Tuesday, October 20, 2009

What do you think about localism in charity?

Please share your honest heartfelt thoughts... I really want to know.


What do you think about this type of statement?

With the way the economy is now we need to focus all of our charity and giving in our local area first. I am sick and tired of hearing about all of these celebrities giving away money to foreign countries and adopting kids from other countries. What about the United States?


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What about this one?

Poverty in America is a choice. There are so many choices a person has here people are just too lazy to work that is why they are poor. 80 percent of the world does not even have running water or electricity people in the United States are spoiled and they should give to other countries less fortunate.

16 comments:

  1. As to the first statement, those people are just showing off. Madonna can go to foreign countries to adopt kids and then I hear something on the news about her getting sued by her neighbor in NY for being disrespectful and playing music too loud. Must be lots of glory in saving the children but not so much in being decent to your neighbors.

    The second statement misses the real point. I would like to know just how much improvement all this modernization has done in the long run. It is too bad people had to go messing around with "primitive" peoples. Of course, somebody had to go see what they had in their back yard.

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  2. I think that the way people choose to spend their money (and hence pick their charities) is their own business and should not be judged or scrutinized. The people judging and/or scrutinizing should put all of that extra energy in supporting a cause that is dear to them and put their money (or time) where their mouth is.

    Great discussion.

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  3. I think there is a little bit of truth in both statements.

    - I do think that we should help ourselves first. But then again, I can't tell people how to donate their money. I don't like to tell people how to spend it.

    I also think that a small percentage of celebrities give without some accolades. These days, it's like charity is used as some sort of marketing device to get people to donate to your business.

    Donating abroad is the new hip thing nowadays, and I think few are doing it for sincere reasons.

    As for the second saying, so many people are in bad positions due to poor choices they've made. If you're gonna live somewhere, this country is the best in my opinion for opportunity to make a better life.

    I believe a lot of people would be better off if they learned better financial planning habits. Of course, not all, but most.

    I know that is a bold statement, but in the end we are all responsible for ourselves and our actions.

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  4. but other countries are not like U.S.A

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  5. U.S.A is 100 times better then other under developing countries

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  6. Thank you for your responces. These are very well articulated viewpoints.

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  7. I personally believe it should be local first. There are people in our country right now who were made homeless by the economy. BUT I think that the money should go toward programs that better these people, rather than just throwing money at them. We should be helping them to find a job, getting them into treatment (those who are alcoholics, etc.), helping ONLY those who are willing to help themselves. That's just my take on it, though.

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  8. I think we have to look after ouselves before we can help others. Having said that, we are so greedy in North America and expect WAY more than we need. I have a friend who grew up in ethiopia and he is often amazed at how we are so depressed and have so much...yet back home people have so little but the share and largely are happy.
    If we were happy with less and willing to work for it we would be a lot more level nation. We are raising a generation with no work ethic or ability to deal with adversity. I'm not saying we need another great depression or plague...we jsut have to get our culture back to normal. If we looked after each other and ourselves I think we'd be a lot further along. We'd be able to share instead of hoarding it all for ourselves.

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  9. I agree with both. if thats possible. I think we need to fix our own problems here in the states first, but it doesnt mean we shouldnt help others as well. It's possible to do both.

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  10. I have really enjoyed reading the answers to these points of view. I knew when I posted it that it might require a bit of thinking so I was not sure of the responces I would get.

    Thank you again everyone for sharing your viewpoints.

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  11. I honestly don't know what to say about that one. It's their money who am I to say what to do with it...
    We all bleed that same blood

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  12. I feel that it is very noble to help others in foreign countries. At the same, we cannot turn a blind eye to problems in our own backyard. There should be a happy medium.

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  13. I think that people spend too much time focusing on what others are or are not doing and not enough time focusing on what they themselves can do. If a celebrity adopts a child from another country and gives them a hopefully good life, then great! Since people follow celebrities so closely, that person probably made charity "that much cooler". My hope is that we can all look at what we have and what we can do, and then do something with our skills and possessions. I used to spend so much time looking at others, wondering what they were doing them and judging them for not doing more. I made excuses for my lack of charity because I was poor myself. God finally gave me the vision that I can do something with what I have, now!

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  14. As always, there are some great quetsions here. I am seeing more and more local charities expecting money to be directed towards local causes. I just added my thoughts about this post, about your blog, and about "localism" on my blog:www.businessthatcares.blogspot.com.

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