PeteBrant

I already give to a few charities on a monthly basis - One of which will doubtless be sending aid to Burma, so already got that one covered, thanks. Although I suspect somewhat more will be required. Thankfully Brown is pledging help, so looks like we are all giving anyway

Lydia72

Our family knew two. When one of them finally arrived home his wife took one look at him and ran away screaming.
1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma was a guest at my parents house.
A customer who used to come into my shop lost his brother there, bayonetted while a P.O.W.
Holders of the Burma Star perhaps?

I guess to them it certainly exists.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

Well said Sal. That came from the heart.

Suresh

Ah, so despite cheerily volunteering that everyone contributes as much as possible via taxation, you're not actually going to give as much as you can yourself. Thought not. Neither am I.

It appears the military leadership didn't issue a warning of the impending storm that could have saved the lives of their own people. ASEAN is the only forum that could bring pressure on the junta to reform, but chooses not to do so. Let ASEAN deal with it then.

If that makes me a heartless bastid, then so be it.

PeteBrant

You have absolutely no idea what I do or don't give to charity, so you are in no position at all to comment wheter it is as much as I can afford or not.

I said we should send as much as possible - As it is we have pledged £5Million. At a mammoth cost to the tax payer of around 9 pence each.

I'm sure we will all manage to somehow scrape by.

Deal with what? Overthrowing the junta? Or the Disaster recovery from the Cyclone?

Maz

iTrader: (34)

That is not the fault of those afflicted by the storm though. The majority of military juntas care very little for human life and have no compassion, that does not mean you have to share their callousness. Ultimately it is those most in need who will suffer.

unclebuck

We pledged? Who is this we?? And just who's money have they pledged? Not theirs... lol

I knew this would happen.

How much did the Burmese contribute to Hull and Cleltenham last summer when they were innundated by floods? Did you know there are still families now who are unable to move back into their houses and have to live in caravans on their driveways? Some didn't even have insurance to cover the damage caused by that natural disaster. £5Million could go a long way to helping them in their plight and yet they get nothing. I wonder how they feel watching the news tonight?

PeteBrant

We - You, me, every taxer payer in the country.

Of course the Government spent £14 million on those affected by the floods.

I wonder why countries like Burma don't contribute to the UK when we have a disaster? (Disaster on a relative scale of course, I don't remember 22,000 people dying during those floods, and in fact, any comparison between the two is pretty distasteful).

It could be because that they living under regieme of a military junta, so, without belittling the plight of those affected by last years flood, the fact that some people in the UK aren't able to live in thier homes, and instead have to live in temporary accomodation is probably not on the top of thier list of priorities.

Or, perhaps it could be that the UK is the 5th richest country on the planet with a 2.7 trillion dollar economy, and Burma is the 105th Richest.

It would be like me helping out Richard Branson with the repair cost of his Private Jet.

I cannot quite beleive that people would actually be against sending aid to Burma, it is pretty much beynd my comprehension.

Suresh

Well is it? Is your scoob more important to you than human life? Sell it and give. I know you want to. Hypocrites really get on my **** in case you couldn't tell. IMHO ASEAN can and should take care of both the immediate needs and in the longer term also the political issues they have been conveniently ignoring.


Maz, I'm saying those that support / tolerate the junta can deal with the short and longer term problems there. I am genuinely not interested. Its not nice, I know, but there you have it. Thankfully the Dutch Govt have only pledged a tiny amount of taxpayers (my) money so far.

Martin2005

This just bullsiht of the high and most appalling nature.

I don't remember 20,000 people dying in Hull, or scores of thousand homeless.

If people are still suffering the after effects of the floods in this country then the government should bloody well sort that out too, but I suspect you'd be one of the first to start the usual bullsiht whining about spending 'your' tax money

This has got absolutely *** all to do with whether the military government in Burma gave money to us, this is about people who are in desparate need of emergency aid.

Is SN sinking to new depths?

Suresh

No that's the "looting the Rolex from a corpse" thread

PeteBrant

It's not hypocritical at all. I give what I feel comfortable giving. Were the Government pledging several hundreds of billions of pounds, and I said I agreed with it, *then* it would be hypocritical for me not to sell all my worldy possesions and give that up.

Surely the short term problem of 22,000 people dead and absolute devastation overrides any long term political targets.

Suresh

I'm sure ASEAN are aware of this and will intervene immediately to help.

unclebuck

Ok then. Let's give 5million to a military junta. How much will get through to where it's required? It'll be spent on fancy cars and more weapons, as always.

By Blair's (NuLabour's) logic surely we should be raining down cruise missiles and laser guided bombs on them to remove the evil dictatorship and effect 'regime change', not showering them with aid. Ah but of course they have nothing we want.

Let's just pledge some of other people's money to ease 'our' collective PC consciences instead.

Martin2005

This is just more 'do nothing it's not my problem' rubbish

What has this tragedy and the people caught up in it got to do the political turmoil there?

What has the war in iraq got to do with giving emergency aid?

This isn't about easing anyone conscience, why should it be, it's no one fault, it's about trying to save as many lives and help as many of the victims as we, and the rest of the international community can

You have a fairly strange and depressing view of the world

Suresh

Like I said to the other leftie chap, why not give everything you can then, rather than dictating that others must do so collectively instead. Don't tell me your scoob is more important than saving lives too? . You choose not to of course because finally your comforts are more important than the lives of total strangers too, aren't they? BTW I do quite a bit for worthy causes in total, but I'm sitting this one out.

Martin2005

Firstly I'm no lefty! Although of course all things are relative

Secondly we have a government that collects taxes (a lot from me for one). I expect my government to do the right things.

Your arguement is just a smokescreen, for doing nothing

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I forgot you guys have had many revolutions!

Revolutions include dying!

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

That is good for all the unemployment and social issues in the UK!

Like Europe is doing so well!

Oh I forgot, they have just found a **** load of oil in Myanmar (BTW)!!!

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

That Burma thing is getting up a lot of peeps noses, it should'nt.
It is a bit hypocritical saying that everyone cares about everyone, and especially in those "3rd World" places.
If you really want to care about tragedies, it should start in your own countries...........

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

If people did not watch as much Skynews and CNN they would not get as over-excited as they do.

I dont see threads and cries of injustice when it comes to the massive influx of illegal immigrants who boat across the "pond" to the canaries or the south of spain and die by the THOUSANDS each year!

Or that there are millions of ppl dying of Malaria, AIDS and civil war in Africa, and these places are on our doorstep practically!

Not mention Darfur where Browny & co (before him) did **** all!

Cant be arsed to put up with all the agro from ppl saying I am cold and dont care, you dont know me so......................

PeteBrant

Yeah - Helping out international disaster is pretty far out to the left. I see that other PC looney, George W Bush has said that under condition he will give $3 million and the help of the US Navy. He'll be condoning Gay marriage next.

Well, in relative terms, it is a bit. I mean, the £50 billion the BoE pumped into the banking system the other week is almost 10 times the GDP of Burma.

Sure. Just point to the recent Natural Disaster in the UK that cost at least 22,000 lives that I can help out with.

Martin2005

Did we touch a nerve?

As for most of the things you mention, well obviously you haven't been reading the various threads relating to them, because people do care (at least some of us anyway)

unclebuck

If they're already dead they don't need any handouts....

My argument is not about numbers anyway - it's about principles - remember those? I forgot - the Left don't have any. They merely strive to make themselves look good....

PeteBrant

Nice
Principles? What, like: "We'd love to help you out, Burma, I mean as the 5th richest nation on Earth, we aren't exactly short of a few bob, and what with you having a GDP of less that it's going to cost us to host the Olympics, you can sure do with some cash to help out those countless thousands that have lost families, homes, and need help wth food and not dying of the inevitable spread of disease that usually follows such a disaster, but it's the principle of the matter y'see"

Nah, I don't ever remember having principles like that.

PeteBrant

Give me morals over principles any day of the week

unclebuck

Really? Try telling that to the cash strapped person who can't get credit and who's mortgage repayments are about to increase by X% Along with all the tax hikes, increased fuel and food costs, who is struggling to bring up a family and put their kids through school/higher education.

Try telling them that..... and see how you fare.....

unclebuck

Morality is always branded by the left as an excuse. We hear that from Gordon Brown daily.

His 'moral compass' points only in the direction of his own vanity. (not unlike some others)

David Lock

I don't think that's a very nice thing to say in the circumstances. Is it supposed to be a witty reposte with suitable smiley or do you just care so little about the tragedy that is happening right now? dl

PeteBrant

(i)What impact do you think that £5 million would have on any of those "struggles"? (and again, I use the word comparatively)

Bear in mind when responding, that £5million represents 9 pence for every man woman and child in the country. Not 9 pence per week, or per day. But just a single solitary 9 pence.

Just what difference do you think that will make?

(ii)As genuine as peoples problems are in this country, does it not seem decidedly wrong to you to compare the trials an tribulations of day to day life in the UK with that of those people affected by the cyclone in Burma?