NEWS: President George Bush Gives $10,000 Personal Donation to Tsunami Aid

Originally posted by Shoktek
You can judge someone's character on what they actually do in their life,
[edit on 5-1-2005 by Shoktek]

But wouldn't caring enough to spend your hard owned money be a part of this?

Originally posted by MacMerdin
But wouldn't caring enough to spend your hard owned money be a part of this?

Not in my book...donations should just be kept private, and if you honestly want to help someone out, no one else should even know. I hate seeing news articles about how much some rock star donated. Why should anyone care? They have a lot of money to throw around anyway, they are most likely doing it for the publicity, and maybe other than this one thing they have never done any good in their life.

It's good Bush donated money, but I'm sure it's not for the right reasons...you would think the things hes done as president would reflect the so-called kind heart that he wants to portray by donating. I'm just saying that it really doesn't matter to me one way or the other, what does matter is that they make a big deal out of donations that should be between the donator and the one who needs help. Otherwise it's just PR. If I see some homeless guy who needs help and give him 5 dollars or 5000 dollars, I'm not going to run around bragging about what I did, I will just feel satisfied inside that I helped some poor guy out. And if other people can't even do that, then their intent must not be very genuine.

[edit on 5-1-2005 by Shoktek]

$10,000 is alot more than most have given.Regardless of what he makes or who he is,how many that have critized this oh so small donation given out of their wallet?

Every penny matters and the relief fund now has $10,000 more than it had.
I dont like Bush much,infact I have been mud slinging him on here left and right for many things.
I commend him for this.Regardless if he did it because people talked trash or he gave from his heart,he still gave.How many can say that?

Originally posted by MacMerdin

Yes, far too predictable about the selfishness of Bush AND this country. I just heard that we are 4th in disaster funding. And after 9-11 when we got so much aid from other countries for what 3,000 and this is what?....over 1/4 million? Come on. Oh, I forgot....we are spending far too much for inaugurations and war that we can't spare anymore? Give ME a break will ya.

Not sure what you're trying to say here? What is this 1/4 million figure about? We've given well over $1/4 BILLION so far and the donations are still pouring in.

And don't forget the fleet of ships producing over 90,000 gallons of potable water every day, or the more than 1,000 helicopters that are ferrying supplies and people around. That is an effort unmatched by any other country, and it ain't cheap.

As for the inauguration, just remember that the cost of the ceremonies is being privately funded. Of course, facts never got in the way of conclusions for many on this board.

Some are saying that Bush did or should have donated more for good PR. Good PR with whom? Indonesia has over 200 million people, and is 95% muslim, and no amount of relief aid is going to change their mind about the US.

[edit on 5-1-2005 by jsobecky]

I ment 1/4 million people. So, because a country is Muslim, we shouldn't help them? How religionist. Iraq is mostly, if not all Muslim....but we sure as hell thought it was our duty to "help" them out.

What people donate to charity should be kept private.
The Clintons kept their donation (if they made one)
private. They said 'none of your business' to the press.

That being said .... anyone who is complaining about
G.W.'s donation is an immature ungrateful whiner.

All this ... 'so and so gave a million so W is cheap' crap
is nausiating.

Hey... 'W' gave $10,000 and Kerry gave ... zippo.
See, sounds STUPID doesn't it??

This donation thing to Indonesia has turned into a
'who can top this' and 'who gave more than who' circus.

Originally posted by jsobecky
Some are saying that Bush did or should have donated more for
good PR. Good PR with whom? Indonesia has over 200 million
people, and is 95% muslim, and no amount of relief aid is going
to change their mind about the US.

You are so right. Look at this picture that was on the news
and is on the internet. A tsunami victim, and a fan of UBL,
comes up to take the aid from the United States - wearing
a T Shirt of his hero UBL. Some will take the aid in one hand
and stab us in the back with the other.

But no matter. The aid should still go through. We will do the
right thing, even if some at the other end don't appreciate it
and don't change their minds about us. Our good Karma,
their bad karma. It's on them, not us.

(More on this story at windsofchange.com)

Originally posted by MacMerdin
I ment 1/4 million people. So, because a country is Muslim, we shouldn't help them? How religionist. Iraq is mostly, if not all Muslim....but we sure as hell thought it was our duty to "help" them out.

Don't twist my words. My post was addressing three different issues. I was referring to the PR issue when I mentioned muslim.

What do you mean, 1/4 million people? That is likely to be the death count alone. MILLIONS more have been affected.

[edit on 6-1-2005 by jsobecky]

Why does it matter if somebody donates and makes it public or keeps it themselves? I don't care if people wear t-shirts saying they donated. The most important thing to remember are those poor kids, anybody who has children here can empathize and imagine their child lost on the streets, no family to seek comfort from, and those are the ones lucky enough to have even survived. It's heartbreaking and ANY penny that actually makes it to them is important, regardless of who donated it or why. Our private contributions are likely going to make up the majority of the relief funds, after all, the pledges by the governments of the world are just that, and after Iran's devastating quake, the world's governments pledged several hundred million, they have only actually recieved about one hundred million. I'm sure the same will happen in this case, they will only recieve a fraction of what has been promised.

Its a shame that charity donations are only made based upon the media coverage...

I have one question (worried it might be to controversial but heh..)

How many charities do you think are based in these countries that we are currently helping that were effected by this Tsunami have ever donated to the homeless people in the western world..

There is some money to be made a tourist communities I am sure... maybe not as much as over in the Western world but like a lot of people have said.. they gave what little money they could..


(they look like they have trouble with the rent payments don't they.....)

Allright something very few people fail to take into light in this thread if any is that first think about how much bush and his dad have spent on perpetuating war. Easily that amount dwarfs that measily 10 000 don't you think i mean just watch farenheit 9/11 again and theres plenty of numbers in there.

secondly disasters don't make profits maybe thats why bush didn't spend more who knows we don't know what hes thinking and probably won't ever.

Least but not last It doesn't matter how much money goes there if the people don't get the help they need in time because everyone is squabbling about amounts. they will all be dead if this keeps up because this thread is a microcosm of opinions worldwide and the more bickering that happens the more people die i don't see the death toll waiting on us and deciding how much should go here or there.

What I think would be most appropriate is not to donate money but just go there and help with the money thats already out there personally if i had more than 200 bucks in my account and didn't get laid off christmas eve. I would probably opt to go there and start building houses and serving food to starving children and helping the sick children.

As much as I ditest everything Bush has ever stood for I would have never responded to this thread in the first place if not for his use of Scott Mclellen to earn him a few kudoos, but like always it backfired. So many of us would rather give anonymously and would hope our president would too, but he chose to go for another photo-op, and like always, and I mean always, it backfired. If you want credit for giving your money, especially when you have all the moeny, even your wild daughters will ever need in their lifetimes, 10,000 isn't gonna earn you kudoos.

Let's not forget, Bush also donated his brother. Can you just imagine the calm relif felt by thos watching his fat ass get off a plane.

[edit on 6-1-2005 by kazi]

Without naming names, I'll inject my opinion into this thread, then get the hell out because the stink is more than I can handle.

Pointing fingers at anyone in response to a charitable donation disgusts me to my core.

You should see how wretched it looks to those of us who do not see a pile of bodies as an advantageous place to set up our political soap box.

Look in the mirror if you dare, I can tell many of you that the view from here based on your posts is not flattering.

Less bitching and more help for people who need it may not be the most self-aggrandizing position to take, but at least it offers the advantage of not being morally repugnant and disgusting to read.

Peace out. This thread has already sunk lower than I can tolerate.

Majic

Thanks for being judgmental, as if you are some moral arbiter, once again.

The issues of interest to some people, raised in this thread, are:

1. Charity and kindheartedness
2. Charity conducted for the purposes of public relations
3. Charity conducted for the purposes of political capital

I raised another issue which has not yet been touched on: tracking what happens to the donation monies.

For, you see, many organizations will administer the funds in a fashion that sees 1 to 2 cents in the dollar reaching tsunami victims. Such is the nature of charitable organizations and what it takes to run them.

Having spent many a year alongside such organizations and understanding their machinery, there is nothing ghoulish about my position on the work of charities or corporate or individual sponsorship.

I also doubt that many other members here talking about Bush, Bullock, Schumacher or any other donor of funds are ghoulish either. If you want ghoulish, go to websites where people might post videos of the events and laugh at human suffering.

Get off your high horse, buddy.

Originally posted by Magickesists
just watch farenheit 9/11 again and theres plenty of numbers in there.

Yeah, all fantasy numbers. Sorry, but you can't use F911 as
fact. It doesn't hold up. Remember the 69 errors
of F911 ...( or what ever the number was ... 99, ??)

The war is paid for by tax money. Bush's donation was his private money.
You can't compare a private donation against a tax payer paid event.

I maintain that everyone should keep donation amounts private and
that anyone who complains that someone didn't donate 'enough' is
ungrateful and should mind their own business.

BTW - as the earlier posted showed, go look at the gold throwns in
the OIL RICH middle east ... go complain about THEM and their lack
of donations if you feel the need to complain.

Originally posted by Magickesists]It doesn't matter how much money goes there if the people don't get the help they need in time because everyone is squabbling about amounts. they will all be dead if

this and this alone was meant to be my most important statement. I honestly don't care aboutt anything else just thought i would remind people of a good movie that i thought was real. by the way were did you find thedse errors and who published it. You didn't happen to watch the movie farenhype 9/11 did you if so why belive any of that either.