AMERICANS STILL GENEROUS; AMERICA INCREASINGLY LESS SO

[jbfam4]

AMERICANS STILL GENEROUS; AMERICA INCREASINGLY LESS SO
By Georgie Anne Geyer

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2205&ncid=2215&e=1&u=/ucgg/20041231/cm_ucgg/americansstillgenerousamericaincreasinglylessso

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- It was a little like asking the man you love whether he loves you, and finally he says he does -- only 72 hours after the question is raised! That, at least, is how President Bush (news - web sites)'s -- and thus in the eyes of the world, America's -- response to the devastating tsunami losses in Southeast Asia struck me. While tens of thousands of innocent human beings were perishing in preternaturally boiling seas, the president was busy sawing logs and cutting brush on vacation in Crawford, Texas. Only three days after the onslaught, now dressed in a formal suit, did he give a press conference regretting the tragedy.

First of all, it is true, as the president said, that the United States, including individuals and organizations, has for many years been the major donor to humanitarian disasters in the world; in fact, its donations were, last year, an impressive 40 percent of the world's, or some $2.4 billion in food, cash and humanitarian relief. But it is also true that the initial American offering this week of $15 million for tsunami victims, not incidentally most of them Muslim, was rightly considered ludicrous by a world critical of humongous American investments in Iraq (news - web sites).


Just before Christmas, for instance, the Bush administration reduced its contributions to global food aid programs aimed at helping millions of people climb out of poverty. Charities such as Save the Children and Catholic Relief Services have had to eliminate self-help programs where U.S. government funds were promised. At the same time, our scientific research monies are down, foreign students are going elsewhere, and American embassies have become isolated and uncommunicating fortresses across the world.

Americans are tremendously generous people, as we saw when, immediately after the tsunami and not days later, millions of private dollars flowed to private humanitarian groups. This spirit, thank God, still thrives. But the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, who spoke of laying the basis for the "thousandth and thousandth generation" of Americans -- and others -- barely exists in our government today. That can and must be changed.

[PATRICK]

1. People are generous.

America has no people government. Simple. But really, when will they declare "L'Amerique? C'est Le Bush"? I hate it when communal entities are
identified almost equally with idiot leaders. The Church is not your bishop or priest or Pope. America is not the Prez. But if you sit back and let them bungle the whole ballgame we all lose because of them.

[toymachines]

2. god, youthink bush will someday to something right

i cant think of a real time when i have looked at bush and thought, "this guy might actually do some good" never have i even seen an attempt to unite the country with acts of good faith. that manchild really pisses me off.

[puddycat]

3. if Americans really were generous there would be no poverty in America

and there would be health care for all, no homelessness, etc.

For a nation which is arrogantly marching around the world, waving its flag, beating its chest and forever touting its own values, our nation has a shameful record of treatment of the underclass within its own borders.