To Whom It May Concern:

It's amazing how pettiness can creep into the picture so soon after a catastrophe of this magnitude has occurred.

The UN is pointing fingers at the US. The US is turning around and saying we have given more than any other country. Other countries say per capita they have given as much if not more than the US. As of this date, the US has given $35 million, the UK only $100,000. Other countries have given a few million each, while others have only given a few hundred thousand. Someone has to say it: pointing fingers will get us nowhere. Everyone looks at the US like we're supposed to help every country out that has a natural disaster on a large scale. We did it with Ethiopia, and we did it with the recent Iranian earthquake (putting our political differences aside). We never ask for international aid when we have disasters in our own country (earthquakes and hurricanes come to mind). And yet when we give $35 million in the first 2 days to help the Tsunami victims, apparently that's not enough. We're the 'mighty' US that is supposedly the richest country in the world. Apparently we owe it to the lesser fortunate countries to give all we can in times of need. Well, that's actually true. It's not enough. But not all of the finger pointing should be directed towards the governments of the world.

I don't want to point fingers at our government, or any other government for that matter. *Everybody* needs to step up and deliver. Governments, corporations, individuals of all economic levels. If 2 of the almost 7 billion people of the world gave a measley $20 each, the relief effort would be fully funded. $20. That's not a lot. All we need to do is cut back on an evening out or a trip to the movies. $20. I have bills, a mortgage, car payments, credit card debt, and I live paycheck to paycheck sometimes. Believe me, I could use $20. But there are people right now who have lost entire generations of families, all of their property, their businesses, and their entire livelihood. They could use the $20 more than I could. I wish everyone in the world could read this letter and realize what I am trying to say. I may not be the most eloquent person in the world, but I think the message speaks for itself. This may seem like just another news story that doesn't affect you, and perhaps you are partially right. After all, what do most of us have to do with Sri Lankans anyway? How does a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean affect us? These are lives, not some meaningless entities. At this moment they say 65,000+ people have died, and I guarantee that number will go over the 100,000 mark in no time at all.

This is not about terrorism. This is not about political conflicts. We have ties w/ India, but lesser relationships with other affected countries like Indonesia. All of that needs to be put aside, by every country, and by every individual.

If we all give a little, it will in turn do wonders for our personal and ideological differences. There are entire areas of the world that despise the US, and other countries such as Great Britain and Spain. People say we don't do enough to help out less fortunate countries, and then some say we meddle too much. It's a classic case of damned if we do, damned if we don't. If we want our governments to do the right thing, we need to lead by example, not the other way around. If individuals and companies start donating serious amounts of money, then governments are sure to follow. Maybe that's like tricking governments into altruism, but in the end does it really matter? In this case, would the ends justify the means?

If this letter falls on deaf ears, so be it. But hopefully the words in it are not just coming from my head, but from the heads of thousands of other concerned citizens of the world. It's time the world grows up and starts to move beyond petty ideological and political differences. None of us are right, and none of us are wrong. We all need to see that. We're all in this together, for better or for worse. Unfortunately it takes a situation like the one that is occurring right now in Southeast Asia to make us realize that. Despite what our governments and leaders (and media) tell us about other countries w/ regards to terrorism, political propaganda, and threats, in the end it all boils down to us all being human beings, plain and simple. Are we going to realize that now, or never? Once the relief work is done, are we going to forget it? In all likelihood, yes. And that's just sad. Because you know it will happen again. It has before, and it will again. Look at how quickly the 'solidarity' after 9/11 crumbled.

Let me just finish up by reiterating what I said above. If anyone reads this, look at yourself before you complain about how 'little' our governments have given to the relief efforts. If we start giving, little by little, dollar by dollar the amount will add up. Governments will take notice, and you can bet they won't want to be shown up. This goes for everyone from a grocery store clerk to Bill Gates. If you can afford to donate any money at all, do it. Those people will appreciate it more than you will ever know. All major news sites have links to charity organizations you can donate money to. Why not donate $20 today and eat dinner at home an extra night this week? Or maybe buy a less expensive bottle of champagne for New Years? It won't affect you much at all, but it will affect the Tsunami victims in ways you can't even imagine. And in turn it could affect our relationship with countries we normally consider “anti-US” or “anti-Western”. It’s situations like this that could give us the opportunity to show what we’re made of as human beings. Not as Christians, or Muslims, or Jews, or members of any other religious group, political affiliation, or sexual preference. This is not about our differences, it’s about our similarities.

Just think about it. That's all I ask.

-Brian Horwitz-

( A good portal page to donate: http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/1 ... index.html )

It truly is just a sad horrible thing that happen over there, there are no words to describe it...

I think $35 million is a bit measly, considering the billions and billions we've spent waging war in Iraq, a war of choice, not necessity. I also find it pathetic that our commander in chief has to wait four days to speak about a human tragedy such as this, preferring to *surprise* continue his vacation in Texas. But that's just me.

I'll be sending my donations today.

$35 million may be measley, but right now it's more than any other country has given. The only way to get them to spend more is to spend some ourselves and show them what we really care about. Hopefully they will get the hint. Write a letter to your local congressman or to the president himself and let them know where our priorities really lie.

I don't want this to turn into a political discussion though. That entirely misses the point of my post.

im going to move this to the N&D forum, i think it will be better off over there

Excellent sentiment, totally right on.

--PunkDavid

i read the whole stingy comment last night and it really solidifies my belief that we should let each and every country out there fend for itself and then see how stingy the US is.

noone's mentioned the fact that the 35 million was all that was left in the budget and how they will have to go to congress to ask for more money to be sent

but we are just greedy i guess

One U.N. guy made the stingy comment. I don't think it's an all-encompassing statement made by the people affected by this. I'm sure they appreciate every penny.

I'm all for letting countries fend for themselves for the most part, however, our foreign policy says otherwise.

I'm sure the last thing on anybody's mind who has been affected by the disaster really gives a shit who gave what or where it's coming from. They need help and they need it now and I'm sure they will be needing it long term.

It's not a contest to see who will give more money, no awards will be given afterwards. Sending aide is the moral thing to do from government and individuals. Just like aide and money came in after 9/11 from all over the world the same will happen with Asia because people are survivors.

What the UN doesn't have the balls to say is, if the US wasn't involved in Iraq there would be more money to spend on things on aide relief.

What did I tell you the day this story broke. There's suddenly a lot of nations that don't hate America.

What's funny is that it's the same snobby Europeans that are criticizing us when we're leading the way with Japan not far behind. Did you know France has given a whopping hundred and forty thousand dollars? The EU as a whole has given a couple million. Yet, we're stingy? On top of the 35 million we also must keep in mind that 40% of the money spent by the UN Disaster Relief Agency is from the US. You're also nuts, just NUTS if you think that 35 million is all that is going to be sent. Then you have to take into account all the private donations given by Americans for this disaster. The total amount of donations from America when this is said and done is gonna be staggering. We're giving immigration amnesty so relatives can return home, and then come back like we did for Hurricane Mitch. On top of it all, we've sent C-130's to drop food and supplies...let's see the rest of the world bone up for once.

35 million may seem small, but a dollar goes a lot farther over there than it does here. It would be very unwise to just box up money and send it over there. We don't even know what the entire situation is. As the the clarity of the situation changes, we'll send more money. Heck, when the first reports came out it was ten thousand and 15 million. Now the death toll is like...77,000 and 35 million.

It never surprises me how quick others are to criticize the US and Bush, just to criticize America and Bush.

what's really cool is it's hard to get onto a website to donate - they're clogged with heavy traffic.

I did manage to get here:

http://www.kintera.org/atf/cf/%7BA54B526F-06CB-4D53-8A37-C33976730CAB%7D/dwb.htm

yay, I got to send them some money.

it feels like so little, but I'll bet when the tallies come in all the "little" donations will add up to a lot.

Just imagine if every American donated just a single dollar.

Just a dollar? cheap cheap cheap I kid.

That's the general idea I was trying to get at. Nobody is expected to give hundreds of dollars. But a few bucks from everyone adds up quickly.

I don't think that money is enough to help mitigate the pending disaster of the aftermath of the tsunami. Human resources will also be necessary. Too bad a lot of those will be tied up in other places.

well written...you got me...Red Cross got my donation

May I email your letter around to others if I delete your name?

I'm glad the president made a heartfelt address this morning, and pledged to do everything we can now and in the aftermath. For that he has my respect, and hopefully at least some good can come from this as far as improving the US image across the globe. Times like these are when Americans can really live up to what this country is supposed to stand for.

Sure, or just leave out my last name if you want.

done...hopefully it will get wide circulation...

Or the $11 BILLION given to Florida to recover from hurricanes. Granted, that is within our country, but come on man..