1. "Deserve" in this case is subjective. What do people do to deserve birthday presents? It's not like living for a whole year warrants a present, right?

Same thing.

Knight_of_BAAWA at 5:39PM on Dec 31st 2007

2. What does anyone "do" who inherits money from family? I don't know much about the Hiltons, but it is the grandfather's right to give away as much money as he wants to charity or give every dime to his family.
Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!

David S. at 5:56PM on Dec 31st 2007

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keily222 at 6:12PM on Dec 31st 2007

4. I think that the Hiltons of OLD were a decent, loving and honest Family,{Catholic} I think--- The way that the younger generation behaves, its good that the grandfather is giving most of his money to many others who deserve it.

Raffaele Zuccaro at 7:32PM on Dec 31st 2007

5. The Hilton family controls the charity. It's run by Steven Hilton, uncle to Paris. Besides, this is the man who contested his father's will, that left everything to the Catholic Church. And he won.

kim at 7:45PM on Dec 31st 2007

6. Leave Paris alone! No, wait... Leave Britney alone!
Leave all the celebutards alone! They work hard, partying and crashing their cars and exposing their nether-regions. They do it for America!

Captain Negative at 8:37PM on Dec 31st 2007

7.
Inheritances should be treated like LOTTERY income.

The LOTTERY is just the lucky draw of rich parents.

Both are UNEARNED income.

Mac at 8:51PM on Dec 31st 2007

8. Why do we care?

J.W. Arbusto el II at 9:32PM on Dec 31st 2007

9. Cenk --- people don't DESERVE anything. Everything comes to us as a free gift from Life. Millions of people work harder than, say, Conrad Hilton did, and are in poverty. Do they DESERVE millions? No. Life is intrinsically unfair and few people can be said to "deserve" what they get. So far as the mutant dude vs. you with the babe...my beautiful wife married me (ugly, though not quite a mutant). I didn't DESERVE that, but I'm happy about it.

On another note Cenk --- why do you have Mt. Rushmore as a backdrop? Mt. Rushmore is the desecration of Souix holy grounds and the theft by the American government of Souix ancestral grounds. It is a real insult to the People of the Souix nation to have this backdrop up. Yes, much land was stolen from the aboriginal Nations, but this particular stretch of mountain is especially holy, and it is especially egregius that the U.S., in violation of treaty, stole these sacred grounds and desecrated them with the faces of presidents. I know you have no respect for religion, but you should, at the very least, respect the religious places of others, especially those who were here first. BTW, I am not of any of the aboriginal Nations.

Father John at 9:59PM on Dec 31st 2007

10. There are so many millionaires and billionaires these days that they could leave their heirs very wealthy and also give a healthy amount to several charities that are not run by family. No one has the right to their grandparent or parents money upon their death. They do however have nice trust funds that keep them well enough to stay in style and in the news. Poor Old Grandpa Hilton, does he think he is punishing her? She is making enough money pimping herself out to clubs for appearances. I am sure her parents will take care of their children in their wills. So Gramps can do what he wants with his money. Paris never did like the smell of him anyway. Sweet! I would think that the old codger would want to leave his children and grandchildren the fruit of his labor. You know the psychology here. Behave or I will take your money away. Then she will behave for him. And, why in the heck does Paris know how much she would have inherited or that she was even going to get anything. It would make sense for gramps to leave it to his son.

Dr D at 2:33AM on Jan 1st 2008

11. Well the Grandfather should give it all away BEFORE he dies. That way when he does die there is nothing Paris can sue for. He can live comfortably off of the 3% until he dies. Then when he dies he still leaves more then they deserve. As for the Estate Tax I'll vote for the person who runs saying they will triple it. What the hell do I care. With investment planning it does not kick in until after about five million so it will not effect my family. I sure as hell will not vote for the guy who runs saying he want to "End the "Death Tax"... No he really wants to raise my kids taxes is what he wants. I know he sure as hell is not going to stop spending money. I would rather Paris get a tax break and my own daughter pay for it? I don't think so. Republicans sure are lucky there are a lot of useful idiots in America who vote somebody elses economic interest over their own. They get them with the stupid phrases. Death Tax.. It is not a Death Tax it is a "Silver Spoon Tax".. Fight fire with fire...

Joe at 2:19AM on Jan 1st 2008

12. 'Deserve' is a relative term. If you are talking about deserving in terms of her immoral behavior, certainly she does not. But, does she 'deserve' it in terms of who she is--the daughter and granddaugther of EXTREMELY wealthy people--I think so. Here's why...Like it or not, for better or worse, right or wrong, we all 'inherit' from our families. We inherit a set of genes and the medical predispositions that come along with them. We inherit a set of conditions (i.e. parenting skills) in which we develop. These conditions may set us off on the right foot in life or they may leave us needing a lifetime of therapy. Moreover, we inherit the reputations of our forebears and the expectations that come along with them. Maybe she didn't want to marry someone she's 'expected' to? If that is the case, in that sense, Paris is already more honest than most of us who would probably just do as we were told. I have a friend of mine..a good, honest man whom retired from the Navy, found work in security and applied to the NYPD. During the interview process, it came up that members of his family (parents) had criminal records and that this precluded his consideration for the job though he was otherwise qualified. Now, excuse me, but, this man, honorably discharged from the Navy, with no criminal background of his own has, in my opinion, demonstrated who he is and what he is about. Didn't our forefathers envision a world where self determination set the tone for ones existence? Why should he 'inherit' the bad karma of his forebears? Nonetheless, in a world where this is so, shouldn't Paris inherit the product of her forebears? And, if not, why? Does Karma only flow one way?

Keith J. Mohrhoff at 8:25AM on Jan 1st 2008

13. The Paris Hilton story is just a "filler" taking place for real news in America. What if the american people were informed about some important items that the government or big business would rather that we don't know? That may cause people to turn on the corporate control that they enjoy. Until the american people cry out for more truth we will I'm sure just get more of the same. By the way how is Britney's sister doing?

Rick at 11:15AM on Jan 1st 2008

14. If Paris gets a house and car free and clear then she can easily live on the interest from what she haas invested. There is so much you learn when you lose "The Bankroll." You learn you can live without so many things in your life, like those Chippendale chairs you once thought so important. What's really important are the people in your life.

Judy at 11:35AM on Jan 1st 2008

15. Why insult Paris Hilton? She's not even important in the grand scheme of things. All this article is about is gossip. You know, the "Celebrity" section of the local 'fishwrap' of a newspaper. Since neither you nor I know her, maybe she was a part of the decision to redirect a large part of her inheritance. I mean how much does one need? She's not a 'deadbeat'. She does work, you know. She does what she wants to do, it seems, and that is as American as growing a business to the point where you are lucky enough to even have "a bankroll". I'm not jealous, just in glad that someone can live the American Dream, whatever it may be.

JDubU at 12:05PM on Jan 1st 2008