The Tsunami relief fund. A hidden evil.

[The Blue Blue]

Why This is here (You can ignore this is you just want to argue the point)
This is here because I am about to pose an argument about the Tsunami relief fund, and most likely be marked as a heartless, uncaring, yada yada, etc. For the one person who is going to jump up and down on me saying "Reported, reported, reported! Ha, I got you! You suck because there is already a Tsunami relief thread out there somewhere!" I say to you, don't waste my time. Any other threads that you have found probably fit the ED standard these days with having a starting post that inspires no actual argument, such as "What do you think?" or "I feel really bad for them, how do you feel?" I, unlike them am going to present a contraversial side and then proceed to defend it with my limited knowledge of the subject, opening the floor for people who disagree with me to rebutle my argument and attempt to change my mind, since I always come into this part of the site with an open mind (except when it comes to religion).

My Argument
This Tsunami relief fund shouldn't be happening right now. What's that? There is doubt? Well, open your mind, soldiers, and allow me to explain my point of view.
First off, I know that this is a terrible disaster, but guess what, it's a naturally occuring one. It happens, and when it happens again, all of that money that you gave to make sure that these people last a little longer will have meant nothing since it'll all be washed away by another giant wave.
The natural part of this disaster being pointed out, allow me to show you some human crated disasters that no one is submitting money to. You know all of those pictures that you see on the news of Iraq with the broken down cars in the middle of the road, and the people who look like they are going hungry because they are too afraid to go to the local supermarket? You know how almost every day you here about such and such more Iraqui citizens being killed? Why aren't we sending money to save those people? Why aren't we sending money to the famalies who relied on an adult male to gain income and now no longer have a source of income? What makes these people who were killed by a giant wave more important than people who were caught in the crossfire between American troops and Iraqui "terrorists"?
Now for a completely different viewpoint on the whole thing. Lets look at how the Canadian government has taken this disaster and used it to their advantage. That's right all you Canadians who think that your government is so much better. We are run by a bunch of selfconcerned thieves too. Our government "generously" decided that they would double any donations that people made in...I think it was the first week. Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, I wonder where that money is going to come from. Sounds like it is coming out of those Tax dollars we pay. While this doesn't sound that bad, I'll bet you that these new taxes imposed to clear up the hole caused by their "generous action" never go away. They'll just sort of sit there and help line the pockets of our elected government for a while.

Well, I'm sure I could go on about the drawbacks of this, but I'd rather open the floor for argument from the other side, since I assume that there will be a lot of it. If you think that I am absolutely wrong, then please tell me why it is that you believe this.

[Cheshire Catastrophe]

I agree with you.

[Mutilating Pixie]

Its only because it was highlighted by the media that the tsunami appeal got so much money. What about the starving people in africa or the aids crisis?

[Autograph]

mutilating_pixie

Its only because it was highlighted by the media that the tsunami appeal got so much money. What about the starving people in africa or the aids crisis?

Well, Bill Gates did donate a couple of billion dollars to our grand, global, vaccination-of-every-child-in-the-world project a mere couple of days ago. Our government are ceasing the oppunity to remind people about Africa and the third-world countries.

[kira_yamatso]

yes but also in 3 mounths time the goverment is going to stop the charity and it has to go through them, i can guess where the money will be going and it wont be going to the people who need it for food! sad

[Amarene The Falling Star]

Are you saying that because it could happen again (and probably will), that we shouldn't do anything at all? Forgive me for sounding naive, but that just doesn't seem very... right for some reason.

As for many other disasters, natural and man made, many people want and do give donations to the many countries who are experiencing problems of the ravages of war. The truth is, the more you publicise something (hope I spelled that right), the more known it will be to people. The Tsunami relief was aired continuously; so almost everyone knew about it. If other disasters were aired in the same way (which isn't possible for all, I know), they would have similiar turn-outs, depending on the disaster, I suppose.

[metallicagothfan]

kira_yamatso

yes but also in 3 mounths time the goverment is going to stop the charity and it has to go through them, i can guess where the money will be going and it wont be going to the people who need it for food! sad

3nodding

[Amalia Segreta]

So pretty much your argument is that because iot is naturally occurring we shouldn't help the survivors? and some mumbo jumbo about the fact that it is tax dollars going to the relief so we are double paying??

In all fairness, this is exactyly how I feel about having to bail out the Midwest when the people who live on the flood plain get flooded out and
Florida when the peopel who live on the coast get hit by a hurricane.


Somehow, I'd rather help the victims of the tsunami because it, in fact, was extremely unusual for those countries to be hit so they couldn't have known it was going to happen. The people in the Midewest just keep going back to those flood plains and getting washed away.

[dhellboyc]

Depends' on if you actually donate. People need help, some kids are getting diseases' because there is no medical aid for every child in the tsunami aid shelter. Therefore one kid has the disease then it spreads around the facility get's it.

Then there's children and adults out in asia who currently have no shelter/houseing.

You can call it a hidden evil. But, I'm not exactly sure what the hell the goverment will do over this. ( Btw, i gave up reading half way. )

[Hiei Cake]

I agree with The Blue Blue. Does it really take so many countries donating so much money to repair the damage? No, no it does not. And, like you said, if another tsunami comes, all the money the countries spent helping will just go down the toilet.

[Silent_Intent]

We're too busy killing all the Iraqis to care about them.

******** this war. stare

[SAMASzero]

The Blue Blue

Why This is here (You can ignore this is you just want to argue the point)
This is here because I am about to pose an argument about the Tsunami relief fund, and most likely be marked as a heartless, uncaring, yada yada, etc. For the one person who is going to jump up and down on me saying "Reported, reported, reported! Ha, I got you! You suck because there is already a Tsunami relief thread out there somewhere!" I say to you, don't waste my time. Any other threads that you have found probably fit the ED standard these days with having a starting post that inspires no actual argument, such as "What do you think?" or "I feel really bad for them, how do you feel?" I, unlike them am going to present a contraversial side and then proceed to defend it with my limited knowledge of the subject, opening the floor for people who disagree with me to rebutle my argument and attempt to change my mind, since I always come into this part of the site with an open mind (except when it comes to religion).

My Argument
This Tsunami relief fund shouldn't be happening right now. What's that? There is doubt? Well, open your mind, soldiers, and allow me to explain my point of view.
First off, I know that this is a terrible disaster, but guess what, it's a naturally occuring one. It happens, and when it happens again, all of that money that you gave to make sure that these people last a little longer will have meant nothing since it'll all be washed away by another giant wave.

Ah, the "It could happen again, why shoud we care?" Excuse.

Yes it could happen again. It could happen tomorrow, or it could happen six thousand years from now. Or any other time in between.

So what? Why do you bother eating, knowing you'l only be hungry again in a few hours? Why bother washing your car, knowing it'll only get dirty again eventually? Why do store owners keep operating their establishments after a robbery, knowing that they could easily get robbed again(and some of them do get robbed again)?

Because it needs to be done.

Because we are Human beings, and for all our bad impulses and natures, we have some good ones too.

And helping those in trouble is one of them. Because, as you said, it could happen again.

Only next time, it could happen to you. There's a seaside mountain somewhere in the atlantic that's just waiting to collapse into the sea, and when it does, the Eastern Seaboard of the United States is in deep s**t. The caldera in Yellowstone park that gives us Old Faithful will erupt someday, and when it does, it's going to take a large chunk of the Northwestern United States with it.

What about California, New Zealand, or Japan, or any other place in the Pacific Ring of Fire? They're due another disasterous earthquake or volcanic eruption sometime this century.

Either of these admittedly apocalyptic worst-case scenarios could happen at any time, just like before, tomorrow or seven milennia from now.

And have you forgotten last years Hurricane season already? The US and Carribean got our collective asses kicked by Mother Nature this year.

That's why we render assistance worldwide when s**t goes down badly. Not(just) becaue it can happen to us, because it will happen to us.

Quote:

The natural part of this disaster being pointed out, allow me to show you some human crated disasters that no one is submitting money to. You know all of those pictures that you see on the news of Iraq with the broken down cars in the middle of the road, and the people who look like they are going hungry because they are too afraid to go to the local supermarket? You know how almost every day you here about such and such more Iraqui citizens being killed? Why aren't we sending money to save those people? Why aren't we sending money to the famalies who relied on an adult male to gain income and now no longer have a source of income? What makes these people who were killed by a giant wave more important than people who were caught in the crossfire between American troops and Iraqui "terrorists"?

Because we're already doing something in Iraq. Hell, we're literally trying to stop that from continuing.

And mostly, because there's no politics involved in the Tsunamis. And Politics always screws things up.

Quote:

Now for a completely different viewpoint on the whole thing. Lets look at how the Canadian government has taken this disaster and used it to their advantage. That's right all you Canadians who think that your government is so much better. We are run by a bunch of selfconcerned thieves too. Our government "generously" decided that they would double any donations that people made in...I think it was the first week. Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, I wonder where that money is going to come from. Sounds like it is coming out of those Tax dollars we pay. While this doesn't sound that bad, I'll bet you that these new taxes imposed to clear up the hole caused by their "generous action" never go away. They'll just sort of sit there and help line the pockets of our elected government for a while.

And now we come to the Bitching section, where you get to wallow in your own angst and self-pity, and not do a damn thing about it.

No, I'm not going to refute a damn thing you say here(besides, I'm not Canadian). I will tell you this, if you want to complain without any form of action:

[Kentucky Fried Panda]

If it bothers you then don't donate. No one cares whether you donate or not because its your money and is your right to do whatever you want with it. But no one wants to be told what do to with theirs. And trying to go around telling people to not donate in what they believe in is just going to get you alot of disrespect, and you will not change anyones mind, I'll tell you that right now.

[gem_girl]

I think our government should donate SOME money to the tsunami but the only reason we are trying to "out donate" every other country is our image. The middle east hates our guts. so know were the nice country giving money away. smile Hey but the rest of the middle east is next.

WHO CARES ABOUT OIL GIVE MONEY TO AFRICA AND GET OUT OF IRAQ!!!!!!!!

[Kentucky Fried Panda]

If it bothers you then don't donate. No one cares whether you donate or not because its your money and is your right to do whatever you want with it. But no one wants to be told what do to with theirs. And trying to go around telling people not to donate to what they believe in is just going to get you alot of "shut the hell ups", and you will not change anyones mind I'll tell you that right now.