Should we Give Aid?

[Warrior of Light]

I think I see your point Riku. When a person is suffering it is often hard for them to worry about someone else since their own problems take up enough of their time and money. That's only natural. A person should try to help themselves first and then do what they can for another. I can tell you that by neglecting onself in favor of someone else helps no one. "Physican heal thyself" as they say.

But once a person is in good standing (financially, emotionally, etc.) I see no reason not to invest time, money and effort to someone else in need. When I was poor I didn't donate money because I didn't have enough to keep me going let alone to give away. But now that I'm a decent financial position I'm giving away what I can. I think it's the duty of those that more fortunate than others to assist anyone who was just damn unlucky to be born poor or fall on hard times.

Who knows...maybe one of these days one of us will be depending on the generosity of someone else...

 

[Davey Gaga]

No, I do see the point that Ghis brought up and Riku is elaborating on. Developed countries often send aid to other countries when their own citizens are suffering. In Canada there is a twenty precent child poverty rate--to me, that's absurd. We are one of the richer countries in the world and every fifth kid is going to school on an empty stomach and without proper clothing. We need to donate both to the outisde world and closer to home. Donations in general need to go up significantly or every time you take a breath some will die of a preventable cause (lack of food, lack of clean drinking water, lack of medicine, etc.).

There was a shocking statistic on Television just the other day: exactly 30% of Scottish families have to choose each week between giving their children food, or giving them clothes. I was absolutely taken aback by this, but then, looking at some ... less well-off areas, I can believe it to be true. I'd much prefer to give aid to these people, rather than some random person 5000 miles away. It also annoys me that, whenever something Global happens, i.e War, Poverty etc, Britain and America are always right in there. Our Government should be focusing on problems at home, nevermind problems foreign to us. Lmao, don't get me started on the British Government, I'll be here all day!

 

[Sephire]

I do believe in giving aid to the people who need it, but I have different thoughts on what kind of aid should be given.

Take third world countries for example. I would never chuck a load of money at them to cure there problems. I wouldn't, also, do everything for them either. It would be dangerous to let them become dependant on the more richer countries. I believe in not giving them money. but providing them with the things they can not afford. If you just give money, you don't know what they'd do with it. By giving them money you could heighten their use of drugs if they take them, encourage more crime on the streets...etc [I'm not saying this is what happens, it's just a possibility].

I believe more in funding projects. For example say, in a third world country, homes were needed to be built. I wouldn't give them the money for it, but buy them the materials so they can build them themselves. [Money therefore doesn't need to be spent on machinery and so the homeless could get more]. By providing them the materials and allowing them to build homes themselves would be more satisfactory IMO. You would know exactly where you're money is going and also, you'd be heightening the community spirit. The would be required to work as a team and you have to admit, it's a nice feeling when you see people getting along and working together, no?

As for beggars on the streets. Like Riku mentioned, it wouldn't be wise to help them out. Don't get me wrong, it -is- sad to see those people in shop doorways but, a lot of them got on the streets due to themselves :/. Why provide money for them to go and buy a cigarette? You have no idea where your money is going once it's handed over. That's why I never throw lose change into the hats you see, because it could just make them worse off.