He doesn't think comment sections on a blog are a good thing, and before Townhall, he didn't have a comment section. He believes they are a legal minefield - someday, probably soon, a blogger is going to be sued over something left in his comment section.
So he doesn't read them, doesn't reply, doesn't moderate - he deliberately has nothing to do with them.
If you want to ask him a serious question, email him. He reads them and sometimes responds. |
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The billions and billions in aid to Africa, how has it improved the lives of Africans. I read of starvation again in Somalia. Where does all the money go?
Until the regular folks, in China, Burma and Africa obtain basic human rights, truly free markets and ownership of private property, things we fought for and earned in the West, these situations will repeat ad infinitum.
And why does not brother Hugh answer the legit questions asked here? |
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and all other forms of aid in burma. From the politically callous perspective such support is a propaganda coup - one the west would have welcomed the opportunity to perform in china in the '70s. The reason why the junta in Burma is resisting it is political - they know it would destabilize their hold on power.
From a humanitarian standpoint it obviously makes sense. |
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recall Communist China offering aid to "katrina victims"??
I don't see why America must be the worlds "welfare and relief agency"? .....especially, to potential enemies who would destroy us, if given "half the chance".
When is enough phony "foreign aid", enough?
I think it's time that America takes care of America, instead of giving taxpayer aid to every "despot" hellhole in the world.
The "road to Hell is paved with good intentions"!
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The China disaster is really awful, particularly when you consider that almost all of the children were the only child in the family due the national policy. But the problem there is not a shortage of supplies or equipment but the accessability of the area. We could always offer logistic support but my understanding is that the supplies we are distributing there are purchased in China. If there is something we can do that will really help, we should be doing it but they really don't need our money and food.
The Burma thing is really something else. That is essentially genocide by abject neglect. There are some really evil places on this planet. Thank God we all won the genetic lottery to be born here. |
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I agree China could handle this themselves and in regards to the long term they should. This was a big quake, but had this quake happened in Southern California the death toll would have been probably 90% less due to building codes alone. But the need is acute, short term, and focused on keeping people alive. U.S. aid (and we are talking private aid here from individuals and NGOs) does inspire good will, so there is a practical benefit to all of this. I will give Hugh the benefit of doubt on this one and trust this is a reliable NGO in China. There are plenty of charities we should be giving to at home, but throwing a few bucks that might actually save lives makes sense. We also have to assume the ChiComs may not always be in power. China could change in decades to come. China is not an enemy any more, as much a very agressive competitor. We need to start thinking long term in dealing with them.
Frankly where most immediate aid is needed is Burma. Hundreds of thousands will likely die due to criminal neglect. But with the Junta stealing aid, sending any aid there is only strengthening the Junta and making things worse. Since there is no motivation by the UN and others to intervene--there is nothing we can really do. |
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I do not disagree with you.
Africa's poverty stems from decades of systemic corruption and kleptocracy that has stimed any attempt by locals to get ahead. South Africa used to be the exception, but it seems intent on going down the road of Mugabe-lite. With a few exceptions, those with talent in Africa leave.
Paul Theroux (my favorite travel writer next to P.J. O'Rourke) did a few years in the Peace Corps in Malawi. Going back years later he decided all the Peace Corps did was make things worse (by giving opportuntity to people trained to leave Africa that much quicker).
I got a first edition of The Ugly American last year (found it in a bargin bin). It is dated and the prose style awkward, but the underlying themes of smart aid verses stupid aid are just as timely now as they were when that book was written. Now that was about government aid and applying it in a careful way to promote the U.S. self interest (and how more often than not State Department personnel are stupid and compromised)--but those themes work for any aid relief.
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Not all charitable organizations are effective. There is a theological school (I won't name it) a block from my office that spawns many ministries that cater to Africa. I have to deal with endless students who are raising funds to sponsor yet another team of volunteers to teach Africans how to make bricks. Humans have been making bricks for thousands of years. We have been sending missionaries to teach Africans to make bricks and other things for hundreds of years. Waste of money. Good intentions is not a good enough reason donate money. Do something worthwhile. I have a very difficult time donating my money to help a country whose trillion$ of national savings end up in a sovereign hedge fund rather than distributed among the population as it is in free countries like ours. China can handle this, believe me. |
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You are helping a Christian charity in China. I suspect the aid will get through because of the Olympics. I agree with your caution, but the truth is aid did help eventually in Ethiopia and Nigeria. You just have to be sure of who you are giving the aid to. The short term need is great.
I am not going to give to the Burmese junta becasue there is no transparency at all. |
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They tried to steal secrets, poison our kids, us, our animals,. Remember the last time COMMUNIST China helped the US, I don't either.
With all the new jobs and thousands and thousands of soldiers they should be able to help themselves. COMMUNIST China will one day rule the world and we are helping them get there.
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As I wrote before, supporting dictatorships is a bad move even with charity. It rarely gets to the hurting. Still I note today that the LB Armada baseball team is playing Jim LeFefevre's National China team and the proceeds are going to the Chinese horror. Theologically, I suppose one should pray for our enemies and I do . For their salvation. But, while giving to many charities over the years, I have found that giving to our enemies whose govts. rule the roost, is a losing proposition,i.e. Ethiopia and the Nigeria. If I were sure that this Org. Hugh sponsors or something like Samaritan's Purse could get through aid, perhaps then I would recant. Odd that this is the first time since 1949 the PRC has called for outside aid. Olympics anyone?? |
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for exactly that reason. I try not to buy things made in China - and it is VERY difficult, especially since most stuff made in the US has parts made in China. Who would have ever guessed that Heparin was made from Chinese chemicals?
This is a difficult issue. There are people in great need. If they were genuine refugees - leaving China - I would donate heavily.
Let me put it a different way. After WW2, we flew the Berlin Airlift. That was AFTER their government stopped trying to kill us. We didn't try to help the citizens of Berlin or Dresden or Hamburg before it fell. |
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You have a very valid point and I think that similar calculus actually weighs against giving aid to Burma right now (without some way to verify it is getting to those who need it). But couldn't you say the same thing every time we go into a Walmart and buy something made in China? I am no fan of the ChiCom government, but some events warrant us doing what is right for individuals in need. This is one of them. |
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Every dollar given to China is another dollar they can use -
To aim nuclear missiles at Taiwan
To deny aid to Burma
To prop up the nuclear terrorist North Korea
To aid genocide in Dafur
To sell arms to Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe
To poison our medicines, food and toys
To launch millions of cyber-attacks on our military and commercial computer networks
To counterfeit American goods
To destroy our intelligence aircraft
To sell nuclear designs to Syria, Iran and Pakistan
To execute people because of their religion, and sell their organs to the highest bidder
To keep outbreaks of deadly and highly communicable diseases secret
To explode satellites in orbit, filling the skys with shrapnel and endangering astronauts and equipment
To destroy the Tibetan and Uigur cultures and peoples |
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Every dollar given to China is another dollar they can use -
To aim nuclear missiles at Taiwan
To deny aid to Burma
To prop up the nuclear terrorist North Korea
To aid genocide in Dafur
To sell arms to Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe
To poison our medicines, food and toys
To launch millions of cyber-attacks on our military and commercial computer networks
To counterfeit American goods
To destroy our intelligence aircraft
To sell nuclear designs to Syria, Iran and Pakistan
To execute people because of their religion, and sell their organs to the highest bidder
To keep outbreaks of deadly and highly communicable diseases secret, allowing them to spread
To explode satellites in orbit, filling the skys with shrapnel and endangering astronauts and equipment
To destroy the Tibetan and Uigur cultures and peoples |
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