How Generous Are We to Haiti? Two Bucks a Person.
http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01...?8ty&emc=ty

Nobody should be "bragging" about charitable giving -- true. But, this article is so bad because it comapares apples to hubcaps.

The American system has never been one in which charitable giving is primarily a public endeavor -- it's a private one here and the U.S. ranks third in the world per capita in private giving from what I can see...

http://www.owen.org/musings/generosity

Any article worth citing would account for all charitable giving instead of the narrow-minded belief that only government can be generous.

I personally know of 5 chruches within 20-minutes drive time of my house that regularly send missions to Haiti with food, medical supplies, construction supplies, school supplies, and offers for sponsorship to attend American schools.

If we stopped being the world's policemen perhaps we could be higher than #12 in the world in total giving per capita. That's still pretty damn good and while nothing to "brag" about, is certainly not something to bash America over either.

Quite spending money on wars and killing people and try to keep the people alive. One parachute, one pallet. Air drop sooo much water and food all over the place that no one has to fight for it. Afraid to get it to the people, air drop it. Reaper can run the mission.

Whats your point, jesse? Trying to say Americans are NOT the most giving people on the planet?
WTF?

How generous are "we"? Is that U.S. or Belize? Just wondering.

P.S. I gave, Jesse. Did you?

Seems to me military aid by the US (because it's the nearest country capable) is the only possibility for averting a complete catastrophe. Only government intervention can put enough large helicopters there to distribute the supplies that are now absolutely paramount, and without military enforcers on the ground most poor or weak people will never see any of it. Although it's well meaning, I don't see that private contributions will help very much. Law and order has now broken down completely in Port-au-Prince.

Reading the article, I see the number, 92 cents per American to Haiti. Hmmm. How many Americans are there? How many Haitians are there? Where did (does) all that money go?

Granted, the current circumstances are extraordinary, and we should do all we can to assist them at this time.

In Canada the government has promised money, supplies and people etc to help but has also offered to match the amount of money Canadians give privately (of course that too is our money). Churches, aid agencies, corporations even sachools are collecting cash to send down. IMO Haiti has had a difficult history. As I remember it was the first self governed state made up of freed slaves from the French colonies and looking at other comparable Caribbean countries it has not developed as well. All the more reason to share our good fortune in an time of extreme need.

It sad all the way around and I'm sure jesse meant the U.S. when we said "we." This is lost on jesse sometimes, but I think Bobber and I are capable of understanding this

The numbers are obviously pre-earthquake that he states. Should a huge natural disaster hit Belize -- heaven forbid -- those like jesse would never count the huge amount of aid in the form of untracked tourist dollars and donations evidenced by the years worth of posts on this board.

Regardless, now is the time to give people, and if you haven't already, please consider it. Peter is right also. Pray that all the aid gets to those in need and that the general peace prevails so suffering isn't compounded by crimes of necessity against those unable to defend themselves. It breaks my heart to see each and every picture.

I do respect jesse and know that we agree now is the time for action.

"We" are so very blessed and should never forget that.

It sad all the way around and I'm sure jesse meant the U.S. when we said "we." This is lost on jesse sometimes, but I think Bobber and I are capable of understanding this

The numbers are obviously pre-earthquake that he states. Should a huge natural disaster hit Belize -- heaven forbid -- those like jesse would never count the huge amount of aid in the form of untracked tourist dollars and donations evidenced by the years worth of posts on this board.

?
Hittin' the sauce tonight, Otter?

I ran across this article and after a quick scan posted it as something that might be of interest....of course the geniuses on here decided to attack the messenger as they can't manage a well-thought-out post.

yep -- after re-reading that, it wasnt entirely coherent was it?

No attack intended jesse -- regardless of how misleading its calculations might be, if it spurs more aid at this time of need -- I can't complain.

Generally, messengers do not start the message off with what might be considered as a snide, self-righteous poke in the eye, comment that experience has taught us you frequently use against some people that you self style as "genius".

The message is clear, regardless of the numbers, and irrelevant historically in light of the current crisis. The US government does more for Haiti than their own government does. Hell, the frequenters of this message board probably do more than their government does.

I don't understand your "snide poke in the eye" criticism since I only used the title of the article as the title of the post and made absolutely no comment of any kind.
I guess I need to stop posting anything on here and just go back to forwarding to Marty. When he posts the same thing no one says a word.

Have you seen that France is now accusing the US of "invading" Haiti?

Obviously we are after their oil (or something).

Jesse, my apologies if I misconstrued your initial sentence. It did seem like it was pointing to the article as "shameful".

Lets do the world and the Haitians a favor and transpose the French to Haiti & vise versa.

BCCI RESPONDS TO THE HAITIAN CRISIS - For Immediate Release-
The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Western Union express deep sorrow for the overwhelming losses and the suffering caused by the massive earthquake which devastated the island nation of Haiti on Tuesday, January 12th. As conscious corporate citizens we have a responsibility to assist and reach out.
To this end, the BCCI has partnered with the Belize Red Cross to use its network to raise $50,000 Belize dollars for the relief effort. Effective from Monday, January 25, 2010 until Friday, February 26th, 2010, BCCI Western Union agents countrywide are authorized to collect donations on behalf of the Belize Red Cross for the relief effort. Go to bcci@belize.org/westernunion for a complete listing of all authorized sub‐agent locations. In addition, we encourage the Belizean Diaspora and friends of Belize to engage in the effort by sending donations from any country in the world through the BCCI’s Western Union network for deposit to the Belize Red Cross relief effort.
In addition, BCCI is dedicating the Business Perspective show of January 25th to the Red Cross for a national relief telethon. Viewers and listeners can tune in to hear up‐ to‐ the minute updates from the Belize Red Cross on the situation on the ground in Haiti and the progress of the Red Cross’s relief efforts. Throughout the show viewers/listeners will be encouraged to call in and make donations which will be added to the monies collected on behalf of the Red Cross through the Western Union network.
Enhancing the value of the initiative is the compassionate cooperation of our Western Union International partners who have agreed to match any funds raised through the pledge and collection processes. It is our hope that through this partnership we may raise at least $100,000.00 to relieve the immense suffering of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
We would like to thank and congratulate all who have contributed to the relief efforts thus far and encourage everyone, particularly our private sector partners to continue to contribute to this very worthwhile initiative.
May God bless and restore the Republic of Haiti and its people.
- End -

www.belize.org email: bcci@belize.org

Thanks Amanda

But that is only France's opinion and who cares what France thinks???
'The French turned the colony into a plantation economy, powered by slave labour. "By 1789, the colony supplied three-fourths of the world's sugar," Paul Farmer, now the deputy UN envoy to Haiti, writes in The Uses of Haiti. Around then, 29,000 African slaves were arriving in Haiti every year.

The wealth Haiti generated for France was enormous. Farmer writes that in 1776, it was generating "more revenue than all 13 North American colonies combined."

But that wealth brought unspeakable horror for the slaves that produced it. One third died within three years of their arrival.'

'Paris - The French government will contribute 10 million euros (14.4 million dollars) for Haitian relief and rescue work, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Monday. The contribution was a response to the appeal for emergency funding launched by the United Nations on Saturday, Kouchner said in a press statement.

France has so far deployed five planes, two ships and 260 rescue workers to the earthquake-ravaged country.

Since France has benefitted and prospered from the slavery they promoted in their colonies maybe it's time France made things right and paid the Haitians back... $14 million doesn't even come close.

"I ran across this article and after a quick scan posted it as something that might be of interest...."

yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah right! When pigs fly!
OH..........am I questioning your intentions?

Remember Papa Doc and Baby Doc? They both fled Haiti with millions. The problem with donations made to a country with a history of such a corrupt government is one never knows where the $$$ go. What really needs to be done is get someone or some entity down there in charge of distribution of donations and enforcement of rebuilding their infrastruture.

Would be a long term commitment that I doubt any country will undertake.(Will be lots of talk for 12 months then all will forget)
Saw two suprises on the news today one was the amount of destruction done to the port - incredible. The other was a poll taken askin US citizens "Will you donate to Haiti"
60% said NO! Very suprising. Ive always donated automatically to a cause such as this never thought twice about it and was very suprised by that poll.

Who knows what the intentions of the US administration are in sending in thousands of troops? Certainly to overcome the problem of corruption interfering with distribution of aid. Maybe a longer term ambition as well? I wouldn't object, regardless of what the French may say. They can hardly defend their record as the colonising power.

The US has 1000 troops on the ground and 2000 on standby, Canada has 2000 in Haiti and 1000 on standby, hardly an American invasion... The UK (pop 62 million) is now tripling it's aid to $32.7 million, Norway (pop 4.8 million) is donating $17.7 million and France (pop 61 million) is donating 14.4 million and forgiving a debt held by a couontry that has nothing.
Perhaps France should look at itself before questioning the intentions of others.

We can sit here and argue all we want, but the problems are enormous. The sea port has been destroyed, hense everything must be flown in. They have no water or way to cook anything, so about the only way to feed all those poeple is something like MRE's. Any troops or people we send down also need food and shelter. It sounds to me like people are dying faster than we can get to them.
They are going to need aid long after the media has moved on and focused on something else and the world forgets about them.

The US currently has 11000 troops either already on the ground or on their way there. Plus whatever's on standby. Plus whatever their share is of 12500 UN workers.

Bill Clinton has reported (he's there at present) that on a widespread scale hospitals are having to perform major operations such as amputating limbs without anaesthetic.