So isn't it interesting that we keep hearing about Sarah Palin's peccadilloes--most lately, that she used her private email account to conduct government business--while the major media continues to ignore the George Obama scandal? Here is a guy living in Third World destitution and his half-brother is the leading candidate to become the next president of the United States! How can we be blind to this national disgrace? Are the networks and major newspapers so exhilarated at the prospect of an African American president that they have become cheerleaders and cover-up specialists for the Obama campaign?
My modest campaign to help out George Obama has been coming nicely. Sean Hannity mentioned it on his show on the Fox News Channel, and I appeared on a handful of radio shows to talk about the idea. Interestingly the George Obama Compassion Fund was reported on by Kenya's leading newspaper "The Nation." So far I have received more than $1,000 in small contributions. With my kickoff contribution of $1,000, that's upwards of $2,000 for George Obama.
This is not a huge sum, but I specifically asked people to send gifts of $5, $10 and $25. The reason is that even a relatively modest sum by American standards is a considerable sum by Kenyan standards. George Obama has said that he is living on a dollar a month. This seems an impossibly small sum to survive on, so I checked the poverty line in Kenya. That is around $100 a year. By this measure, our little fund has provided for George for 20 years. Alternatively, George can move out of his 6 foot-by-10-foot hut and into a more comfortable dwelling. He can also get the training he needs to become a mechanic.
The reporter for "The Nation" thought he had me cornered when he asked, "Are you doing this to embarrass Barack Obama?" To which I answered, "Absolutely. He deserves to be embarrassed." The reporter went on to ask me since when I had developed this great interest in African poverty. I responded that I had only a slight and distant interest in African poverty. I happen to come from a very poor country, India, and my philanthropic work is directed there. In fact,I I only took up the George Obama cause when I heard what a jerk and a hypocrite Barack Obama is being about his sibling. One Obamoron emailed me to say, "Why don't you use your money to help your own impoverished relatives in India?" The answer is that my relatives don't live in huts!
The George Obama Compassion Fund elicited some interesting comments from donors, which I'll be forwarding to George along with the funds. "This is for the poor brother long forgotten." "A brother is a terrible thing to waste." "I wish I had a brother, or even a step-brother. George is not my relative and not my race or religion but I still want to contribute to his welfare." "When Obama said that not taking care of the least of our brothers is our greatest moral failure, who knew that he was talking literally about the least of his brothers?" "I never thought I'd be writing a check to anyone named Obama, but I do want to be a true Christian and help this man in this shameful situation." "I'd send more, but I make $9.10 per hour." "I'm unemployed, but I can spare $5 for the Obama Compassion Fund."
Not one of the atheists who regularly appears on this blog contributed a penny. (This is very much in line with sociologist Arthur Brooks' data showing that the most secular people are much less generous both with money and time than their religious counterparts.) As Brooks might have predicted, most of my donations came from self-identified Christians, some of them in difficult circumstances themselves. Thanks to this generosity, Barack Obama's half-brother can look forward to the prospect of a better life. George Obama, start packing!
Reader Comments ( Page 6 of 19)
76. Dinesh,
Thank you for not only talking the talk but also walking the walk of Christianity. God will bless you!
Jo Ann at 8:38PM on Sep 21st 2008
77. Please People=Wake=UP+Obama+IS=A=MUSLIM=31yrs=He Declared Himself suchUntil it"LookedBad"Politically =We're At War With Radical Muslims for Over40yrs =SO WHY in GOD'S Name Elect One?Too Many Blacks Are ANGRY=& Will Elect HimWHY? They Don'tKNOW ButThey Will DESTROY AMERICA-JustFor-Spite-IF YOU Vote for Obama iT is A=Slap=in=The=Face=OF=JESUS CHRIST=&GOD WILL JUDGE YOU FOR IT=
LARRY GODDEN at 8:52PM on Sep 21st 2008
78. fanman; "Poor Dinesh; I feel bad for you bro. You make a perfectly benevolent gesture and you get a slap in the face for it"
Wow, I guess I've given you too much credit if you think this is a "perfectly benevolent gesture". Maybe you are being facetious and I missed it?
And I've been to Kenya, so just FYI, saying "hut" makes you sound stupid.
Ryan Anderson at 8:49PM on Sep 21st 2008
79. I don't get it. Socialist Obama says he wants to help everybody, so what about his family (brother)?
I think the only person Obama wants to help his himself by filling his own pockets!! He is a liar, deceiver and a hypocrite with a big mouth. I am so sick of him talking down to us!!
lew at 9:06PM on Sep 21st 2008
80. George Obama is not a U.S. citizen.Barack is not responsible for how his life turned out.His Parents are.Barack & his sister(by his mother)were raised together.Their mother took charge in molding them into the people they are today.My parents were divorced when I was 5.I am now 46 & if my half brother or sister would come to me today I could only offer them love, kindness & a hot meal.It would be foolish of me to allow a stranger live in my house.George is stranger to Barack.Why would anyone think that it is his responsibility to take care of a grown man.At what point does George become responsible for himself?
alldark1 at 9:17PM on Sep 21st 2008
81. Great post, great idea, Dinesh!
scarletlak at 9:40PM on Sep 21st 2008
82. Churchill said, "If you don't look at the facts, they'll look at you."
Here are the facts:
Obama regualrly speaks about the need for compassion.
Obama's policies presuppose the notion that those who are better off are morally obligated to help those who are worse off.
Obama has cited scripture to support and express this notion: he said we are our brothers' keepers.
Obama is a millionaire.
Obama has at least one half-brother he knows about who lives on a dollar a month.
Obama hasn't provided his brother any financial support.
No intellectually honest person can look at these facts and not conclude that Obama is a hypocrite. All of you who do try to defend Obama -- who knows how many children his father had (irrelevant)? Why is Obama obligated to support his adult brother (hint: see his personal and political philosophy)? Obama's brother is too proud to accept help (since when does this remove the obligation the rich have, according to Obama's political philosophy, to help the poor?). Poor people like being poor (need I comment on this one?) -- can only do so by either explicitly contradicting one of his core principles (and one of your own, if you're a liberal), or by denying the facts.
eric at 9:47PM on Sep 21st 2008
83. Dinesh you have grossed me out on this one. Obama is not responsible for his half brother. And you have made this ploy to suit your own needs. I am disgusted. I will never read your halfbaked column again.
kitty sinned at 9:51PM on Sep 21st 2008
84. What blathering nonsense.
james dannenberg at 6:18AM on Sep 22nd 2008
85. Wow, what a disgusting excuse for a journalist. The election has really brought the kooks out the woodwork. This is the same issue that happened to Spike Lee and tons of other folks who worked and achieved their success. I have family members that I don't have a relationship with, what, just because they are family we should automatically help them. The question we should ask is, why is George in that hut in the first place? Dinesh, keep your money, stay off Fox News and find a real story. Maybe instead of giving George money, you could help poverty here in the U.S. That is if you really care in the first place about poor people...and one's not related to political canidates. Or perhaps McCain can give George one of his homes, or maybe he can move in with you Dinesh?
Thearmada2002 at 10:07PM on Sep 21st 2008
86. yes Ryan @ 74, I was being facetious. And the intentional mention of *hut dwellers* was to sound as stupid as CNN journalists who first coined the phrase. Many on here have criticized DD as an opportunist trying to exploit BO's extended family, but where is the criticism of CNN, for instance, who first brought us George's sorry little story? Or do you *stupidly* believe they really care about George? BTW, did you send your check Ryan?
fanman at 10:15PM on Sep 21st 2008
87. first of all i guess whoever thinks that george obama is so well off that he would send back the money sent to him on a matter of pride has never been really hungry and prayed for his children to have something to eat. next, if someone does a work of charity then he is yards ahead of a nongiver whatever the motive. you should be ashamed to be so hard and withhold charity from anyone that needs it. the next time you are complaining about lacking something or about someone else giving something to someone in need ask yourself why you are so rude and hard.
christopher at 10:35PM on Sep 21st 2008
88. Brainwashed Americans are some of the most ignorant, evil, intolerant, deceitful, greedy, arrogant, and egotistical people on the planet. I almost hope McCain wins and continues the Republican trend to drive this country into the dust while the rich get richer and can afford to live anywhere they choose. Racist white people and their agents, like Dinesh, you'll deserve what you get and I'll laugh as you all leap to your own deaths.
proali at 10:50PM on Sep 21st 2008
89. 1. Dinesh, what makes you think that George is entitled to money, simply for being related to Barack? That's the problem with this country; everyone thinks they deserve a handout. You make me sick, you flaming liberal.
My mother has said for years that if we became truly desparate financially, her brothers, very successful farmers, would help us get back on our feet.
Why? Because blood is thicker than water.
I know a number of people who are very successful and help out family members, particularly siblings, that who have financial troubles from time to time. It's not because the successful people owe it to the less fortunate relatives. It's because it's the right thing to do.
Considering that Sen. Obama was a successful lawyer, is married to a successful lawyer, can afford to own a house worth $1.5 million, and can afford to send his daughters to private schools, the Senator ought to send his half brother some money.
Otherwise, he risks looking like Sen. Biden, who made total charitable contributions of $1200 over the last 2 years.
In other words, an uncaring cheapskate.
Kent at 1:20AM on Sep 22nd 2008
90. I might be able to agree that Obama does not have an obligation to help his brother achieve independance by helping a bit with his education costs, except that Obama is the one who is so fond of repeating the Biblical verse about being our brother's keeper when he talks about raising our taxes...guess Obama means everyone except HIM has an obligation to help their brother!
falling at 2:32AM on Sep 23rd 2008