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Canuckophile
Joined: 30 Jan 2003
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 Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 3:39 pm Post subject: Tsunamis - why send money? |
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It's embarrassing to me as an American to realize that it took public embarrassment of the US to get us to up our contribution - but barely more than Japan.
Why send money? Well, there seems to be a shortage of drinking water, housing, medical care, food -- to name a few basics -- and money neither grows on trees nor does it rain from the skies. The death toll will be much higher if treated drinking water and medical care (such as tetanus shots) aren't available.... And then there's the matter of all those children left orphaned....
So yes, filthy lucre is important to ameliorating human suffering at a time like this.
CANUCKOPHILE |
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trevorcollins
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:01 am Post subject: |
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| turtlepi1 wrote: |
| No amount of money will bring the people back. |
But hopefully will stop more people going down that path....... |
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:43 am Post subject: |
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| trevorcollins wrote: |
| turtlepi1 wrote: |
| No amount of money will bring the people back. |
But hopefully will stop more people going down that path....... |
Exactly.
(sometimes this guy speaks sense.) |
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animalbirdfish
Joined: 04 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:47 am Post subject: |
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| Maybe work toward a tsunami alert system for the Indian ocean...? Maybe send down some USGS scientists to train the people and set it up. |
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mainsail
Joined: 06 Dec 2004
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:21 am Post subject: |
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A public outcry forced the federal government to do so, and there continues to be a call for them to do even more, like send their rapid disaster response teams. It's a shame that it took them four days to leap into action, especially considering how the Canadian federal government has been wallowing in "surprise" budget surpluses of billions of dollars each year, and considering the extent that Canadians like to think of themselves as good generous world citizens (and obnoxiously claim this in expat bars across the globe).
And then there's South Korea, 11th largest economy in the world, wannabe leader of the Far East. They've pledged $2 million.
Japan pledged 30 million for starts.
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| promising that money up-front is a popularity contest... |
No it's not. I want to know that my country is doing something, in addition to any donation I may personally choose to give.
If my country suffered a natural disaster of a similar scope, I'd be grateful if other governments offered assistance, if they had the means to do so. I can't imagine taxpayers of any nation begrudging their governments for giving this assistance. |
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