# The US is stingy? WTF??? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 28, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922 "2004-12-28T13:36:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/141 "2005-01-01T08:20:48Z")
Unfortunatly there is nothing little about the Congo [quote] # # International Rescue Committee, newest study (8 April 2003): 3,300,000 excess deaths in D.R. Congo due to civil war. [quote] [WAR STATS REDIRECT](http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat2.htm) That’s old figures ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/142 "2005-01-01T08:55:07Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Amen to that. > > When it comes to charitry, the only thing that matters is **absolute dollars** , _not_ “percentage of giving.” > > If you were poor, would you rather receive 10% of _my_ net worth or 0.01% of Bill Gates’ net worth? There’s a passage in the Bible about an old lady who drops a single coin the collection box, which was everything she had, to the church. Jesus said that this woman was more righteous than richer folks that gave more, because even though she couldn’t afford to give money she still did. If I can dig up the relevent book, chapter, and verse, I’ll post it here. I’m not exactly a Christian, but I still think it’s quite on point in this context. It’s not just about actual effect, it’s about the sacrifice you are actually making that determines your righteousness. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/143 "2005-01-01T09:19:35Z")
Not a biblical story, but the invention of an early pope. Its the original Urban legend. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/144 "2005-01-01T09:31:05Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Not a biblical story, but the invention of an early pope. Its the original Urban legend. And that has what exactly to do with the point of the parable? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/145 "2005-01-01T09:37:41Z")
_When you whoosh upon a star Makes no difference who you are…_ ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/146 "2005-01-01T09:48:29Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > _When you whoosh upon a star > Makes no difference who you are…_ Look, I’m dumber than 37 normal rocks, and at lest 20 of those super rocks you hear about nowadays, but how’d I get whooshed? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/147 "2005-01-01T11:12:14Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > There’s a passage in the Bible about an old lady who drops a single coin the collection box, which was everything she had, to the church. Jesus said that this woman was more righteous than richer folks that gave more, because even though she couldn’t afford to give money she still did. Cute story. I’m sure God is smiling on her and has a nice spot in heaven picked out just for her. But she isn’t providing clean water, food, shelter, medicine & medical care to a million plus people. Real dollars are. When people need water, food & medical care, righteous intentions are worth exactly squat. Money talks. America gives the most. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/148 "2005-01-01T13:48:08Z")
Yesterday the Irish Times published some of the statistics on which countires had given what or pledged to give. The total from all governments and public agencies has so far reached almost $500 million (370 million euro). Apologies, but I can only remeber some of the statistics, and they are in Euro. Obviously, some of the countries read the statistics and decided to up their donations (nothing like looking like a cheapskate to make people give more). Yesterday it stood like this: USA- 26 million euro Netherlands- 27 million euro UK- 70.6 million euro World Bank- 183 million euro International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies- 39 million euro I think the EU is giving about 30 million euro, with additional monies from member countires added to that. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/149 "2005-01-01T14:24:56Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Look, I’m dumber than 37 normal rocks, and at lest 20 of those super rocks you hear about nowadays, but how’d I get whooshed? Oh, I dunno… maybe by a legend of [Pope Urban](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Urban_II)? Happy New Year, **luci** , and thanks for the first good guffaw of 2005. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/150 "2005-01-01T17:30:18Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Oh, I dunno… maybe by a legend of [Pope Urban](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Urban_II)? > > Happy New Year, **luci** , and thanks for the first good guffaw of 2005. Nope, sorry. The dumb is still hanging around, and it’s picking out curtains and carpets. Try explaining it with one sylable words. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/151 "2005-01-01T17:39:37Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Nope, sorry. The dumb is still hanging around, and it’s picking out curtains and carpets. Try explaining it with one sylable words. The Pope who made up the story was called Pope Urban. Hence “Urban legend”. Geddit? Hilarious. ::tumbleweed:: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/152 "2005-01-01T17:43:17Z")
It may well be that an inability to recognize a really bad pun is a blessing in disguise, like being tone deaf at a Wagner festival. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/153 "2005-01-01T19:12:54Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > When people need water, food & medical care, righteous intentions are worth exactly squat. Money talks. America gives the most. Actually, Japan gives more in foreign aid. I’m not talking in terms of percentages here either. MORE MONEY. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922/154 "2005-01-01T20:21:03Z")
Ah-HA! The light dawns! Grassy ass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-stingy-wtf/281922.md?page=7)