Posted on 12/28/2004 4:11:38 PM PST by Howlin
Earlier today, responding to these remarks by the UN's Jan Egeland
But U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland suggested that the United States and other Western nations were being "stingy" with relief funds, saying there would be more available if taxes were raised.
"It is beyond me why are we so stingy, really," the Norwegian-born U.N. official told reporters. "Christmastime should remind many Western countries at least, [of] how rich we have become."
"There are several donors who are less generous than before in a growing world economy," he said, adding that politicians in the United States and Europe "believe that they are really burdening the taxpayers too much, and the taxpayers want to give less. It's not true. They want to give more."
I sent this email to Jan Egeland
You seem to be under the impression that the ONLY way that individuals can donate money to charities and disasters is if the government TAKES the money from them in the form of taxes and gives it to YOU.
Leaving aside the fact that the UN is the last place I want MY government to give money (see Oil for Food scandal), we don't need to be taxed into giving. The United States is a generous country and we WILL give a lot of money to this cause; we're just not going to give it to YOU to spend as you see fit.
The people who really need and deserve the money will get it, without you having the opportunity to cut your slice off of it.
Howlin @ FR
Raleigh, NC
P.S. Forget about a UN and/or world tax; it's not going to happen.
That's right- George Soros spent more to try to remove Bush from office than Norway gave to help people out in a natural disaster. The UN should go panhandle at Soros' door.
Saddam's killed at minimum 300,000 people, and some estimates put the figure at over 2 1/2 million. Even the tsunami's count isn't close to the minimum Baath Party total yet.
I guess I'm comparing oranges to apples. Saddam's and sons' disasters could be stopped. Natural disasters more often than not can't be stopped.
Well done Howlin!
Thanks, Lib!
No, you made an excellent point- I was just updating you a bit. The 300,000 figure is actually old, too- they've found a lot more gravesites in the years since they came out with that figure.
Wowser--great stuff! It was as fun to read as it had to be for you to write! I am fairly sure the Norwegian has 3-4 English interpreters on staff to research your great colloquialisms, sir. [snicker ;o)]
Thanks, Howlin! Way to go!Bump to come back and read the various emails.
Ping to a few other folks .....
I wondered about that, too.
gave mr Egeland a piece of my thoughts, suggested he visit mrs Arafat and all the crooked Russian, French, German and UN officials for contributions.
Fantastic!
I am being nice. My duty as a fellow human being is to donate my resources to the benefit of those devastated by the recent natural disaster. However my duty is also as a citizen of the state of North Carolina, which includes holding the national government accountable when it spends taxpayer dollars. Or do conservatives now throw limited government and the letter of the law out the window when it suits the government's need to be 'compassionate'(at the expense of the taxpayers mind you..)? Writing a letter to an organization that we shouldn't belong to in the first place is admirable I suppose. However, those that we do cast votes for should be held accountable for their actions and decisions first
May asked where the heck was the UN, since that org could've helped put in place a tsunami warning system. The UN, according to May, pays for someone to check the snow pack for Alpine resorts, but has done nothing to help out SE Asia in terms of the dangers from tsunamis.
Now, I've never heard this one. Does the UN really pay to have someone monitor the snowpack for ritzy European ski resorts?!
Perfectly stated email and response to Egeland's reply, Howlin! Thanks for posting.
Then you must have seen Charles Krauthammer sharpen her toenails and drive her into the ground. Never saw a woman blush on TV like Connely did.
E-mails become letters to the editor. Letters to the editor become Opinion Columns. Yes, it does feel good.
Good job.
My $$$ will go to the Salvation Army...that is, what the governments don't steal from me.
Ceci is a moron, but I believe the moron you are referring to is moron Nancy Skinner. Man, she was on a moronic tear on Hannity & Colmes last night.
Dear Sirs
In light of your comments the other day in regs' to America being stingy, I have one thing to say to you.
Where is the UN? Busy monitoring ski slopes in the Alps? Or are you still looking for all that Oil for Food money you all have stolen and lined your pockets with?
My advice to you is, Get out of our country. We dont want you or your whining back handed stabbing cohorts. The sooner you get out the better.
Lynn
FR
An American and proud of it!
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