When will Kofi visit the disaster area?
I know, that’s a snide remark. But it is something to consider next time someone derides the US as stingy. We as a people do a lot in the way of helping others, overseas and right here at home. How much foreign money came into the US after four hurricanes hit Florida?
Your Question is totally invalid…
The US didn’t get an foreign aid for the hurricanes in Florida because they didn’t ask for any… just like India, who has even refused offers of aid for its’ victims of this tsunami.
Even the life of a person is worth just as much no matter who or where you are, the actual, real effect of natural disasters changes dramatically depending on where you live in this world. That is why First World nations do not receive foreign aid, and why the likelyhood of Kofi Annan visiting California is close to zero.
Comment by Chris Alemany — January 11, 2005 @ 5:31 pm
Sorry, that paragraph should start with:
“Even though the life…”
Comment by Chris Alemany — January 11, 2005 @ 5:33 pm
Why is it invalid? Aren’t all nations supposed to be equal in the eyes of the UN? Aren’t American lives equal in value to those in Indonesia? We provide foreign aid to other First World countries–why are we different?
Because we are. And so is our society. And our culture. And our embrace of all humanity.
Comment by Mike — January 11, 2005 @ 6:41 pm
I haven’t noticed any other countries helping out looking for survivors in California, either.
Comment by DagneyT — January 12, 2005 @ 7:50 am
You’re barking up the wrong tree. The UN, and other nations, would come if they were asked.
Just as many international teams helped on in the disaster area in NY on 9/11.. the help is there. But for the most part, first world countries simply do not NEED help from the UN or aid agencies outside their own borders. The American Red Cross and other American NGOs and FEMA are perfectly capable of handling the vast majority of tragedies that happen within US borders.
Like I said before, India has refused help offered by the UN and foreign aid packages. AFAIK, none of the money being pledged to the Tsunami victims by foreign governments is going to India.
It’s not because the UN, or someone else, doesn’t consider them equal, but rather because they have not asked and have in fact refused offers of aid because they feel they can deal with it on their own, internally. Just like the US and every other First World nation.
Comment by Chris — January 12, 2005 @ 10:21 am
I’m sorry, Chris, but you keep using the term “First World”, I visited your web log and you referred to Iraq as not being a “Third World” country. You’ve just pressed one of my pet peeve buttons.
I think you need to learn what is a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd world nation, and understand these terms have nothing to do with economic development. They are old “cold war” descriptors having to do with political alignment. We got it started so we got to choose who was 1st world, 1st worlds are those nations politically and governmentally aligned with the US, i.e., the Brits, Aussies, Canada, Japan, etc. Those nations that were aligned with the FSU (Former Soviet Union) were referred to as 2nd world nations. Those countries who remained unaligned with either the USA or Russia were lumped as 3rd worlders.
I hope this helps you in future, and don’t feel bad, it’s a very common mistake.
Comment by John — January 12, 2005 @ 11:13 am
Sorry, me again.
Chris, if you come back to check comments, go to:
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/third_world_countries.htm
there you will find a better description of the terms than I tried to give you in a short post.
Comment by John — January 12, 2005 @ 11:27 am
The UN, and other nations, would come if they were asked.
Really? When have they ever come to the assistance of the US in anything we’ve asked?
Comment by Mike — January 12, 2005 @ 11:55 am
John is absolutely correct on the terms First World and Third World, but I doubt many people in this country are aware of their significance–except those of us who spent time in the military. “Third World” has come to mean “undeveloped”, and most people use it that way. So, I can’t slam Chris for not knowing that. Basically, there is no longer such a distinction.
Chris, you may be right about other people helping the US. I’ve just never seen it. The folks who helped in 9/11 were a few (very few) NGO teams.
Slice, you know all those players. Any thoughts?
Comment by Bunker — January 12, 2005 @ 12:15 pm
John:
Point taken… undeveloped is a better term anyway especially in this discussion.
The crux of the matter is this… the majority of developed, rich nations, have, because of their sucess, the ability to provide for and comfort their own citizens in times of crisis.
There are dozens of nations, however, that, when faced with a massive loss of life or property simply do not have the resources to rebuild themselves.
That is where the UN, International NGOs, and foreign aid comes in.
It is to help those that cannot help themselves.
The US, Canada, Western Europe, Russia, India, China and others can for the most part deal with any natural disaster within its borders no matter what its’ size.
That is why the UN and other aid agencies do not show up on your doorstep in California.
Comment by Chris — January 12, 2005 @ 1:23 pm
I live in a developed country, perhaps the most highly developed country on earth, but that’s because of the people who live and work here. It’s because our system of government encourages people and business interests to succeed. Not because we simply got “lucky”, we earned every dollar of it. We also do not have some tin pot dictator wearing a funny hat who is only interested in keeping the population in grinding poverty, ignorance, and under strict control. We have helped the willing, in just about every case, get their crap together and turn their economic engines loose. Even our worst enemies of the last century, Germany and Japan, felt the goodness of our nature. But never forget, the dollars were first EARNED by some American taxpayers before it was given away by a generous President and Congress.
My Government now, OTOH, as has been pointed out, is quite poor and is in debt up to it’s eyeballs. Personally I’d love to see some foreign aid show up to help sort out a natural disaster when it strikes here in the USA. Here we are, pledging $350 million. (so far as I know that’s the last number I saw), but no one seems to be counting the operating cost of the USS Abe Lincoln and supporting task force as a part of that pledge. Trust me, that cost is toting up in untold millions daily. Does anyone have a cost estimate on what the bill is to operate one of those big military helocopters on an hourly basis?
One of these days it will happen, we will have gone to the well once too often and there won’t be anything left for our own use, much less the rest of the world. I’m not saying we shouldn’t give as we can, but I think it should be on a par with the rest of the world, say like what the French offered to pony up, 100,000 EUROS plus or minus seems a nice round number.
Comment by John — January 12, 2005 @ 2:16 pm
Ok, so that didn’t work out too well….
I’m now studing http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/_I.html
this comes under the heading of: Old Dog and New Tricks
Comment by John — January 12, 2005 @ 2:38 pm
Don’t worry, I’ll fix it! Just got to close those tags!
Comment by Bunker — January 12, 2005 @ 6:24 pm