scoobygang
Footballguy
What's most frustrating here is the characterization of Gates as a guy "who threw money around" to charity indiscrimitately. We've certainly had plenty of philanthropists who can be called guilty of that. Andrew Carnegie exploiting workers while he built libraries and what not.
But Gates isn't like that. The Bill Gates Foundation is probably the most successful charitable organization in the world. He took the time to exhaustively research issues in world health and figured out novel ways to make a real impact. No, he hasn't cured Aids in Africa, but he's done an awful lot to make AZT, malaria vaccines, and other medicines more prevalent there. More than our government has (and I actually think Bush's funding for African AIDS relief has a been a pleasant surprise).
I have no doubt that Bill Gates has done more good than Mother Theresa. I also have no doubt that Mother Theresa's intentions were noble, at least as she understood them, but I place a higher value on efforts to eliminate suffering than on efforts to empathize with it.
But Gates isn't like that. The Bill Gates Foundation is probably the most successful charitable organization in the world. He took the time to exhaustively research issues in world health and figured out novel ways to make a real impact. No, he hasn't cured Aids in Africa, but he's done an awful lot to make AZT, malaria vaccines, and other medicines more prevalent there. More than our government has (and I actually think Bush's funding for African AIDS relief has a been a pleasant surprise).
I have no doubt that Bill Gates has done more good than Mother Theresa. I also have no doubt that Mother Theresa's intentions were noble, at least as she understood them, but I place a higher value on efforts to eliminate suffering than on efforts to empathize with it.