US negative they can, and at a time when we could really use some help, all we get from you assholes is that *** spewing your typical leftwing Euro-arrogant crap.


Bull***. Many countries have offered help, even Sri-Lanka. One can't help wondering, though, why the most powerful and most recourceful country in the world, can't manage to rescue their own people from this storm, even after a week...

It's one thing to make a public offer of assistance; it's something else entirely to provide useful aid with no strings attached.. What is Sri Lanka offering to provide? How about the rest of those "many countries" you cite? You brought those countries up, so now it's up to you to follow through and tell us what useful assistance they're offering, and what conditions (if any) they are placing on the aid.

A couple of hints: If any offers aid only on condition that they get something in return, that isn't aid -- it's just a business transaction. And if the offer of aid doesn't include delivery to the people who need it, it's totally worthless unless-and-until the U.S. decides it's worthwhile for us to pay the freight.

We can use supertankers loaded with refined gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil and some other petroleum distillates. We can use certain medicines and related supplies. We can use the physical presence and assistance of "boots on the ground". We can use suitable clothing, blankets and some comfort items such as razor blades (or disposable razors), soap and cleaning supplies. We don't need a shipload of tea at this time, although it might be welcome later. We don't need bicycles until the streets are dry and reasonably free of debris again. We don't need food that can be obtained closer to home. We don't need comic books for the kids, or tulip bulbs, or cosmetics, or even musical instruments and amplifiers.

You couldn't raise enough cash from your over-taxed streamrollerd citizenry to buy a round at a local pub! We won't hold our breaths waiting for any help from the likes of you Euro-commies. Save it up for your next sex-change operation. We should have left you to the krauts.


Well, the high taxes is just why the europan countries CAN raise cash in situations like this. In a low-tax country like USA however, where the economy is based on private enterprise, nobody does anyhting, unless they can make money. This is why you see people waiting for over a week to get rescued. There are no tax money to be spent on rescuing, and since there is no money to be made helping people, nobody cares about them.

That's the sort of response I might expect from someone who is used to heavy reliance on government. In the United States our government may provide a lot of disaster relief, but it's next to nothing when compared with the generosity of individual people. I hear this morning that so far, Wal-Mart *customers* have made donations topping $23 million through donation "fish tanks" positioned inside the entrances of every Wal-Mart and Sam's Club store. Costco Warehouse Clubs are actively soliciting donations to the American Red Cross (earmarked specifically for hurricane relief) at cash registers -- I know because I made a donation when I bought something at Costco the other day. Similar fund-raising efforts are going on at other businesses, large chains and small mom-and-pop stores alike; a few of these may be scams, but I trust the big companies to give every last cent donated through them to the appropriate charities. On top of that there are appeals for donations to the Red Cross and Salvation Army via toll-free telephone number or Web site; I didn't wait for the first commercial to air, I went to www.salvationarmyusa.org and made a donation via credit card first thing on Monday morning after Katrina made landfall. I've gotten to the point that I actually look for places where I can pull a few bucks out of my pocket and drop them into a donation receptacle, in addition to making larger donations direct to Red Cross and Salvation Army.

All across the U.S., churches and other organizations are opening up their doors (and wallets) to disaster victims. A large church less than fifteen miles from me has turned its facilities over to the American Red Cross; the evacuees staying there nearly outnumber the 1,500 members. Over 10,000 evacuees are staying in shelters in Memphis --shelters operated by churches and charities. Even more evacuees are being sheltered in northern Mississippi, northern Alabama, Arkansas, northern Louisiana, and other neighboring areas. Texas, being both "right next door" to the devastation and a big state filled with generous people, has taken in the majority of evacuees. In every state, some shelters are operated and funded by federal and state governments; but most are running because of ordinary Americans who donate their time and money to this and similar causes.

Meanwhile, the annual Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon is on the air from coast to coast. "Jerry's Kids" may not receive as much money this year as in years past, mainly because so many people are watching the TV news channels instead of the telethon; but Jerry Lewis (speaking for the telethon's board) announced last week that the telethon would donate at least $1 million from whatever it takes in for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Let's not forget America's "corporate citizens". I mentioned the money Wal-Mart had collected from customers for donations; Wal-Mart has also donated $1 million in corporate funds, even though over 100 of its stores were wrecked by Katrina and the looting that followed. Other major retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and service providers are making sizable donations. A lot of smaller businesses are donating whatever they can afford, both money and goods that are needed in the stricken area.

Finally, keep in mind the can-do attitude of the American people. Not everyone who lives (or lived) in New Orleans and other Gulf Coast communities will just give up, or expect someone else to take care of them. I suspect most will return and rebuild their homes and businesses, using insurance settlements and federal grants where they can get them, then supplementing that money with loans, savings and good old-fashioned hard work.

Norway has about 100 billion dollars in cash, stacked away in case it's needed. We pay high taxes, that's correct, but we won't see pityful displays in Norway, like what we're seeing in New Orleans. It looks more like a third-world country than a western superpower...

I'm glad your country has a lot of money set aside for a "rainy day". I hope you never see the sort of "rainy day" our Gulf Coast area experienced last week.

--
Walter Luffman    Medina, TN USA
Amateur curmudgeon, equal opportunity annoyer
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