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Another analogy[Back to Top | Back to List of Articles ]News and Observer; May 11, 2003; Arnold R. Post
A May 3 People's Forum letter-writer noticed that some people think money spent to wage a foreign war would be better spent at home for local benefit. He finds such people " extremely selfish and self-centered."
He was reminded of an incident when he, as a church member, tolerated peculation of funds collected to benefit some orphans to be used instead to construct basketball hoops around the church parking lot, thus putting the money to local use at the expense of the orphans. That was, indeed, selfish and self-centered behavior.
If it had been a question of using the money to drive the orphans out of town to take over their asylum for space needed by the church, the writer would have had no reason for guilt for allowing or establishing use of the money for local benefit; and he would then be at one with those who want their government's funds, while still of some value, to be used for constructive rather than destructive purposes.