Christian evangelists at Nana Plaza

[Flashermac]

As long as foreign aid goes where it's supposed to, I have no problem. But how much goes into the local politicians' pockets?

 

Barry Goldwater called the US Peace Corps the best foreign aid programme America had, cost wise and for effect. PCVs go to a country as a teacher, medical volunteer or rural development volunteer - learning the language, living with the locals and actually doing something that is needed. Compare that with throwing millions of dollars at the government of a country and saying, "Here ... we hope you will use this wisely."

 

(End of promo.)

 

 

[OCgringo]

I think "our back yards" is probably doing OK.

if the people want to better themselves,

 

but keep throwing money at poor people is not going to make them want to work,

 

I always thought the welfare check should be a mile from home and those getting it could sweep the street and pick up trash for their check....

 

But thats never going to happen because these checks are now "entitlements" and these poor people "deserve" it

 

OC

 

its the old teach them how to fish, or farm etc that will help them....

[Flashermac]

I recall when welfare recipients in LA "went on strike". Uh ... how do you strike when you don't work, get a job? People were out protesting in the streets. One woman complained on camera that she couldn't get by on her welfare "income", saying she could barely afford the payments on her new car.

 

Welfare is all right for a short time to help people get back on their feet. If it is guaranteed income for doing fahk all, then I want in on it too!

 

 

[Nervous_Dog]

Flash - I have no disagreement with Peace Corp, I like the idea,

 

A LOT of projects are actually in my eyes bribes, India giving Africa a second hand Satellite system for 4 years free, the next 10 will rape the system, AND the system is priced 10x it's market value, where is the $ going?

 

Someone's pocket but it ain't the poor

 

DOG

[Flashermac]

JFK got the idea for the Peace Corps from IVS (International Voluntary Services). I met a fella who'd been an IVS vol in South Vietnam during the war. One of his colleagues had been in a village the commies captured. He said the VC lined him up with the village headman, school teacher, policeman and a few SVN soldiers. Then a VC officer walked down the line, stopping in front of each man and shooting him in the head. He said the VC stopped in front of the vol, looked him in the eye and then moved on. All the others were murdered. The vol's comment: "I guess they liked us."

 

Oz had volunteers in Thailand back in the late '80s. I worked for the Australian Embassy until they could get the first batch trained to come here and teach. The Bangkok embassy looked beautiful then, all wide open with ponds and greenery. Now it looks like Fort Apache. CUSO are the Canadian vols, VSO the Brits and the Germans had some vols here too in the '70s and '80s. It was always tough to get Thailand, since every volunteer wanted to be here!

 

[Old Hippie]

True points, but in some cases, like poverty and lack of medical care, the USA is in bad shape. And, as I said, since some seem to hate us "sticking our noses in" then I think we need to keep our noses out.

[kamui]

The USA are a very rich and an extremely productive country. That your country for example was not able to rebuild New Orleans yet (or just clearing out the destroyed quarters) or give medicaid to all your fellow countrymen is a structural problem not of having not enough money.

 

Also, it's not the problem of sticking the nose in, but how and for what reason. A lot of help is not meant as help actually, and even the "good samaritans" can make things even worse.

 

Here in Europe, especially in Italy and Spain, we learn currently what happens if we do not help to improve the living conditions of the poorest countries in Africa: these people try every means to go Europe for to work and live as illegals, which is causing a lot of problems.

 

BUT: the problem behind this story is: while we send money (often not that helpful) and people to Africa to improve the quality of living, the European Union is banning many African products from entering the EU market (especially agricultural products).

 

And I can give an even more disgusting example: Some African countries (the corrupt elite that is) sold their fishing rights to foreign (including European) fishing companies, whose trawlers are now depleting the fishing grounds of the locals. These local fishermen are the first who try to go in their small wooden boats to Spain and Italy.

 

On one side some very concerned groups really try to help to improve the living conditions in Africa, while on the other hand the EU lawmakers and lobbyists, the EU farmers and the local and multinational companies _and_ the African elites are f*ucking the people.

 

That's the problem with helping others: It might not help at all or make things even worse. But, not helping at all might us (the Western countries) in the not so far future.

 

By the way, China is happy to fill in in every country the West abandons - as long the country has raw materials or other stuff of interest.

[Bangkoktraveler]

[color:red]"Now it looks like Fort Apache."[/color]

 

I have used this expression many times myself until I visited Fort Apache. Fort Apache always looked like a small village. No fortified walls. thats righ, no walls surrounding the fort. If you didn't know it was a fort, you would think it was a vilage.

[Bangkoktraveler]

The Bible says you should greet one another with a holly kiss. Has anybody went up and given one of these guys a kiss?

[Old Hippie]

That would be gay...which would offend them...hmmm...good idea!