Someone called me a racist............

[Harty]

On Friday I learned that our local area health authority in Worthing had closed 25 beds at the Hospital and cancelled a number of operations because they didn't have the funds, yet whilst driving in the car I heard on the radio that Tony Blair is sending another £33million in aid to the earthquake in Pakistan, having previously sent £25million, with another £30million earmarked over the next few months.
Call me old fashioned but as terrible as the situation is in Pakistan, and whilst I don't begrudge sending them some kind of aid, surely should we not put our own house in order, ie the NHS, before sending this kind of money overseas?
I know of one local pensioner who was looking forward to getting her op done and then enjoying Xmas, now that's all out of the window.
We discussed this in the pub on Friday and the local do-gooder was all up to tar and feather me, she said my views made me a racist.
I abhor racism in any form, but I also think the people of this country who have worked all their lives deserve decent public services, specifically an NHS that actually looks after them.
Does that make me a racist?

 

[Beeercan]

Not a racist, just a sensible point.

 

[Redhead]

No. makes you a british citizen concerned with the state of your country and our public spending.

 

[Zed Seagull]

Yep i'm afraid so. Be prepared for stoning.

Seriously not at all. Makes sense to get our own house in order first in my book. Does that make me racist

 

[Dez]

THe NHS needs sorting. It's a disgrace.

 

[Shizuoka Dolphin]

'Course it doesn't make you racist. Anyone who says otherwise must be more than a little simple. The local do-gooder made a moronic point. You made a perfectly sane one.

 

[B.M.F]

Not at all Harty. If we did not spend so much money on foriegn aid and on housing fake Asylum seekers then our NHS etc would not be in the state it is.

 

[sir danny cullip]

Well said harty, good point. No racism involved there.

 

[Gully]

A very good point, I would however point out that previous Governments underfunded the NHS and treated it as a pariah rather than the important institution that it is. During this time public service was regarded as a failure, school leavers and graduates were expected to follow the bucks in the "loadsamoney" culture pervading at the time. There was, and is currently, a shortage of people entering nursing/medicine, Pakistan is a source of employees for the NHS, by giving money to that country we are in some respects helping to guarantee our medical services in the future.

 

[simonsimon]

As a proportion of total government spending £30 million is a mere drop in the ocean and would not make hardly any difference to our economy.

If such a sum is spent in the third world it is much more significant, and has greater effect, especially in disaster areas.

Stop being so Selfish.

 

[Father Jack]

Harty you are not a racist and for once i agree with you!

 

[1066gull]

Was it Referee on here?



No, being sensible.

Remeber this, every £1 given in aid is £9 given back to us in debt. Its the Government's problem, not ours.

 

[looney]

There is a growing trend to acuse people of racism as a knee jerk responce to something someone doesn't agree with or understand.

I'm also noting that its beginning to enter humour on some websites were people will claim "Hello, I am a new poster here and a racist"

Or

A says "Nice day isn't it?"
B says "Shut up you racist!"

Anything overused eventually loses its meaning, the left exstended from its original meaning to smear opponents, its now going further and in a few years will have no effect.

Btw
Yes you are a racist.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

As a proportion of total government spending £30 million is a mere drop in the ocean and would not make hardly any difference to our economy.

If such a sum is spent in the third world it is much more significant, and has greater effect, especially in disaster areas.

Stop being so Selfish.

Hear hear. In pakistan, they are paying for people to get tents so that they can LIVE. In worthing, its more likely that the operations that are being cancelled are for minor operations. Put something in some bloody perspective for once.

If you want someting to moan about (which isnt unusual for you judging by your constant whinging on your phone in) how about complain about the £30 MILLION going towards a new nuclear "defence system" that our government is paying for.

Stop being so heartless.

You'd be thinking very differently if you were in Pakistan right now.

 

[cardboard]

Im totally with Harty on this one

 

[B.M.F]

Hear hear. In pakistan, they are paying for people to get tents so that they can LIVE. In worthing, its more likely that the operations that are being cancelled are for minor operations. Put something in some bloody perspective for once.

If you want someting to moan about (which isnt unusual for you judging by your constant whinging on your phone in) how about complain about the £30 MILLION going towards a new nuclear "defence system" that our government is paying for.

Stop being so heartless.

You'd be thinking very differently if you were in Pakistan right now.

Or the millions we throw away on pikey dole bludging students

 

[looney]

Perspective.

We can neither feed nor accomadate the world. Charities fine but if a governments elected on a fix the nhs ticket that should be its priority.

 

[looney]

The question harty actually asked was is he a racist not the rights or wrongs of government v privat aid etc.

 

[The British National Party]

No you're not racist Ian, well said.

 

[simonsimon]

£30 million is now JUST one day's profit for BP, OR put another way it is 50 pence from
each citizen of this country.

This puts your sensational kite flying into perspective.