kbordson 8 #51 February 5, 2006 Necessity is whatever it takes to make your life meaningful and happy. It is a selfish word because life is selfish. I live. It's my life. I am. Those are all selfish concepts but so vital to the experience of life. individuals have an inalienable right to pursue their own happiness based on their own values and they must be free to pursue their own self-interest as they choose. Under this code, people have no obligations to each other beyond that to respect the freedom and rights of other self-interested people. IF part of someones happiness includes helping the less fortunate, then they are invited to contribute as appropiate.... but it should not be a demand nor should they be coerced into charity with guilt. I truly resent the pictures that were displayed on several levels. 1. I did not concieve those poor children.... in fact, I have not concieved any children. Why should I be held to cover the choices that their parents have made? I would not expect others to pay for the children that I might someday concieve. 2. Additionally I feel that taking the pictures of them for the sake of guilting people is wrong too. Do these souls know that you are using their image for generating pity? 3. Contrasting human suffering to any type of luxury item is wrong... as stated above, look at your rig or eating at McDonalds or whatever you choose to spend your money on. Just because you don't value whatever vehicle that is doesn't mean that someone else shouldn't. And even what you value isn't worth the cost of pain any more that those rims are. I am saddened by the lives that those children have in front of them... but my hand did not in anyway force their existance. I will assist as I can (and do... how many others have donated 8 gallons- yes, gallons- of blood, donated hair on 4 seperate occasions -that's 8yrs of growth-, gone on two medical missions at my expense taking meds to give from part of my financing, sponsored and raised children that aren't by their blood) But to self-rightously post those two images as if you are so much better than those who might own that vehicle is just wrong. I have to ask ... what have you done for the smallest one on the right? "I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine." Ayn Rand '57 Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #52 February 6, 2006 QuoteAnyting to add? Yes, I would add an "h" to "anyting". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
benforde 0 #53 February 6, 2006 *making a note of this* Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #54 February 6, 2006 QuoteQuoteAnyting to add? Yes, I would add an "h" to "anyting". That's the funniest thing I have seen all day! Rock on, John! --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #55 February 6, 2006 QuoteAnyting to add? Yea, how much did you pay for your rig? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #56 February 6, 2006 Quotewe are all selfish No, not everyone is selfish. Americans are extremely generous. Just because someone may drive a large automobile, doesn't mean that they don't also contribute handsomely to charity. A large part of the problem is the greed and selfishness of those in power in the places where the aid is needed. We saw that in Somalia, where the warlords confiscated all the aid, and used it for their cronies. We saw it in Palestine, where Yassar took free concrete intended to build homes for his people and instead sold it for profit to line his own pockets. We saw it after the tsunami, where our goods were taken, we were told to get the hell out, and then the goods were never distributed properly. And we're seeing it again in places like Rwanda, right now. And if Americans go there personally to manage the aid and see that it gets to the right people, they are often kidnapped and murdered. No, you can't blame world poverty on wealthy Americans. We are amongst the most generous nations on earth, and we do more than most. If you want to solve poverty, you need to work on the people who are running those nations and keeping their people that way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #57 February 6, 2006 A-fucking-men, JohnRich. And I would add that of all the people in the world, it behooves those who live in such countries, more than anyone else to step up to the challenge of removing their oppressive, abusive, greedy, thieving "leaders." Why should it be more the responsibilty of Americans to remove the corrupt leaders of these countries than it is the responsibility of the people who suffer under them? Should WE care to do the job if THEY don't care? --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cloudseeker2001 0 #58 February 7, 2006 We, as a society, work very hard and very smart to be able to produce and purchase such luxuries. I have been to 3rd world countries and I have seen starving natives...............it really does not bother me to be at the top of the food chain. "Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance, others mean and rueful of the western dream" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #59 February 7, 2006 /note: I edited this post to align the tone more accurately with how I actually feel. Driving a vehicle that gets 10mpg because it has shiny wheels, airlifting food into a country because it has starving children, and drinking beer are all short-sighted and superficial practices people use to make themselves feel better. I choose the latter because it's the most cost-effective of the three. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #60 February 7, 2006 QuoteWe, as a society, work very hard and very smart to be able to produce and purchase such luxuries. And the very fact that we are so wealthy as a country and can afford such luxuries, is also the same reason why we can afford to be so generous towards charity and to the rest of the world. You can't have the latter, without the former."You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong." "You cannot help small men by tearing down big men." "You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich." - Abe LincolnAs Americans, we haven't got a single thing to feel guilty about when it comes to helping the needy elsewhere in the world. In fact, we should be quite proud of our record in that regard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #61 February 7, 2006 QuoteAnyting to add? If you choose to reproduce when you cannot procure sufficient food for your children they're going to starve. If you choose to drive a truck you're going to spend more on gasoline and have a harder time parking than if you used a smaller car. Obviously, buying the SUV hurts fewer people and is the lesser evil. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #62 February 8, 2006 QuoteQuoteAnyting to add? If you choose to reproduce when you cannot procure sufficient food for your children they're going to starve. I got condemned for pointing that out and saying that I feel it's wrong! I was told I was culturally insensitive! --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
