Let’s discuss what you can do with money you have as a surplus after providing for your retirement and old age. There are lots of possibilities, and I have already mentioned a few, such as Andrew Carnegie who donated 6,000 pipe organs, built 1689 public libraries, Carnegie Hall in New York, and founded many institutions. John D. Rockefeller gave vast sums to medical research, higher education, and Baptist missions. James Cash Penney built a huge chain of stores bearing his name, but was obsessed with American agriculture. At age 41, he stepped aside from running his stores, and devoted most of the rest of his life improving American farming and livestock raising. All of the rich of a hundred years ago and more, gave their wealth to not only increase their wealth, but the increases provided jobs to millions. Big yacht? Jobs to those who built manned, and maintined it. One of the largest mansions in America is located in Asheville, North Carolina, built by a descendent of Commodore Vanderbilt. It is a wonderful visit and I highly recommend it. It has Otis elevator #9, and every possible new invention available in America in the late 1800’s. Today, as when it was built, it has hundreds of employees. Then, to build and maintain it, and today, to maintain it, sell souvenirs and food. We ate in a barn whose horse stalls had been made into restaurant booths, and the food was superb.
Today, we have Bill and Melinda Gates, whose wealth is microscopic compared to Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Edison, Goodyear, Ford, or Rockefeller. According to a Journal (Wall Street) a week or so ago, they are in Africa tending to AIDS sufferers, and doing all sorts of things to ‘help’ people who will never amount to anything, but will suck the life out of economies. AIDS is brought on by careless sex, and everyone knows it. It’s not a huge mystery, and those who have it can blame themselves for having it. Jobs created? None. Helping the economy of Africa? Maybe funeral directors. Are Bill and Melinda enjoying their wealth? As liberals do, I am certain they get a charge out of being modern day humanitarians, but to me, that is absurd.
Page 238 of “Consequences” has this comparison. “In September, 1997, England’s 37 year old “Princess Di” died in a hideous car crash. Less than a week later, Mother Teresa died in Calcutta India at age 87. The Liberals were quick to pronounce Mother Teresa the most righteous and the one who did the most good works. I disagree. Mother Teresa spent her life in abject poverty. She was a nun who did selfless, heart-warming acts, such as comforting the sick and diseased. She ministered to the poor, often went hungry, slept on a thin mattress, and will undoubtedly be made a ‘saint’ by the Catholic Church.
“Mother Teresa’s good works went to the grave with her, as she was poor, raised no money, had no children, and her legacy was one of selflessness. Princess Di died and became an instant martyr like Mother Teresa. The big difference is that Di’s favorite charities will eventually receive perhaps a billion dollars in memory of her. Princess Di traveled in splendor, and had the best in fashion and comfort. She was rich, which made the media slant their good words and favor towards Mother Teresa, because she was poor. Obviously, Princess Di’s life produced more good works and better results than Mother Teresa’s. Di produced two handsome, intelligent boys, one of whom will become the King of England. Her charities will be copiously endowed, and perhaps will discover wonderful new medicines, build hospitals, and fix a lot of things. Mother Teresa will lie in her grave and be fondly remembered by millions, but which woman left the most to prosperity? Not Mother Teresa, who lived in abject poverty, but Princess Di, who lived in the lap of luxury. Think about it, and decide whether it was the rich or the poor, whose life resulted in the most good works.”
I’m not rich, but I am a life member of seven historical societies and give to several railroad preservation groups, my church, a few Republicans, and never to beggars, AIDS, etc. You? – Don Stott, 1-888-786-8822