The Money Rolls In

The money is rolling in from corporations for earthquake relief.  Although there is no way to tell how much individuals have donated, if I gauge from our office, there has been RMB80,000 raised so far.  Not bad for a country not really known for its 'Good Samaritan' feelings. 

Like I said before, I have a real hard time donating right now, without much reassurance to what the money is used for and where its going to.  We have been asking around for places to donate clothing, food, etc., but we are only getting vague addresses and no firm organizations which are making any sort of collections for stuff.  All they want is money...and I'm just not comfortable with that at this moment.

While in HK this weekend, several charities were out on the street canvasing pocket change from passers-by and being quite successful with it.  While in the hotel room, we flipped on CCTV9 for a bit to watch some of their coverage of events and they popped up with a static screen asking for donations (in English) with the bank information and accounts for the government Ministry of Civil Affairs (but their website posts info to the Red Cross of China).  Uhhhh...sure...you want me to give my money to the government??  Why is it that I see some bureaucrat rubbing his sweaty palms together in anticipation of his windfall.

Call me a pessimist.

Comments

[Antonio]

You seem to act like you know a lot about this situation, yet your knowledge of this situation appears rather superficial. When you refer to a country that is not know for its altruism, you are confusing the country with the government. The government is socialist I hope you know, they control everything. You act amazingly arrogant for a man that avoids defty taxes and enjoys the benefits of being a wealthy foreigner in China. You act like you have worked ruthlessly to earn your cash, and deserve every penny, while every desperate chinese child in need for help is not worth half a fen. Making your point that the Chinese only desire money is absolute bullshit. Right from the first day they have set up big collection centres for rice, blankets, and other things. Now since you claim that this money is probably ending up in a fiscal policy or in somebodys pocket please tell me you dont know about all the NGOs that are set up.
You are a fucking disgrace to humanity as you seem to feel that you are of more importance than every single one of these deaths or injuries.
You are not a pessimist. You are simply a shallow troubled old man, who goes home every night blaming the world for what you have not become. You seem to think that the United States is much better, yet the only way you are actually earning a respectable income is by exploiting millions of chinese, and taking advantage of the less developed country you live in. Then when you are asked to donate a minimal amount of your disposable income, you convince yourself that these people do not deserve it more than you and that the government is going to fuck up everything anyways. The worst thing is that this donation would not mean shit to you, it would merely mean a sacrifice of a late nighst chocolate, a beer or EVEN two, or the expenditure of 'depression funds' to your hopeless daughter. You are un-fucking-believable! You, sir, are not a pessimist, you are a shallow malthusist.

[Tai-Tai]

That commenter is a real jerk ...perhaps he is talking about himself. I love how he has to use profanity and has to put you and your family down,it must make him feel like a Big man to puff himself up at someone else's expense.

There is nothing wrong with donating your money to an organization that you know will spend the money on the people who need it and not pocket it for themselves or spend 2/3 of it on administrative costs. This happens in many countries even countries that are not developing. Yes despite what the commenter said your cash is hard earned just like everyone else's and you have the right to spend where and when you want. I find it interesting too how the USA and Americans are always willing to help other countries in there time of crisis but when the USA has a crisis or a disaster other countries are not so quick to help. It is obvious that the American people are a people who care for everyone in the world, yet they are hated by many of those same people that they would and do help.

So Mr. Antonio must be in his own words " a fucking disgrace to humanity "

[Antonio - Ba-Ba]

Get your facts straight woman:
"They knew the U.S. government was turning down many allies' offers of manpower, supplies and expertise worth untold millions of dollars. Eventually the United States also would fail to collect most of the unprecedented outpouring of international cash assistance for Katrina's victims."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/28/AR2007042801113.html

Once again, you ask yourself why the world holds such a poor opinion about the United States. Controversial opinions but no knowledge nor evidence to base this on. Just like George W.'s reign of terror, as he claims it to be the battle AGAINST terror.

My argument was also reflecting that there are enough ways to donate, and not just to spend your money on "the ministry of civil affairs". Therefore, if you were really trying to help the people, and not the government you could have donated rice, or other materials.

Do not give me your pro American save the world shit, because Im not feeling it.

[GZ Expat]

Whoa...Tony...you seem to have an axe to grind. Go take it somewhere else.

I am truly sorry you have so much hate in your system. You've made an incredible amount of assumptions in your statement about my life, knowledge and feelings about the country I live in. Perhaps if you read my initial post, you would better understand where I am coming from. It's people such as yourself that turn me off from donating to any sort of NGO...as the best way to extort money out of one is to shame and insult one into guilt.

In the meantime, I'll leave your vile post up for others to read...and perhaps comment on as well.