Americans voluntarily out donate countries like Britain and Canada 2 to 1, and Germany and Italy 20 to one. They are the most generous country in the world in both total donations and percentage of income. Both these facts are according to multiple studies, including Public Opinion Research. They do this in spite of the fact that the government steals another 7.9% from them to give non-profit entities of the government's choosing (like Planned Parenthood). Having the government take money from your neighbor by force to give to a cause is not charity, it is theft.
Churches and civic organizations spend their donations as they see fit, and the most popular causes get the most money. If we as individuals wish to give to an organization, we have the choice to give to those that feed the homeless, provide indigent healthcare, or shelter and counseling to battered women. When the government takes our money under threat of prison, we don't get that choice, the groups with the most generous lobby do.
I will agree to disagree. Churches around here and where I live must be different. Churches give to people OUTSIDE the church only when they can get a free trip to another country with it. They will HELP or MINISTER to people IN the church IF they are part of the chosen group in the cliquish members and also donate to the most.
Gary and I both have had this experience with churches.
I myself grew up in a large church in a small town. I went on a mission trip to England when I was 18 but that was because they did not have anyone who they wanted to represent the music, piano/organ playing in the 2 week of work there.
It was a great trip and we witnessed to many people. Back in 1982.
I got to speak to one of the largest all girls schools.
I played the piano and helped the music department all to the tune of 60.00 for 2 weeks.
The church paid the rest.
Churches use to not be like they are today. Now it's a popularity contect I kid you not.
As far as violence against women, I will not continue to debate it because we see things completely differently.
Right now I would not be able to type and would be 6 feet under if there were no VAWA. I was supposed to die on October 13, 2011 and on October 28, 2011. You can ask Gary. Without the VAWA intervention I had nothing because the man took everything out of the account. As much as 2 years later the perp my X was continuing to abuse both me and tried to blow off Gary's head with a malfunctioning grill. Police were involved. My lawyer was very expensive and most of it paid by the perp in the end however, local church wouldn't respond with repeat contact. My own neighbor initially closed the door while I had to run for my life.
The Family Violence Act provided safety for me from getting shot in 2013.
I personally am not a piece of trash that most others think are only the ones that live through this.
Planned parenthood is a two edged sword. I worked in public health in August for 10 years. Started grants, wrote grants, saw the good where the money went and we did have benchmarks to measure success. Moved here, this district does nothing to write a grant, they are still living decades ago. And the community had high teen pregnancy rates and on and on . I got out of public health then and went into private practice.
Each area of this country and each person has different experiences and needs. However, there are some commonalities and also need for some regulation of such or people will go rampant and we will be living back in 50's again.
Not everyone (not talking about you or anyone here), understands the details of what federal funding does. Gary and I both went to a conference just last year on "Strangulation". 8 hours of good information on the topic of something that is rampant in this nation. We both learned alot. Great staff with excellent experienc, attorneys, DA's etc were speaking. This was in Atlanta.
2 years ago my work helped with with going to a week long intense class to become after a 5 months training on site a Forensic Examiner. I went to Macon at the police academy but it was through federal funding that the program exists.
Forensic Examiners are called out in the middle of the night to do forensic exams on women who are raped . We were trained by GBI to collect evidence, trained by other staff on child trafficking which by the way is high in this area of the country.
Also trained to work with law enforcement on chain of custody, etc.
Also traine to work with Family Violence Act programs set up to help these women.
So I will agree to disagree as it seems we understand and perceive things differently. I'm fortunate that my husband understands and in fact, as he mentioned was on the board of a DV group yet in Michigan, another state, similar issues.
People generally will choose who they want to help, you are right but helping women get away from dangerous men is not one of them and churches and individiduals who turn their backs on the very local people that need help is alarming to say the least.
People in this country think in general that "it's a private matter" . Well no, it effects the whole community when you have the workforce inundated with women who have PTSD as they live through a war at home.
You have children who lose their mothers and have to live with it for the rest of their lives. People form communities and the health of a community is strongly related to the health of the individuals.
Theres not and never has been a women's shelter in White County. Ever. Craziness because most families of victims/survivors do not want "to be involved in something personal". They turn their heads. In evidently this blames the victim for the violence and then the community just gets sicker.
Planned parenthood worked with public health in the 90's pretty close in Augusta. I do not believe in abortions. Having that said, I do not believe that a government or any man , woman or group should force a woman to make a choice. That woman if she chooses is all on her. I would hope she wouldn't choose abortion but if she does it's not a political parties right to govern her body. Now that is slavery.
Planned Parenthood had some things they did do that were important to the community including dispensing contraception to help reduce unwanted pregnancies which is the reason for most abortions. So prevention would reduce in the long run. Public health also has nurse practitioners who largely work with contraception and other women's health needs that they wouldn't have access to if it were abolished.
Planned Parenthood also performed vasectomies on men. Men used their services as well. They also paid for tubal ligations for women. Both pretty important to reduce the child bearing in indigent people especially if they knew they could not afford insurance or babies.
I simply bow to disagree because I realize my values and experiences have been different. Our country has gotten so into this me- only generation, immediate results, immediate access, all about me, thing that the people who really need help unfortunately have to use services sometimes to fill in the gaps. There are people who abuse the system but that happens and will anywhere you go.
people in this country will donate more to charities like American Cancer society where honestly insurance helps alot of peolple with this. Medical research has been forgotten that it is not free and in fact is one reason why medication costs so much.
I especially appreciate research because there are so many gaps in certain diseases that still need to find a cure. The local churches or whatever in the states are not going to give a flip about it.
I like when I go to a hosptial that they have to meet certain standards for quality care before my surgery is done there.
I like that my doctor is doing my surgery not because he can get a dollar out of me or abuse my monetary status but because I need it.
If it is your perception, and you are not alone, not typing with any negative intention.......but if it's your perception that taxing to help support these kinds of things are stealing, then that is your perception. There will never be a tax free country.
I personnaly don't mind my tax dollars helping people who have no where to turn, supporting research into new medical findings, keeping places like CDC to find new treatments or any treatment for new diseases that enter this country, and helping to keep our country healthy.
But my own personal feelings are my own and I'm definitely not alone in this perception. I'm sure you are not alone in yours.
