Since we talked a lot about perception and its role in people's action, I am putting in an article that gives a view into how amature journalists in North America percieve the current humanitarian crisis in Pakistan. Gives some insight into why its a little difficult for UN to garner up the required aid
Why I don't contribute to Desaster-Stricken Pakistan | Germerica
By Patrice Lagacé
Before talking about the disaster in Pakistan, I would like to tell you about this marvelous killing machine called F-16.
You know what a F-16 is, dont you? Well, its one of the most popular fighter planes in the world. They cost approximately $40 million each. And of course, during its lifetime, it will have cost one and half the purchase price for maintenance, repairs (and windshield washer you wouldnt believe the insane price of each can of windshield washer that these toys use).
So, coming back to the disaster in Pakistan . Terrible! If we werent talking about a Muslim country, we could refer to the flooding as being of biblical proportions: 20,000,000 disaster victims. Just appalling.
Over the last two or three days weve been hearing voices accusing the West (Canada and United States ) of a lack of generosity towards a very seriously afflicted Pakistan. People are being told off in Canada, France and Great-Britain.
Why Haity and not Pakistan?
In a recent article in La Presse, my colleague Marie-Claude Malboeuf mentioned that a humanitarian coalition had barely collected $200,000.00 for Pakistan whereas, during the same period of time, a phenomenal sum of $3,6 billion was collected for Haitians after the earthquake that devastated their country.
The NGOs are stamping their feet. They are getting impatient. They are clamoring of catastrophe and cholera. The most tragic thing is that they are probably right. Internationally, the United Nations has collected only 40% of the 460 million dollars needed for urgent aid.
Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister of England has berated the international community for its stinginess: The reaction of the international community is deplorable.
But Im extrapolating. I was talking about the F-16. Quite recently, a country acquired a brand new fleet of twenty or so of these fantastic killers in the air.
Which country was this now? Yep, PAKISTAN .
Before going any further, Im warning you: the writer of this article is a naïve journalist. A naïve journalist who admits it candidly and who wants to know: If Pakistan had $1,4 billion to acquire fighter planes from Lockheed very recently, why doesnt Pakistan have $460 million to help its own drenched citizens?
I apologize to the Red Cross, to CARE, to Oxfam and other non-governmental organizations, but I, for one. will not give one red penny towards the humanitarian relief in Pakistan. I will NOT give a penny to help Pakistan because Pakistan never had any problem buying military equipment or getting financial help to buy some.
I dont mind helping Haiti , a small country that has nothing (except corrupted rulers). I dont mind giving help to Africa; its the least I can do. I will not give to Pakistan as I will not give to the New Orleans fishermen who have lost their source of income since the oil disaster caused by BP in the Gulf of Mexico.
Naïve Quebec singers
Zachary Richard (a Cajun singer from New Orleans ) is going to produce a CD with the help of many Quebecois singers. The profits will be given to the New Orleans fishermen. Then, theyre planning a charity concert.
Concerts are very nice. Musical charity is very nice too. And I do sympathize with the New Orleans fishermen. But here again, its your naïve journalist who is talking: Why should I give one penny to the inhabitants of the richest country in the history of humanity, whose source of income was annihilated by a giga-multinational company with a market valuation of $120 billion US, and belonging to one of the most lucrative industries energy on this planet?
It seems to me that the United States of America , that BP, that the energy industry have enough money to compensate the New Orleans fishermen and their families and the offspring of their families until 2060, at least.
But lets come back to PAKISTAN. On July 19, the New York Times published a condemning article on the tax system of Pakistan. A banana republic tax system, where the rich concocted a way to avoid paying taxes. Im not talking about not paying a little income tax
Im talking about total tax evasion. Im talking about a country where 10 million people should be paying taxes, but only 2.5 million do.
And all of this is legal. The rich managed to come up with a plan which dispenses them from paying taxes. The New York Times mentioned that average average! - worth (?) of Pakistani parliamentarians is $900,000.
Tax cheaters
Nawaz Sharif, photo, the opposition leader, and a millionaire hasnt, for his part, paid any income taxes in 2005, 2006 and 2007. This system favors elitists (a system by elitists for elitists), says Riyaz Hussein Naqvi, a retired public servant who worked as a tax collector for 38 years.
It is a distorted system in which the poor pays for the rich. What the Times did not mention but what you probably know is, that Pakistan already has nuclear arms. In fact, it owns countless nuclear missiles.
So, if I recap all this
Pakistan is an oligarchy (a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes) which exempts the rich from paying income tax. Pakistan has money to buy F-16s. Pakistan has money to keep an atomic arsenal capable of destroying half the planet! I am not that naïve after all
Pakistan has the means to help its own people.
Who doesn't remember September 11, 2001, when terrorists destroyed the Twin Towers in New York. I do remember very well having seen live television coverage showing adults and children from Iran, Pakistan and other muslim countries, dancing in the streets and having a whale of a time because the United States had been touched right in the heart.
They were elated because thousands of Americans were killed. Well now that theyre in deep sh.., they ask for our help!!! And what will they do to us in five years, in ten years?