October 9, 2008 at 6:23 pm

Thank you, Oliver Buston, for speaking up for all of us around the world who support the whiteband movement. (www.whiteband.org) We want you to know that we are behind you all the way!

My prayers are with all of you at these meetings for your success in releasing those unused EU agricultural funds to benefit the world’s poorest farmers. Right now, we need to make the BEST use of every available dollar (or euro) possible to maximize its positive impact.

Please keep us updated on these important meetings here in the ONE Blog.

ALWAYS FOREVER, ONE – debbie
http://www.mpwn-uganda.org

October 10, 2008 at 1:58 am

Hi there Debbie K –

How much do you have left at the end of the month? What do you do with it? I hope you’re donating it. Do me a favor this next month. Instead of giving your money to some silly organization, give it to the NRA. They will ensure that I can feed my own family vs. taking a handout. It’s a “teach a man to fish”. I’m sure you’ll understand.

October 10, 2008 at 5:33 pm

The ONE Blog is meant to foster conversation and dialogue about timely global poverty news – and to that end – we strongly encourage readers to reply to posts, and to each other, through the ONE Blog’s comments. Anyone can make a comment by logging in and registering a username and valid email address.

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I have contacted ONE regarding the comments made in this thread and I expect that they will actively moderate any further comments made here.

October 12, 2008 at 11:01 am

Chris.Scott Says:

October 11th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Hey all,

I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. I love spirited discussion, but let’s please remember to remain respectful of one another’s opinions, even when disagreeing. Insults or name-calling is not acceptable. Please refer to our comment guide if you have any questions: http://www.one.org/blog/some-comments-on-commenting/

Best,

Chris, one.org

PS: I am reposting Chris’ words from another thread in the ONE Blog as I think that it is appropriate for this thread also. – dk

October 13, 2008 at 10:11 pm

“The ONE Blog is meant to foster conversation and dialogue about timely global poverty news – and to that end – we strongly encourage readers to reply to posts, and to each other, through the ONE Blog’s comments.”

Debbie K -

In other words, you want to get people all worked up about the touchy – feely of it all and don’t want to discuss how One.org would intend to have global poverty dealth with? I know that isn’t the case. I bet I could find all sorts of posts and links around here by various people indicating various ways it should be dealt with. The bottom line is that my views on global poverty and One.org’s view on global poverty don’t mesh well together, and as such, won’t be the discourse that “One.org” feels is appropriate for it’s message board. It’s far easier to ignore straight away those that don’t fit in with your agenda(s).

I’ve posted up under “Birth and Death in Sierra Leone” a comment that should help us get a good start to “spirited discussion” about “timely global poverty news”. Let’s see if members of One.org will actually discuss it or dismiss it. If I were to think out loud, I’d have to bet on the later by way of a cop-out by posting up the message board rules. You want discussion? You’ve got it. You’ve got me. Go there and lets really discuss it and not just get all touchy-feely about it. Let’s really get down to the “meat” of the matter.

October 13, 2008 at 10:40 pm

Steve is completely right. A spirited discussion will help get things done. And every voice must be heard. Do not believe the positive spin.

Debra

October 13, 2008 at 11:48 pm

There really isn’t any positive spin. I’ve just redressed my comments and tone. I’m waiting for the “lets give money that isn’t ours…” line or something similar to come out. I’m trying to find out why on earth people here think that taking something from someone else and giving it to someone who needs a hand up and not a hand-out is a good way to go. Sure there are people around the world that are falling over from hunger and disease. Yes, they need help….but we can get to that and the rest of my comments concerning global poverty and foreign aid when someone takes a bite from the obviously baited and totally intentional (shhh….maybe he’ll go away if we ignore him or obfusticate the issues enough) trap as listed in my previous post.

Let’s just be honest here. We both know that a spirited discussion in this venue will do about the grand total of declaring someone the proverbial “winner” and the other guy as a “runner-up” to be polite about it. It will go absolutely nowhere when it comes to solving world hunger and eradicating disease. I don’t think that DK really wants to discuss this with me. I’m okay with that. Maybe you would like to lead off in this discussion which must start with global poverty. …granted, the conversation is going to go other places as all discussions of problems and actually solving them properly should. Feel free to alert the staff. Or don’t. They already know that someone is here and he isn’t the least bit pleased.

F.W.I.W. – I’ll be as polite to members of this board as they will be to me. I’ve so stated my question. Let’s discuss shall we? Then may you have your (collective) idealistic world back and I’ll wander away peacefully.

October 14, 2008 at 3:26 am

I hear your argument a lot, Steve. Let’s see, I worked hard for my money. We in America have earned our high standard of living. We are not wasting money like the corrupt dictators in Africa. Etc, etc.

What is the right answer? Sure, we have built a very efficient economy. It isn’t a certainty that we can maintain what we have. Nothing is forever. What do we do when things start to fall apart?

In Africa, they haven’t found a viable economic base in many cases, since the end of colonization. They got their independence from Great Britain and France and Holland, but they didn’t achieve developed world status. Why not? I don’t have the answer to that. We know, however, that people are starving, little kids, less than five years old. They didn’t do anything to deserve that fate, to go to bed hungry. They didn’t do anything to deserve a life without parents who contracted AIDS. So the actual question is, are we (we, ourselves) required to do anything to help out. What is your answer? Mine is, we have to help somehow, in any way that will get results.

It’s going to be tough to convince people to give money to the destitute when we are suffering ourselves in a poor economy. Look at the problem differently. We can afford to help ourselves to 700 billion to give to the banks. Surely we can afford 70 billion to take 2 billion people out of extreme poverty. Bono calls it stupid poverty, and do you know why? Think about it, and tell me we are not required, because we have so much, to give a small portion of it to get some real development going. I can cite a bible passage or two that demands we do something in a situation that we now have in Africa.

Of course, many Africans will say they do not want a handout, they have their dignity and they don’t think that outsiders can solve any problems that they have, and we only make matters worse. Then why are so many NGOs and church groups set up in Africa? Can they just go home, and let Africans fend for themselves?

October 14, 2008 at 3:31 am

The positive spin is regarding the usual ONE rhetoric, it’s permeated throughout our DC leadership. Unfortunately, the outlook (for ourselves) is dire, and not everything we do to help Africa is creating a paradise.

October 14, 2008 at 4:43 am

I’m glad you hit on the money aspect of it. It’s interesting to note that the money that One.org wants to use doesn’t belong to it. That money belongs to the U.S. tax payer. Namely you and me. It’s money that will continually have to be generated. I also found it interesting that you lumped in money and citing passages from the bible in the same paragraph. Whom do you believe I’m responsible to for donating money? To God or to the Government?

Let’s start with that last question. Answer that one for me. “To God or the Government: Whom am answerable to for charity work?”

I’ll be happy to answer any questions that are not hypothetical and are posted 1 at a time. You answer mine and I’ll answer yours. It will keep the clarity of the message board up to snuff.

October 14, 2008 at 4:46 am

…side note: This will go nowhere due to the socialistic tones of the previous posts…but what the heck. Why not…socialism and capitolism don’t play nice.