Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
No one should be in need in the US. We have all sorts of social services.
But many may be in need due to mental health issues or drug dependencies.
So, Ws6, you feel a person is "better" or more deserving of help if they live in the U.S ?
Hmmm...you've brought up the crux of the issue..."deserving" and "better".
Let me lay out my thoughts for you, and you can feel how you want about them.
This world, Western civilization in particular, has never in recent times (last 1K years) known the level of prosperity we now know. EVER. We have never known this level of peace, and security. Forget what you see on the news, murder statistics have been dropping hard for the last 100 years, and war casualties now pale to what The Great Generation saw, isolated tragedies not withstanding.
We are so prosperous, that we have people like you, on a computer, on the internet, talking about "help people in Yemen..."
That would blow your great grandpa's mind, most likely.
But things "at home" are starting to show the strain. Our infrastructure is rotting, for example. Also, consider what you said about mental illness and so forth. We need a place to put some of those people who are unable to function. All this money spent re-building 3rd world countries after natural disasters? let's spend that on our highways and on bringing back the massive state-run mental health institutions so we can keep Raggles from bouncing between jail, the street, and short-term inpatient stays until he/she murders someone or is murdered.
NEVER EVER in the history of EVER has charity been the solution to wide-spread problems. Charity in specific, particular cases, can do a lot of good. Charity when applied shotgun style is just a waste. LBJ should have that point proven quite soundly by now.
You cannot buy someone out of poverty.
So back to me, and Yemen...dude, I don't care about Yemen. I really don't. I don't care about any of it, and I think anyone who claims to is either virtue signalling and in it for the IG likes, or they are ignorant/selective. Why? Because there are hurting, needy people all over this globe, and if you donated equally to all of them, you would both a) only be able to afford a fraction of a cent for each, and b) Lose all of your money, so that means you gotta pick and choose, and you know what? I pick and choose my friends, my family, and me. You do you, and that's 100% cool in my book, because I'm gonna do me. We can't all have equal joy in this life, and I won't sacrifice mine and me, for other. You can call that selfish if you want, but again...you do you.
Yemen was just a hot button representing those in need abroad. Could have easily been Ethiopia or Sudan or Australia.
You can do both.
I help at home folks right at my workplace ( before I retired) and I help abroad. I don't help by the tens of thousands of dollars (unless its
Family) , but I try and give a bit.
I'm sure I'm somewhat lazy and a bit selfish, but I've been trying to beat these afflictions down to a mere sniffle over the years as I get wiser..
I don't care about tax breaks, I wouldn't get a charity tax break on a Schedule A under the new rules.
I wish to sayi f you are inclined to donate, any TAX softening really should not be in your thoughts.
I know there will always be poverty. I've been donating more for Medical aid, Local Food banks, Toys for Tots, War casualties, Refugees.
Some good Charities:
Doctors without Borders
Shriner's Hospitals for Children
For the first Time this year, the American Cancer Society.
Locally, Meals On Wheel ( helping Invalids and homebound Seniors)
Our crumbling Infrastructure is a result of typical waste and graft and misdirected budgets.
It's sickening, given the Fed and State and Local tax burdens.
This is just a casual discussion about giving - Spurred by the topic which really hit me the wrong way,
then I read the comment about 'forget it if I don't get a tax break'
If you ARE inclined to give, these should not be impediments or roadblocks.
.
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
No one should be in need in the US. We have all sorts of social services.
But many may be in need due to mental health issues or drug dependencies.
So, Ws6, you feel a person is "better" or more deserving of help if they live in the U.S ?
Hmmm...you've brought up the crux of the issue..."deserving" and "better".
Let me lay out my thoughts for you, and you can feel how you want about them.
This world, Western civilization in particular, has never in recent times (last 1K years) known the level of prosperity we now know. EVER. We have never known this level of peace, and security. Forget what you see on the news, murder statistics have been dropping hard for the last 100 years, and war casualties now pale to what The Great Generation saw, isolated tragedies not withstanding.
We are so prosperous, that we have people like you, on a computer, on the internet, talking about "help people in Yemen..."
That would blow your great grandpa's mind, most likely.
But things "at home" are starting to show the strain. Our infrastructure is rotting, for example. Also, consider what you said about mental illness and so forth. We need a place to put some of those people who are unable to function. All this money spent re-building 3rd world countries after natural disasters? let's spend that on our highways and on bringing back the massive state-run mental health institutions so we can keep Raggles from bouncing between jail, the street, and short-term inpatient stays until he/she murders someone or is murdered.
NEVER EVER in the history of EVER has charity been the solution to wide-spread problems. Charity in specific, particular cases, can do a lot of good. Charity when applied shotgun style is just a waste. LBJ should have that point proven quite soundly by now.
You cannot buy someone out of poverty.
So back to me, and Yemen...dude, I don't care about Yemen. I really don't. I don't care about any of it, and I think anyone who claims to is either virtue signalling and in it for the IG likes, or they are ignorant/selective. Why? Because there are hurting, needy people all over this globe, and if you donated equally to all of them, you would both a) only be able to afford a fraction of a cent for each, and b) Lose all of your money, so that means you gotta pick and choose, and you know what? I pick and choose my friends, my family, and me. You do you, and that's 100% cool in my book, because I'm gonna do me. We can't all have equal joy in this life, and I won't sacrifice mine and me, for other. You can call that selfish if you want, but again...you do you.
Yemen was just a hot button representing those in need abroad. Could have easily been Ethiopia or Sudan or Australia.
You can do both.
I help at home folks right at my workplace ( before I retired) and I help abroad. I don't help by the tens of thousands of dollars (unless its
Family) , but I try and give a bit.
I'm sure I'm somewhat lazy and a bit selfish, but I've been trying to beat these afflictions down to a mere sniffle over the years as I get wiser..
I don't care about tax breaks, I wouldn't get a charity tax break on a Schedule A under the new rules.
I wish to sayi f you are inclined to donate, any TAX softening really should not be in your thoughts.
I know there will always be poverty. I've been donating more for Medical aid, Local Food banks, Toys for Tots, War casualties, Refugees.
Some good Charities:
Doctors without Borders
Shriner's Hospitals for Children
For the first Time this year, the American Cancer Society.
Locally, Meals On Wheel ( helping Invalids and homebound Seniors)
Our crumbling Infrastructure is a result of typical waste and graft and misdirected budgets.
It's sickening, given the Fed and State and Local tax burdens.
This is just a casual discussion about giving - Spurred by the topic which really hit me the wrong way,
then I read the comment about 'forget it if I don't get a tax break'
If you ARE inclined to give, these should not be impediments or roadblocks.
.
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