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Peter Frank Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 03:13 PM
Original message
U.S. donations after earthquake way below tsunami...
By Alan Elsner

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Americans' charitable donations to victims of last month's earthquake in Pakistan are a tiny fraction of the $1.5 billion they gave after December's Asian tsunami but charity officials say it is more a matter of timing than a lack of compassion.

So far, donations to earthquake victims total $43 million, according to figures compiled by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.<snip>

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N09462364.htm
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blm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 03:19 PM
Response to Original message
1. I really think the working class is getting too strapped to help further.
There are too many living week to week and fearful for their families.

With the economy set up to benefit the wealthiest, it can only get worse for everyone else all around the world who suffer the consequences.
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ThoughtCriminal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 03:21 PM
Response to Original message
2. Disaster fatigue
And yes, every month many Americans are a little more broke.
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central scrutinizer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 03:28 PM
Response to Original message
3. tapped out
I gave $200 for tsunami relief, then $500 more for Katrina and am now tapped out.
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Angry Girl Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 03:29 PM
Response to Original message
4. Check out the DU Quake Donation thread here:
These people, over 3.5 million homeless (!), will freeze to death in the upcoming Himalayan winter (reported to be particularly harsh this year). A huge number of these folks don't even have TENTS!

Pneumonia is already spreading among the children and there are STILL remote villages that haven't been accessed since the earthquake!

It's a matter of weeks before the snows are here. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

PLEASE consider donating. Even ONE DOLLAR may save a life.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5251724&mesg_id=5251724
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bluestateguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 03:38 PM
Response to Original message
5. That's unfortunate, but I'm tapped out
I donated for the tsunami and $50 for the hurricane. Private donations are great, but governments are where the real money is, and that's where most of the relief money comes from. We should be looking to governments to provide most of the assistance.
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alkaline9 Donating Member (586 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 03:58 PM
Response to Original message
6. IMHO Americans don't like Pakistanis since 9/11
I think this may be one reason our country has not contributed as much. Obviously the other reasons would be our struggling economy as well as disasters at home that still haven't been cleaned up.

But seriously, does anyone else feel that there is maybe some unjust animosity toward Pakistan from their lack of support for our Iraq and Afghanistan invasions?
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Brundle_Fly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 08:05 PM
Response to Reply #6
11. yep. the secret much bigger problem.
I think we'd be the same for any of the " - stans"

sad.

although disaster fatigue is for sure in the mix.
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uppityperson Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 08:43 PM
Response to Reply #6
13. I think it is disaster fatigue
Too many too much too little money/emotional energy left.
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cosmicone Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 05:56 PM
Response to Original message
7. I won't give a dime to Pakistan's EQ relief
unless Pakistan stops purchase of expensive military hardware and cuts its defense spending to pay for the relief.

It is sheer hypocrisy that they have money to buy 75 F-16 fighter jets that they don't need and have the audacity to make noise with their begging bowl.
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fbahrami Donating Member (154 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 06:39 PM
Response to Reply #7
9. who is 'they'
Please consider that those buying the jets and those suffering from the earthquake are two different sets of people :-(

I'm sure most Pakistani's wouldn't consider jet-buyin' "President" Musharraf their elected representative.
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cosmicone Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 08:27 PM
Response to Reply #9
12. Yes, you have a point, but
any "aid" you give has to go through Musharraf's hands. There is no guarantee it will be spent for EQ relief.
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gratuitous Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 06:00 PM
Response to Original message
8. "A matter of timing"
Well, I'd have to agree with that. The American people have had to endure another eight months of Chimpy's misadministration and feverish transfer of wealth from the middle and lower class to the wealthiest Americans. Back in December 2004, some people might have had some money to spare. Forward to November 2005, and the cupboard's been picked pretty clean for a lot of families.

Maybe Tom DeLay could break loose a few shekels from his massive defense fund? After all, it can't be all that expensive to fight off "baseless allegations," can it?
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jwirr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 08:01 PM
Response to Original message
10. I think two things contribute to this. First, many of us who
would donate are feeling the bushie economy blues - we are broke. Secondly, sad to say but there have been so many terrible events in the last year that we are "numb". We are feeling helpless.
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Media_Lies_Daily Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-09-05 10:57 PM
Response to Original message
14. No damn wonder! We're tapped out trying to help everybody!
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