I can't believe I'm being ridiculed for donating to people in need...

[TopazRaven]

I am so angry right now it's not even funny. I donated to Japan through the Red Cross this afternoon on my cellphone. The phone bill is in my uncle's name so I told him what I did and gave him the money and he practically flipped out on me! He asked me why I'm helping Japan when they make more money then America. Apparently just because they aren't American and their country is 'richer' then ours they don't need or deserve my help! He also went on about how they've 'never helped us before'. Excuse me!? How can anyone say something like that when they know what is going on in Japan right now!? What the heck does he even care, it's my money! The sad thing is I know he's not the only one who feels this way. My mom said she's glad I'm not stingy and all, but she pretty much agreed with him. I can't stand the way my family thinks! I don't care where someone lives or how much money they make, if I can help them I'm going to and I don't give a crap what my family thinks about it so they can get over it.

Has anyone else had an experience like this with their family? Or am I the only one who constantly has to deal with my family's stupid, racist attitude? Sorry if this seems a bit extreme, but I kind of needed to rant and I don't really have anyone to rant to. I just don't understand how people can think that way. Like I'm the wrong one because I care about people in other countries.

[K. Ayato]

Whether family or friends, the moment you decide on doing what you feel God is telling you to do, someone's gonna try and shoot you down. Sorry, hon, but that's the way it is.

[TopazRaven]

Even if I wasn't a Christian and didn't believe in God I would STILL have donated. Being a Christian really has nothing to do with how I feel about other people. My anger isn't that they are shooting me down for being a Christian. It's that they don't seem to care very much about the people of Japan and what they are going through.

[K. Ayato]

Sorry to hear that. People (myself included) have opinions on things that are hard to let go of. I remember one time in college I was helping out at a table for Operation: Christmas Child, where people fill shoe boxes with candy, small toys, etc. for kids around the world. One gentleman stopped and asked me what this was about. I answered as best I could. He pressed further, asking if countries in the Middle East were included. I said yes. His response to that was along the lines of "So you think you can just send troops over there, destroy homes and cities, and still give Christmas gifts to the kids??" Needless to say, he walked away with the impression that folks like me were just wasting our time.

[TopazRaven]

I can see where you are coming from. I guess I'm just to sensitive. I get highly upset over stuff like this to the point where it makes my stomach hurt. I guess I really should get around to finding a therapist.

[Lynna]

>.< Yes. In my social studies class , our teacher has been having us reaserch what's happening in Japan, and I've heard so many kids say " Why should we care?They've never done anything to help us!" at which I snapped "Because they're human beings!"
Grrr...
It's kind of hard to explain to people why we would care... especially since they're not christian so I can't say "Because God love's them, so we should love them too!" or something like that...(I do know that there are many caring non-christians who help anyways)

[Roy Mustang]

He asked me why I'm helping Japan when they make more money then America. Apparently just because they aren't American and their country is 'richer' then ours they don't need or deserve my help! He also went on about how they've 'never helped us before'.

Well he is wrong on matter that they never help us before. There are many reasons to help Japan from America standpoint.

First being that Japan has been extremely loyal to the U.S. after WW II and one of our biggest allies. Secondly Japan has the 3rd biggest and best economy in the world. Know anyone who drives a Toyota or Honda (just to name a couple)? The U.S. needs Japan and their economy. The people of Japan and companies from Japan were some of biggest donations and aid for 9/11, Gulf Oil Spill and Katrina. To this day, the people of Japan are still doing donations and aid for Katrina.

[MrKrillz0r]

Wow, I would been mad as well, I don't like that way of thinking at all, its so childish. And if its not enough he is even wrong as proven by Roy. ^^

[Atria35]

Racist and selfish. I'm lucky enough to not know anyone like that and haven't heard anything like that. My family has already cracked open our charity fund and donated a decent amount- we did it the day after we heard and saw links on the Red Cross.

[armeck]

i come from a former missionary family, we got crap for helping people who lived in huts lol

[TopazRaven]

>.< Yes. In my social studies class , our teacher has been having us reaserch what's happening in Japan, and I've heard so many kids say " Why should we care?They've never done anything to help us!" at which I snapped "Because they're human beings!"
Grrr...
It's kind of hard to explain to people why we would care... especially since they're not christian so I can't say "Because God love's them, so we should love them too!" or something like that...(I do know that there are many caring non-christians who help anyways)

Arg, I just don't get why people are like that. Christian or not we should love and care for all other human beings! Another thing my uncle said was, "lets see if a Japanese person ever helps you in your life." I don't care if one ever does, I'm helping them the best I can now and I don't ever need or want to be repaid for it. I'm not helping because I expect to be helped by these people in the future. I am helping because they are fellow human beings in a terrible situation who need support. It just seems logical to me. They need help! So we should help them! No strings attached.

Well he is wrong on matter that they never help us before. There are many reasons to help Japan from America standpoint.

First being that Japan has been extremely loyal to the U.S. after WW II and one of our biggest allies. Secondly Japan has the 3rd biggest and best economy in the world. Know anyone who drives a Toyota or Honda (just to name a couple)? The U.S. needs Japan and their economy. The people of Japan and companies from Japan were some of biggest donations and aid for 9/11, Gulf Oil Spill and Katrina. To this day, the people of Japan are still doing donations and aid for Katrina.

Thank you for all this information! I am going to admit I don't have much knoweldge in this department. I'm going to look all of this up for more info so if this subject ever ever gets brought up again I have something to throw back at him. Yes, I'm a terribly bitter person. Something I need to work on.

Wow, I would been mad as well, I don't like that way of thinking at all, its so childish. And if its not enough he is even wrong as proven by Roy. ^^

I know, right? It makes it harder that these are people I love and care about talking like this.

Racist and selfish. I'm lucky enough to not know anyone like that and haven't heard anything like that. My family has already cracked open our charity fund and donated a decent amount- we did it the day after we heard and saw links on the Red Cross.

I don't have a job at the moment, so I recently spent my last $10 on donations to Japan. I wish I could give more, but in order to do that I would have to ask my family members to donate their own money. You could see how that would go. I love my uncle. I truley do, he's like a father to me, but he makes me so so angry sometimes and it really hurt that my mother basically took his side over mine. Another thing he chose to throw at me was, "oh well there are statving, hurt people in the US who could use your money. Why aren't you sending it to them?" Of course mom agrees with him again. I can't understand why he was trying to turn me into the bad guy for giving my money to Japan.

i come from a former missionary family, we got crap for helping people who lived in huts lol

See, I don't see anything wrong with that either. We should always want to help others less fortunate then us, right?

[Nate]

Another thing my uncle said was, "lets see if a Japanese person ever helps you in your life."

See I would've immediately shot back "Judging from your behavior I sure can't expect any white people to help me."

Also yeah, Japan sent plenty of money to help with Hurricane Katrina so...

But hey, being jerks after a horrible crisis is pretty par for the course, lest we all forget "Hurrr durrrr Katrina was because of gay people and Mardi Gras so they got what they deserved derp derp derp."

Just be glad your family didn't bring up the other thing I've heard people referencing during all this, which I won't even bring up because it's too stupid, vile, and enraging to even mention.

[LadyRushia]

I recently saw a collection of Facebook posts where people were posting crap like that. It makes me hate this country's stupidity and pride more so than usual.

[ShiroiHikari]

No offense but your uncle is a jerk.

[TopazRaven]

See I would've immediately shot back "Judging from your behavior I sure can't expect any white people to help me."

Also yeah, Japan sent plenty of money to help with Hurricane Katrina so...

But hey, being jerks after a horrible crisis is pretty par for the course, lest we all forget "Hurrr durrrr Katrina was because of gay people and Mardi Gras so they got what they deserved derp derp derp."

Just be glad your family didn't bring up the other thing I've heard people referencing during all this, which I won't even bring up because it's too stupid, vile, and enraging to even mention.

I wish I had come up with a good comeback, but I was still in shock. I actually compiled up a lovely list of links to articles about all the things Japan has done for America and sent it to him in a e-mail. How he'll respond, I'm not sure yet. I'm eager to see how he'll be able to say Japan has never done anything for us then.

I recently saw a collection of Facebook posts where people were posting crap like that. It makes me hate this country's stupidity and pride more so than usual.

QFT.

No offense but your uncle is a jerk.

No offense taken. I know it's hard to imagine from what I've said here that he can be a pretty cool dude when he's not being racist, but he can be. In a way it's the world he grew up in. He had bad expericenes with people of other races throughout childhood and he's let his ignorance blind him. He can in least work with other people without saying anything to their faces. I'm grateful for that in least.

[Asuka Neko]

It must be hard to have a family that doesn't agree with your values, but I'm glad you chose to do the right thing and donate to help them anyways! It's obvious that you know what is important and you have a good hold on your views of the situation

[Sapphire225]

Its scary how selfish many people in this country can be. What your uncle said was really jerk-ish. No offense. But still...

[TopazRaven]

It must be hard to have a family that doesn't agree with your values, but I'm glad you chose to do the right thing and donate to help them anyways! It's obvious that you know what is important and you have a good hold on your views of the situation

Thanks. I'd already donated by the time I told him, but I would have done it after our argument anyway if I hadn't yet. I still can't believe he had to make such a fuss about it. I told my mother I was going to do it and she just nodded and said alright.

Its scary how selfish many people in this country can be. What your uncle said was really jerk-ish. No offense. But still...

Oh, don't I know it. He really hurt my feelings to be honest. Yes, I seriously get offended when people talk badly about other races/cultures/countries. I take it personally.

[Yamamaya]

I'm afraid your uncle doesn't understand basic Christian values. You don't give because you expect a thank you or help in return. You do it because it is your duty. Jesus healed ten leapers and only one came back to thank Him.

[TopazRaven]

I'm afraid your uncle doesn't understand basic Christian values. You don't give because you expect a thank you or help in return. You do it because it is your duty. Jesus healed ten leapers and only one came back to thank Him.

So it seems. I hope someday soon he will open his heart and his mind more to God so he can be shown why what he said was wrong.

Meanwhile, I've been strolling around on DA and have noticed there is a huge backlash going on their with support art for the diaster in Japan. A lot of people say that making support art is selfish and stupid and means you don't actually care about Japan or any of the other countries that where affected by the tsnunami. Because all your doing is making art. It made me kind of mad. Where do people get off saying it? You have no way to know where someone's heart just from seeing a piece of art on the Internet or what they have done for this diaster. If I could draw I would sure as heck would be drawing support art and my only concern this whole time has only been for the people of Japan and the other nations affected as well. I wouldn't care if another anime/manga was ever made again.

Wow...I really went into rant mode again for a minute there...

[blkmage]

Tell them to say that to the Japanese artists on pixiv who are drawing support art.

[TopazRaven]

Tell them to say that to the Japanese artists on pixiv who are drawing support art.

That is a good a point isn't it. I'll have to use that if I ever get in a personal argument with someone over this.

[Nami]

Like you, I have a strong sense of right and wrong. And when you see someone in need, you help them regardless of who they are and what has happened. People were saying cruel things about Japan like; "They deserved this." and that ticked me off. It was a natural disaster, and Japan came together like no other nation IN THE WORLD. That I've ever seen. They joined hands, they are being polite, people are suffering, and donating is a way of helping.

Topaz, I know your feeling, my family is slightly racist, mostly my Grandpa. But, the things that happened 60 years ago, was to an entirely different generation, how can you blame another generation for past faults? you can't. Its wrong. Judgment is God's not ours. And in the end, Topaz, you did the right thing. I am donating money too! So forget them Topaz, they clearly don't see what you see, which is a whole new world of good. (Old people are stuck in their ways)

[TopazRaven]

[quote="Nami (post: 1465370)"]Like you, I have a strong sense of right and wrong. And when you see someone in need, you help them regardless of who they are and what has happened. People were saying cruel things about Japan like]
So it seems. It truley saddens me that the world is filled with so much hate and ignorance. I've heard people say Japan deserves this to and that it's even God's punishment for all the things Japan did in the past. War crimes and such. Um, excuse me? This is a whole new generation of people like you said! Most have nothing to do with past crimes and I refuse to believe our loving God would kill and make suffer millions of innocent people for way past events. Not to mention, every country has a point in history where they did something wrong. No nation is free of blood. I hate how some of my fellow Americans act like we are the best country in the world and never do anything wrong.

[Nami]

So it seems. It truley saddens me that the world is filled with so much hate and ignorance. I've heard people say Japan deserves this to and that it's even God's punishment for all the things Japan did in the past. War crimes and such. Um, excuse me? This is a whole new generation of people like you said! Most have nothing to do with past crimes and I refuse to believe our loving God would kill and make suffer millions of innocent people for way past events. Not to mention, every country has a point in history where they did something wrong. No nation is free of blood. I hate how some of my fellow Americans act like we are the best country in the world and never do anything wrong.

Same here. It saddens me to think that people can be so hateful to their fellow humans. Yeah, this doesn't make God happy, but you can bet He will use it to guide people, prolly more missionaries to reach out to Japan and help them more than what we have been doing. I also refuse to believe that God would do that. The last part made me smile, that's exactly what I think every time I see American's talking like they are better than anyone else.

[ShiroiHikari]

Oh yeah, America is always in the right and has never done bad things to anyone else! Who was it that dropped not one, but two nuclear bombs on Japan? And even after all that, our nations became ALLIES. They're not the enemy and haven't been for an entire generation. I've heard this nonsense coming from people who weren't even ALIVE during WWII, and that to me is just ridiculous. The least people could do is move the heck on. They don't have to donate or whatever, but get over it already. This is 2011, not 1951.

[Nami]

Oh yeah, America is always in the right and has never done bad things to anyone else! Who was it that dropped not one, but two nuclear bombs on Japan? And even after all that, our nations became ALLIES. They're not the enemy and haven't been for an entire generation. I've heard this nonsense coming from people who weren't even ALIVE during WWII, and that to me is just ridiculous. The least people could do is move the heck on. They don't have to donate or whatever, but get over it already. This is 2011, not 1951.

hear, hear!

[Yamamaya]

Oh yeah, America is always in the right and has never done bad things to anyone else! Who was it that dropped not one, but two nuclear bombs on Japan? And even after all that, our nations became ALLIES. They're not the enemy and haven't been for an entire generation. I've heard this nonsense coming from people who weren't even ALIVE during WWII, and that to me is just ridiculous. The least people could do is move the heck on. They don't have to donate or whatever, but get over it already. This is 2011, not 1951.

Aye. If anyone has a right to hate us, it's Japan. They're the only country to suffer a direct nuclear attack.

I actually know a few people who are incredibly prejudiced against the Japanese just because of WWII which ended before all of them were born. *Facepalm*

[Dante]

Tell your uncle that your saving his pitiful fixed income retirement along with everyone else on SS from being obliterated like a fat battleship at Pearl Harbor. Let's put the picture into perspective, Japan doesn't need to "beg" us for money,

Of the total [US] foreign holdings ($4.3 trillion), China owns $907 billion and Japan owns $877 billion.

-http://useconomy.about.com/od/fiscalpolicy/p/US_Debt.htm

(EDIT: $890 billion if you go with http://af.reuters.com/article/cameroonNews/idAFLDE72E0XH20110315, but hey, what's a few billion dollars?)

For that matter, they don't just have to draw from funds in the US alone, they own $7 trillion dollars in global assets, and there are already signs that it may be drawing some funds out,

BRINGING IT HOME?

The yen is the primary signal that some repatriation, or at least an expectation of it, is already underway.

Since Thursday, just before the quake, the yen has risen 3 percent against the Brazilian real BRLJPY=R and more than 4 percent versus the Australian and New Zealand dollars.

The biggest loser was the South African rand, which lost more than 5 percent ZARJPY=R.

EDIT: Source FTW http://af.reuters.com/article/cameroonNews/idAFLDE72E0XH20110315?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Maybe Japan owns some of South African debt and is starting to drag those funds home? And of course, as the US dollar becomes less valuable, it could start a chain reaction where China tries to pull it's debt to avoid taking a loss as US inflation shoots out the roof.

But of course, a major liquidation of their US assets is unlikely to happen. Why? Because I think the US will already try to send a huge amount of aid in this time of crisis and for them to liquidate our assets would not only cause bad feelings and reduce the aid sent, but it would also explode inflation making the aid sent worthless. It would also destroy a strong mutual beneficial economy and harm strong relations and feelings built over years. Other countries that might be more "tight-fisted" might just get the money yanked out from them - maybe they didn't like something that happened in South Africa and pulled some of their assets there, who knows?

But thing is, we don't send the help we can because we are trying to save our own shirts, but because we genuinely care about the human life in Japan. The younger generation in the US particularly almost grew up on more of a Japanese culture then an American one. My mother notes that she can tell when I finish up a transaction in the gas station simply by looking in the window - I give a light bow on the completion without even realizing it. Despite being on opposite ends of the world, the Japanese people are our brothers and sisters - we can't help but feel horrible when something happens, we would have to be inhuman to feel otherwise. For those of us who love anime - this is our culture. I'm only sad, that unlike anime, a single nights rest in bed doesn't heal all wounds and make the world better. I wish a giant gundam would have come down from the heavens and vaporized the ocean wave wave with a beam cannon, or that some magical girl turned the whole thing to ice.

I know that each of us will contribute as much as we can - some even a little more in the wake of this tragedy to us all. But for those who want to be tight-fisted, you can remind them that while we do this because of our love, their money could just as easily be taken away legally and with good reason. So they had better not think of saying "what has Japan done for us", they're doing something right now by not taking back nearly $900 billion which they could REALLY use right about now to help evacuate lives and save people.

[KougaHane]

He asked me why I'm helping Japan when they make more money then America. Apparently just because they aren't American and their country is 'richer' then ours they don't need or deserve my help!

So, If America has a massive hurricane that kills thousands, injures thousands, and destroys thousands of homes, France shouldn't send us a cent. They're just not rich enough to help us.

He also went on about how they've 'never helped us before'.

Yes, I'm sure people say that while getting into their Japanese car, texting on their Japanese phone, and later watching their Japanese TV or playing a Japanese videogame system. Those crazy Japanese never gave us anything.

Excuse me!? How can anyone say something like that when they know what is going on in Japan right now!? What the heck does he even care, it's my money! The sad thing is I know he's not the only one who feels this way. My mom said she's glad I'm not stingy and all, but she pretty much agreed with him. I can't stand the way my family thinks! I don't care where someone lives or how much money they make, if I can help them I'm going to and I don't give a crap what my family thinks about it so they can get over it.

Has anyone else had an experience like this with their family? Or am I the only one who constantly has to deal with my family's stupid, racist attitude? Sorry if this seems a bit extreme, but I kind of needed to rant and I don't really have anyone to rant to. I just don't understand how people can think that way. Like I'm the wrong one because I care about people in other countries.

My family isn't quite so extreme, but sometimes I tell them something about another culture that I find very interesting, and they either seem bored to tears or laugh and call that culture crazy. My mom is consistent though. She knows Americans are crazy too. It shocks me to see how stingy and selfish so many Americans are.