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U.S.A. Regains Top Spot As Worlds Most Charitable Nation

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posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 03:12 PM
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Originally posted by ANOK


So this does not mean Americans are more charitable imo, just more wealthy, and guilty.


Exactly.
When I first saw the title I thought "blood money".





posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 03:13 PM
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reply to post by Freeborn
 


And it's important to note that it's not the Governments doing this, it's the US and UK citizens. I think that's an important key for the rest of the World: While our Governments may act in ways to incite hate towards our countries, our people are detached from our Governments and care more about the well being of people suffering than we do of our foreign policies. People to often group Governments and People together, we do it as well when our Governments try to demonize entire countries (like Iran) without pause to consider the People, what they think, how they live, their beliefs and so on.



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 03:15 PM
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Why nobody answers how the rankings are done ? I must have misunderstood the method. I have read the links and they are based on a survey of three questions. Is that facts ?

It's beyond ridiculous. The CAF goes as far as to claim "The results show that the USA is officially the most charitable nation in the world".

It really jumps out at you it's politically motivated and fabricated just by looking at the rankings.
This fake posture of moral and ethical superiority has become hilarious. I mean from the US Administrations and the US circles of power.

I don't mean disrepect to American citizens as they are as generous as possible, I don't have any doubt about it.
I just want to laugh at the Captains America who wet their pants at this manipulated headline.



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 03:15 PM
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After reading the actual report from World Giving Index, I have to give a second kudos to the US.

Not only did you regain the #1 spot, you did so by improving all three of the measured areas.



+2 more 
posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 03:25 PM
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reply to post by Rockpuck
 


A very astute observation.

I think it's also fair to point out that there is very much a common bond between the UK / US / Ireland / New Zealand / Australia and Canada - 6 of the top 7 nations - which suggests the ties that bind the people's of those nations run deep and we do have much in common.
Personally I believe we should concetrate more on those things that unite us and less on that which divides us.

And very noticeable by their absence are the major members of the EU superstate.
As usual all their posturing amounts to very little.



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 05:01 PM
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reply to post by TDawgRex
 


I dont think they base it on total money given. If im not mistaken I thought it was based on percentage.

Iceland - donates 100 million
US - donates 100 million

Both countries can donate the same amount, but because Iceland's finances (budget / GDP) are a fraction of the US, the percentage would show Iceland as being more charitable.

I could be wrong though.. Anyone know?



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 06:28 PM
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Originally posted by aorAki
When I first saw the title I thought "blood money".

backatchya. US Citizens .. damned if they do and damned if they don't. How lovely ....


Originally posted by Xcathdra
I dont think they base it on total money given. If im not mistaken I thought it was based on percentage.

If I'm reading it right ... it's percentage of $$$, population, as well as volunteering.
At least, that's what I get out of reading it all.



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 06:34 PM
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Im in America and watching all the hungry and homeless people suffer and die while America gives to other countries. Good job America. Take care of everybody else except for your own.. Makes me want to puke...

ETA: And the only reason we give to other countries is because we expect something in return. This is where we are supposed to DENY Ignorance. Geesh...
edit on 12/21/11 by kennylee because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 06:42 PM
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Originally posted by Manouche
It's beyond ridiculous. The CAF goes as far as to claim "The results show that the USA is officially the most charitable nation in the world".

What is beyond ridiculous is your whining ....


You have a problem with the word 'officially'. They said that the US is officially at the top of their list. SO WHAT? It's their list, they put it out every year. They have a right to say who is officially at the top of their list based on their calculatons. Just like TIME Magazine has an 'official' person of the year each year. It is their magazine to say who is the official Time 'person of the year', using their criteria.

Your complaint is ... well ....



It really jumps out at you it's politically motivated and fabricated just by looking at the rankings.

Actually, it's YOUR comments that jump out as politically motivated.



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 06:45 PM
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Originally posted by kennylee
And the only reason we give to other countries is because we expect something in return. This is where we are supposed to DENY Ignorance. Geesh

Tax money going to foreign aid ... perhaps. But what is taken into account is the CITIZENS giving and volunteering - in their communities and around the world (Peace Corps ring a bell?) Now ... DENY ignorance and admit American citizens are generous. Geeeesh!

edit on 12/21/2011 by FlyersFan because: fixed quote



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 07:24 PM
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reply to post by FlyersFan
 


So what you topped one giving index for a single year, big whoop, it doesn't even come close to the making up for the global atrocities that were as a result of U.S foreign policy and corporatocracy. Its like one good deed out of hundreds of bad ones is the one that makes U.S msn and you all pat yourselfs of the back so you can feel good again. Australia topped that same list last year but you didn't hear us shouting about it, or making threads.

Giving aid, especially foreign aid isn't all its cracked up to be. It would be best if poor countries weren't forced to remain in poverty in the first place but I digress.


Aid is primarily designed to serve the strategic and economic interests of the donor countries

www.globalissues.org...

...the united states primarily uses aid to further their agenda, create reliance and improve their image(and they'll sure let you know about it if they do top a charity list), although you would think that giving food to the hungry is a good thing, it is not...



-Cheap (highly subsidized) American grain and other foods would be dumped onto the local economy

-Small domestic producers would be unable to compete fairly (as governments of recipient countries are are often encouraged to remove such protections in their own farming sectors)

-Small producers lose/sell their land and become jobless or laborers or move to the big cities

-As such economies are encouraged to be exporters of cash crops, and food from food “aid” is so cheap, other work is on the cheap and people struggle to make a living

-Poverty, food insecurity, and hunger increases
www.globalissues.org...


Throwing money at this problem won't make it go away. You need to fix the cause of the poverty such as EHM's trapping poor countries into IMF and world bank loans for U.S corporate interests. And you can't go out and bomb a country to smithereens then throw some money in their face and walk out like its all good, especially when you force them to spend that money on overpriced U.S goods or engineering contracts. I'm sorry I'm being so cynical but I don't think its time to applaud the U.S just yet.

Merry Christmas.




edit on 21-12-2011 by polarwarrior because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 09:13 PM
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Originally posted by sonicology
Even though I'm sure that someone will somehow manage to find a way to turn this into a "bash the US thread" shortly, allow me as a non-American to say "Well done USA, you should be justifiably Proud!".

Seriously though, Kudos to you.


Yeah well if you were an American you would be furious after all our jobs, Tax dollars and companies are sent overseas. This is one of the main reasons why we are so massively in debt. The majority of Americans suffering in this piss poor economy and we have had enough of Washington D.C...



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 09:22 PM
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Originally posted by Rockpuck
Thanks we were really hoping for a Communist to come in here and bring the thread down.


I'm not really a communist, but thanx anyway. I consider myself a libertarian socialist, if labels are that important to you.

www.spunk.org...

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Communism is the utopian socialist society, and I believe we should be striving for the best system we can, whether we get there or not. I'm a guitar player and I'll never be as good as Wilko Johnson, but it doesn't stop me from trying.


The US Tax Code is structured to allow citizens the right to take a percentage of their tax and income and donate it as a method of redirection of tax funds. This is probably why USA charity is as high as it is, we encourage people to support ideas and institutions that coincide with their beliefs. We have a history of supporting worthy causes without the Government being directly involved, because government run anything fails.


And no other countries allow that? Again that is nothing but 'America is great', because we do all this stuff. More back slapping. Goes back to my point, why do you have to brag all the time? Who likes the kid who's always bragging about what he has, or has done?


But since you want to rail against Americans for just being "rich" .. the average US wage being under $40k a year, you would simply be dead wrong. Many European countries have higher standards of living than the US, and have higher yearly salaries .. yet who donates a higher percentage of time and income? Americans, only Ireland and the UK are able to say as much. The rest of Europe?


Wait there a minute, I'm not rallying against anyone for having money, you miss my point. Just pointing out why people give more, how did you miss that? There are far more extremely wealthy people in the USA regardless of what the average worker makes. The only Euro country wealthier than the US is Norway. The US like number 7 in the world, out of about 200 countries.

You also have the most billionaires...


No. 1: United States

2009 Population: 306.8 million*

2009 number of millionaire households: 4,715,000**
Percentage increase: 15.1 percent YOY**
Share of country’s wealth held by millionaire households: 56 percent**


Countries with the Most Millionaires 2010


It all comes down to Government size and taxes.. higher taxes and larger governments = lower charity. I know you'd prefer government work camps, everone wearing blue overalls and names replaced with numbers, I prefer donating to worthy causes of my choosing and when their standards fail, unlike government, I can choose to donate elsewhere.


No it doesn't. You all want to blame government and taxes without realising that the real problem is capitalism, the private ownership of the means of production. Government acts the way it does because of that. Government is a result of capitalism.

You don't understand at all what I stand for, you're not reading what I am saying you are making assumptions of what I'm saying. You have this assumption that socialism is big government, and I support it, which is nonsense.
Did you understand my user name? Anarchism is a form of socialism that requires no government at all, so how can socialism mean more government? State socialism, Marxism, is not the only form of socialism. Socialism is an economic system whereby the workers own the means of production. No government required.


Anarchism is stateless socialism, Mikhail Bakunin


Learn what socialism really is, and maybe you'll understand what it is I'm trying to say.



Many people believe that socialism means government or state ownership and control. Who can blame them when that is what the schools teach and what the media, politicians and others who oppose socialism say? Worse, some people and organizations that call themselves socialist say it, too—but not the Socialist Labor Party.

slp.org...


edit on 12/21/2011 by ANOK because: typo



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 09:33 PM
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reply to post by polarwarrior
 


LoL right, cause the reason that places like Haiti , and Africa , and numerous others are in the problems they are in with the infighting and poverty is Americas fault?

Give me a break..........

Everyones gotta have someone to blame eh?
edit on 21-12-2011 by ManBehindTheMask because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 09:40 PM
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Originally posted by Rockpuck
reply to post by FlyersFan
 


I find it very surprising that far left leaning countries, even those with communist regimes, place so low on the scale. And Canada, where is Canada I thought they'd be somewhere in the top 5.


If you're talking about those that have socialized medicine here they are the other 4 remaining on the list!!!

2.) Ireland
3.) Australia
4.) New Zealand
5.) United Kingdom

Because last I noticed Canada was not communistic, unless i woke up in another timeline again.



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 09:44 PM
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That's a really interesting list. The top countries aren't surprising, especially the US going back on top. I hope that's a good sign for the economy.

What I find interesting is some of the other countries a little farther down in the top 20. mainly Liberia ranking so high. they are a very poor nation.

www.cia.gov...

I guess it just shows from those countries that you don;t have to be rich to be charitable.



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 09:47 PM
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Originally posted by ldyserenity
If you're talking about those that have socialized medicine here they are the other 4 remaining on the list!!!

2.) Ireland
3.) Australia
4.) New Zealand
5.) United Kingdom

Because last I noticed Canada was not communistic, unless i woke up in another timeline again.


Yeah if you're calling countries with national health care communist you're wrong from the start.

Health care provided by the government, in the US, is called 'social' because it pertains to Humans relations.
In Europe it is national health care, 'national' as in government ran. Social is not socialism.

Socialism/communism is not free stuff from a government. No government is required.



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 09:54 PM
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reply to post by ManBehindTheMask
 


Originally posted by ManBehindTheMask
LoL right, cause the reason that places like Haiti , and Africa , and numerous others are in the problems they are in with the infighting and poverty is Americas fault?


Yes, American foreign policy contributed to African poverty.

And, paradoxically, so too did their foreign aid.

Infighting, corruption etc. happens in any country that is only part of the problem.

I'm just not ready to applaud the actions of the U.S. and I feel that when viewing the index one should take into consideration how much poverty they caused in the first place.



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 10:09 PM
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Originally posted by kennylee
Im in America and watching all the hungry and homeless people suffer and die while America gives to other countries. Good job America. Take care of everybody else except for your own.. Makes me want to puke...

ETA: And the only reason we give to other countries is because we expect something in return. This is where we are supposed to DENY Ignorance. Geesh...
edit on 12/21/11 by kennylee because: (no reason given)


I think the position on the list takes into account all charity and not just foreign aide so if people are giving money, volunteering and helping strangers within the country, helping their own, then that would make the US go up on the list.

I do agree that the reason the US thows money around is too buy political influence in other countries.


edit on 21-12-2011 by daskakik because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 21 2011 @ 10:14 PM
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Wow, I'm all for helping people but really??? I am in the good ol' USA and am seeing struggling people here, right now. I am putting together a few baskets to take to people tomorrow and Friday so they can feed their kids a decent Christmas meal because they can't afford it. (doesn't mean I have a lot of extra money, just know how to super shop)

The US is probably considered the most charitable because of the immigrants we support, and all of the "3rd world countries" that we are constantly helping out.

What happened to "Charity begins at home?" I mean really, the people I am putting food baskets together for are truly in need of it, struggling every single day with no extras, and can't qualify for state help.

If we are in that "charitable" status, why on this earth do we have people that can't make it here but millions of dollars in aid are being sent overseas???

Sorry, very sore point with me!







 
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