Why aren't zillionaires like Oprah following Al Gore's example? Imagine...

[wakemewhenitsover]

...you were worth a billion dollars?

Wouldn't you be chartering busses? Chartering planes?

Hell, Oprah could hire a gourmet caterer to feed these starving people.

What about Yoko Ono?

What about Bruce Springsteen?

Why is Al Gore the only wealthy US citizen to take personal responsibility in the face of the reality that our government has failed?

The idea of elderly people and babies dying of thirst and starvation in America, where there is such a disparity between the rich and poor...

Shame on all the zillionaire celebrities who have not acted with alacrity.

Tomorrow will be too late for far too many.

[bushisanidiot]

1. I wouldn't be so quick to judge oprah.. i guarantee you she's making plans

to help out as we speak..

[caledesi]

27. That's true..she usualy donates fairly "quietly"...believe me Oprah

is donating.

[katmondoo]

2. She is a Bush Lover

[goclark]

5. I know she loves Arnold

but I'd be real surprise if she does nothing.

[wakemewhenitsover]

8. Really? Please explain...

[tjdee]

11. That is a blatant lie.

Blatant.

[undeterred]

23. yup

She's a rich black female liberal, and a very very generous person.

[LostinVA]

45. Whatever. She is absolutely not a Bush lover n/t

[mzmolly]

55. In fact here are her political contributions:

http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/Oprah_Winfrey.php

16,000 to Democrats on the record
1,000 to a single female Republican candidate.

[Had_enough_BS]

59. Bush Lover or Not Oprah does more good than most!!!!

Looks like we have some true idiots in here tonight, On this,"is Oprah giving money"? thing. If she does or not do anything is none of your goddamn business, or any body's else's. If people want to give they will, being challenge is not the way, you are starting to sound like the government, talking shit out your ass!! Oprah has done more good than any other celebrity helping the poor and needy than any other celebrity because she wants to..Even when theres not a tragedy she helps others , more than I can say probably for most of you who post in here bashing people where you have no clue of the facts.The government we know there fools and misuse monies all the time. Start blaming GW, he is the one who is really at fault here, and you know what so funny hes going to blow all the rest of your tax monies on this tragic incident for his fuck up, if he has not already on the war!! So shut the fuck up about celebrities giving monies. You should be whining why the oil companies don't cut their profits, there making 10 fold more in a year than Oprah will in her lifetime......Shit

[Webster Green]

3. Fear of being accused of "granstanding"?....

Gore certainly will be accused of that, and he obviously doesn't give a shit.

Re-elect President Gore!

[Booster]

4. Here we go again. Another post blaming Oprah. Jeeeesssshhh.

[wakemewhenitsover]

13. Not Oprah personally, just people rich enough to buy their own Lear jets.

[Booster]

41. When you blatantly put someone's name in your header, how can

that be anything other than personal?

[LostinVA]

47. You know, it's the GOVERNMENT'S responsibility

to help and save these people. Not Oprah, or Harrison Ford, or Harry Connick, Jr.s, or Pepe Le Pew. The GOVERNMENT. Celebrities can't take care of this -- they can do stuff afterward, and I guarantee many will, esp. Sandy Bullock, OPrah, and Ashley Judd. Right now, let the authorities, who are PAID with OUR money, do this. Oprah can't commandeer the NG, Sandra Bullock can't order in the Coast GUard.

Jeez.

[Brightmore]

6. What's with the Oprah-bashing?

Where's that damn Dr. Phil!?!?

[msongs]

14. nice interview with him on local news (so cal) last night ->

he did not even pimp his books, tho his show is coming to that tv station in 2 weeks so one could say it was the usual media prostitution if one wanted to.

Msongs

PS - don't watch Dr Shill actually.

[SoCalDem]

7. Some celebs have a fencepost up their ass

they never want to "offend".. I was angry with Oprah for NOT using her show as a platform for voting/election issues.. She could have even done it in a non-partisan way, but she passed on it..

Kirstie Alley's Dream Kitchen was more important

[tcholt]

43. Do some research

She had many shows before the election about voting issues. She mainly concentrated on issues affecting women and families and had drives to get women to vote in much higher numbers.

And just because someone doesn't put their face on the news to just get the publicity doesn't mean they aren't doing something constructive to help people.

[AlCzervik]

9. oh dear god can we stop with the Oprah bashing

We should be able to DEPEND on the federal Gov. the way we depend on Oprah.

[wakemewhenitsover]

26. Should, but can't. Al Gore's the only one to take personal responsibility.

[AlCzervik]

31. How do you know Oprah has or has not done?

[tjdee]

10. Because she's not a politician? Just saying.

I swear to jeebus she may as well run for office, since she is already treated as if she holds an office.

I am absolutely sure she will address this in an upcoming show.

She's not stupid.

[Libby2]

12. I wouldn't be so quick to judge her either

Crow is not very tasty.

I know, I've had to eat my share.

Oprah will come through with money, just watch.

[wakemewhenitsover]

16. But time is of the essence. Why not follow Gore's example?

[Libby2]

17. I don't know, I really don't

and I agree time is important.
I just have faith that she will do something special.

[Tyranny_R_US]

21. Why don't you ask Bill Clinton that 'wakemewhenitsover'

Why don't you ask Martha Stewart that 'wakemewhenitsover'
Why don't you ask Hillary Clinton that 'wakemewhenitsover'

[LostinVA]

49. Gore is a politician with some pull, Oprah is a celebrity

It's very different.

Again, it is the GOVERNMENT'S responsibility, and Gore is kinda still part of the government.

[President Kerry]

65. Gore's a private citizen, with huge political appeal..

he's not part of the government.

[rocktivity]

15. She certainly owes Kayne West a guest appearance

He could promote his album and dicuss his comments during the NBC telethon. Then he could donate the album sales to charity.

:headbang:
rocknation

[wakemewhenitsover]

18. Kayne West rocks

[goclark]

62. Kanye would be dynamite but I don't think she'll do it

Sure wish she would do it!

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Libby2]

20. yes Leno has offered one of his Harley's

it will be auctioned, with I believe celib signatures on it.

[Libby2]

24. Here is a link to a few things being done

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,17284,00.html

[Tyranny_R_US]

25. Thanks for the update Libby2

Thats very admirable of him.

[wakemewhenitsover]

28. I love it when multi-millionaires donate something which is...

...the equivalent of a five-buck tip for someone with an average income, and then ask others to cough up lots of money.

[Tyranny_R_US]

29. I'm confused....

Now you're pissed off because they want to help?

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?

[mondo joe]

34. You've let your hate of anyone with money cloud your reasoning.

You complain when they give, you complain when they don't give.

What would satisfy you, for Oprah to give EVERYTHING she has and be left with $25 in the bank?

[LostinVA]

52. So, damned if they do, damned if they don't? Whatever...

[xmas74]

22. She'll be there.

She was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. I don't see her letting her birth state hang out to dry (or any other state, for that matter). Her charities donate large amounts of money to various causes here in the US and around the world.
She's probably planning something shortly. Since she can't go and personally rescue everyone from NO herself (hell, no one seems to be able to), she's probably trying to find out which organization will do the most good for the most people in order to donate and fundraise. She tends to research very well.

Besides, shouldn't we be angriest at the govt's reaction first and then worry about what the 1% will do for charities?

[wakemewhenitsover]

32. Al Gore is able to. Is he the only rich mensch in the USA?

[xmas74]

38. No.

But not everyone is going to respond immediately. We need people who will repond w/ help and donations now. We will also need help in the future when this tragedy is no longer on the news every night.
BTW-check her site. Tuesday's show is about Katrina and the aftermath. She also lists a number of charities to donate to. Her own charity-Angel Network-investigates which charities do the greatest good w/ their money and then donates accordingly.

Like I said-don't count her out.

http://www.oprah.com/uyl/katrina/uyl_katrina_help.jhtml

[LostinVA]

54. Al Gore is a politician and was VP of the US, OPRAH WASN'T

[AspenRose]

30. Nicholas Cage donated a million dollars

He has a house in the area, I think

[wakemewhenitsover]

37. Which is fantastic, but Al Gore took action. Why is he alone?

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[melody]

51. President Gore cares about his people

"President" Bush shrieks like a 5 year old girl when he gets near a horse.

[Wizard777]

33. Since People Are Talking

It would not surprize me one bit if she were on the phone with Ty. Can you do a whole city?

[cynatnite]

35. Celine Dion donated $1 million n/t

[Kenroy]

36. Of all the billionaires in this country

why are you picking on the only one who's a black woman?

Racism? Sexism?

Her obligation is no greater than anybody else's... but I guarantee she will give more money than you or I will earn in a lifetime.

[Hot_Wheels_Dude]

40. So now this is all Oprahs fault?

Ignoring the whole hurricane issue, why should it be up to Oprah, or any other private citizen for that matter, to do the job that our taxes pay the gubment to do?

[wakemewhenitsover]

42. As a matter of conscience?

[Tyranny_R_US]

44. wakemewhenitsover seems like you are selectivly avoiding a few questions..

...whats your angle, are you a troll,why are you targeting oprah?

[LostinVA]

56. Maybe because she's a black woman and very liberal?

Yeah, I said it... because she's BLACK.

I don't agree with Oprah on many things, but she has done a lot for the poor, female, and black communities in this country. Stuff we know about, stuff we don't. This is one celebrity who should NOT be criticized for this.

Wakemeup is being contentious.

[Catherine Vincent]

58. She's not that liberal, after all, she let Bush kiss her on the cheek.

Ick!

[leetrisck]

46. Thousands & thousands of people are giving

that the world will never know about. Charity comes from the heart - I'm not about to bash anyone who does or doesn't.

[melody]

48. lots of people are

"All of Al's friends" (word from a stringer) chipped in, and I'd imagine that includes a few zillionaires. He was trying to keep it on the QT, I gather.

Dunno about Yoko, but according to a friend of mine, Macca (even though he's not a Yank) quietly sent two of his people over with orders to "buy what is needed no matter the cost". He usually does that stuff quietly.
Maybe the others have done this also.

[wakemewhenitsover]

60. Way to go, Macca! Take a sad song and make it better.

[demo dutch]

50. There will be money needed for months to come-they will step up

[txindy]

53. I want my tax dollars to be used for this

It's the federal government's responsibility. Let the government pay for it and work for their own paychecks, for once. My tax dollars don't go to celebrities. They earned their money, themselves. The federal government hasn't earned a damn thing.

[DefenseLawyer]

57. Man, I totally agree

I mean it is great when people donate to charity, I have donated to the Red Cross this week myself, but if something like this is not what we pay taxes for, I don't know what is. I am always afraid that focusing on fundraisers and which celebrity gave what makes it seem like this is somehow not the government's responsibility.

[wakemewhenitsover]

61. But as Edwards says, we're two Americas. If we reject...

...the concept of tax breaks for the rich, why not "tax" ourselves through personal conscience and responsibility, like Al Gore?

[DefenseLawyer]

63. I am not anti-charity

but problems of this magnitude are not solved by charity. Charities don't build levees, charities don't fund FEMA and equip the National Guard. Of course every thing that charities do to help is good and I encourage everyone to give. My only point is that focusing too much on who is giving to charity or how much charities have tends to take the focus off the government's ultimate responsibility. It is too close to the right wingers that say "we don't need social programs because a church runs a soup kitchen every other week".

[wakemewhenitsover]

66. When people starve in America, theories are irrelevant. Kudos to Al Gore!

[jab105]

64. Becaus this disaster is the job of the FUCKING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!!!!

not Oprah...