America the Generous? Not According to the Media
The media and liberals tend to portray Americans as selfish Scrooges, only interested in their own gain - why else would taxes be unpopular? But America has shown its generosity time and again, and this Christmas season, new proof of it has emerged. A report from the Charities Aid Foundation America, the World Giving Index 2011, finds that the United States is the most generous country in the world.
The World Giving Index 2011 measures generosity on three levels: giving money as a percentage of income, giving time, and helping strangers. Only the United States ranked in the top 10 nations of the world in each category. Charities Aid Foundation director Richard Harrison praised American charitable giving: "This research confirms that when we look at giving in a rounded way, including the extent to which we volunteer and help strangers, America is the most generous country in the world. America is the only country that ranks in the top ten globally on each of these three perspectives, and this first place ranking should be seen as source of real pride for people across America."
But American generosity is rarely acknowledged by the media. Instead, America is usually attacked by the media as not being generous enough, and American donations of time, money, and effort to countries are ignored or even scorned by liberal journalists.
On May 22, 2011, former New York Times economic reporter Eduardo Porter complained in a New York Times editorial that America was the "least generous" of industrial nations - by which he meant Americans were not being taxed enough to fund extensive government social programs. The networks refused to cover the extensive contributions of private faith-based charities when a tsunami devastated Japan in March 2011, and similarly ignored coverage of corporate donations when a destructive earthquake struck Haiti in Jan 2010.
This is because for the mainstream media, government social programs, fueled by taxation, are the only form of effective charity. At times, the media has even attacked private charity, because money given to private charity is not given to government programs. (This attack on private charity might be rooted in the fact that conservatives tend to be far more generous with their time and money than liberals.)
The New York Times' Stephanie Strom bizarrely blasted private charity in 2007 because it took money away from the government, declaring that "The rich are giving more to charity than ever, but people like Mr. Broad are not the only ones footing the bill for such generosity. For every three dollars they give away, the federal government typically gives up a dollar or more in tax revenue, because of the charitable tax deduction and by not collecting estate taxes."
In Nov. 2010, the Washington Post's Ezra Klein advocated giving to politically active think tanks as more effective than traditional gifts to charity.
Apparently, the "forced charity" of government social programs, fueled by higher taxes, is the only worthwhile form of charity, according to liberals. This is one explanation for the consistent media gripe that Americans are not generous, despite the mountain of evidence that suggests otherwise.
- Paul Wilson's blog
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Comments
I've heard that the SA is
Submitted by ricklail on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 2:51pm.
I've heard that the SA is going to change their position on abortion and queers. If that is true they will never get one cent or any used clothes from me. I bet General Booth will roll over in his grave.
SA Getting Flack for Position on Gays
Submitted by T D on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 4:50pm.
Some people want them to change.
http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/wisconsin/gay-rights-groups-urge-sal...
Greedy capitalist bastards.
Submitted by Morganfrost on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 2:54pm.
Americans give more to charity than anybody else, and volunteer more of their own time, and are more likely than anyone from any other country to be putting their lives on the line for other peoples' freedom.
All that, of course, is just selfish gratification of the super-ego. Truly fine, honorable and decent people don't waste money selfishly supporting charities-- they leave that to the government, which, of course, is wiser and better able to spend money.
Virtuous, right-thinking people do not give their wealth away-- they demand that it be forcibly taken from them and redistributed.
So when Americans get
Submitted by NC Cop on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 3:13pm.
to keep more of THEIR money, they are more generous!!! WHAT A CONCEPT!!!!!
Just because
Submitted by grammajane on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 3:13pm.
the media is so selfish with their own time and money they want Americans to believe we are all the most uncaring people alive. That said, I see most Americans as the most caring and generous people on this earth!! The media is not only against anything Conservative, they are against the American people totally. What a bunch of hateful and repulsive "so-called" reporters. Am so sick of their bias and bashing of decent people.
Individual charity is foreign to the left.
Submitted by iamsaved on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 3:17pm.
Liberals love charity when they are able to help those in need with other people's money. The left has the lowest percentage of personal charitable giving nationwide. That's why it seems so alien to them when they here that the 60 or 70 percent who aren't far left actually do help their fellow man.
Prime example: Mr. Charity, aka
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 3:27pm.
Joey "0.2%" Biden.
Same guy who says it's patriotic to pay more taxes.
Liberals are selfish freaks.
Submitted by johnsonl on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 3:26pm.
Taxes are not charitable donations. I donate to causes that I consider worthy of my time and money. Taxes are extracted and distributed as government sees fit. I would LOVE to be able to designate which government entities my taxes support. All of those entitlement programs and pork projects would dry up overnight. Then it would still be my money, not the government's.
As always,
Submitted by HockeyKid on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 3:37pm.
conservatives are generous with their own money; liberals are generous with other people's money.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Leftards think it's better
Submitted by ant on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 4:21pm.
Leftards think it's better that their money goes to taxes (when it actually does....ahem!..Rangel...cough!....Geithner) otherwise, they'd never give to anybody. Their role is to take, like Occupy. One of the problems with that concept is that we all are, in effect, giving charity to the UN, Hamas, Palestinians, Obama and Michelle, Soros, Brazilian Oil Companies, DNC contributors, Planned Parenthood, The scam artists formerly known as ACORN, Thieves in public schools posing as 'administrators' that get fired and claim Unemployment after collecting $900,000 in severance, Grown, able-bodied men who want to wear diapers and sleep in a crib as a fetish, etc., etc.
Surprise: Conservatives give more than liberals!
Submitted by vrwc13 on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 4:26pm.
"The belief that liberals care more about the poor may scratch a partisan or ideological itch, but the facts are hostile witnesses."
...hmmm who'd have known?
v
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne
liberals believe only government
Submitted by ohio granny on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 11:06am.
Liberals believe that instead of giving to individual charities all money should go to government to dole out. They believe that only government should decide who benefits and how much. We the great unwashed masses could not possibly be smart enough to know who to give our charitable dollars too. That is the main difference in the conservative and liberal thought process. While conservatives are giving their time and money for various charities, liberals are busy pushing for more government control of every aspect of our lives.
Not Generous?
Submitted by NVRAT on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 4:28pm.
The Liberal Media is upset that Americans are not giving to Obama but, are giving to the church and other humanitarian charities so, therefore they are not generous. They feel that it`s not right to give to people that need it when Obama is running for office and he will need it to run commercials on TV 24/7 for re-election after all they will give him full time coverage and probably free of charge because Soros, administration personnel, and forieghn countries will be paying for it through 527 (or what ever they are) organizations. After all what do you think the Billion dollars Obama wants is for. I guess that I will turn off the TV when Obama gets serious about campaigning he turns my stomach now so, I don`t want throw-up for 8 months.
I have a solution to this drivel from the Left.
Submitted by acaiguana on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 7:02pm.
Let us together as Conservatives (Foundations and Charities alike) make a pledge to not donate one dollar in 2012 to anything humanitarian.
Just for that year.
ACA
...
Quoted from: 'Acaiguana notes from the Underground' (Soon to be at theaters near you)
I'd say that's
Submitted by ThatDude on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 1:10am.
I'd say that's counter-productive. I believe in the charities I give to and don't see how depriving them to score political points would do any good to anyone. I'd like to quit giving to the biggest corrupt charity, but they take my money before I'm able to cash my paycheck.
Give only to local charities...
Submitted by MightyMouth on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 1:20am.
...or only to people that you know are in need. If you give to any charity that can advertise or raise money nationally there is no doubt you are helping to buy someone a big house and fast car. This is life folks.. one on one charity is what Christ taught.