Haiti
Haiti was struck by an earthquake. A devastating one. It has likely killed hundreds of thousands of people, but no one really knows because victims are trapped under rumble – babies, children, toddlers, teenagers, women, men, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandmothers, grandfathers…
Natural disasters have no target. Earthquakes know not whose lives they take. There is no political motivation. There is no motive of revenge. It is not tactical or strategic. It is science – plate tectonics and other things that I have a lot of interest in, but very little clue about.
I have heard unsettling responses in the aftermath of the quake – and I am not going to dignify any idiotic, racist public figures by talking about theirs. I am thinking of people I know, people I follow on Twitter, people I overhear in public.
The most striking response I’ve heard has been the we have problems here at home, why should so much of our money leave the country. Really? People are dying. People are buried alive. People are suffering with no food, water, shelter, or infrastructure. And, you are making this about money? Really? You are worried about national identity and taking care of our own? That degree of nationalism scares me. To think that sharing citizenship with someone makes them more deserving of your care is frightening.
Don’t resent that attention is being given to Haiti in the media, on Twitter, by celebrities. Don’t make this about you. Don’t make this about your country. This is not about you – it is about the people of Haiti.
Take a second and think beyond your borders. Think beyond what is happening in your country. The people of Haiti deserve your attention because they are suffering. They may not be the only ones in the world, but that doesn’t mean they suffer any less.
When in doubt, love (and give… time, money, whatever).
January 14th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
You are spot on, one thing that also bothers me is the outpouring of support that seems to happen only in crisis. It would be a better world if people helped out poorer countries always. I often wonder about the very wealthy in that regard. All of the sports stars and Hollywood stars, great that you care now, but how about caring always?
January 15th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
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January 15th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Please, please tell me you are speaking hypothetically… that you didn’t really hear or see people even contemplating putting their own interests above those of Haitians at this moment in time… that you didn’t hear or see people comparing our nation’s issues to those being faced by Haitians right now.
I just wrote an entry about how the entire country is in ruins. Ruins. That means there is nothing left.
The people of our country have access to shelter if they want it. They have access to food and water and the basics of life. The people of Haiti have nothing right now. They are sleeping in streets not because they choose to, but because they have to.
I’m with you Sarah. Take a second to think beyond your borders.
January 15th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Shawn – I wish I was being hypothetical. That was all but a direct quote.
February 6th, 2010 at 4:18 am
I wish more people were like Mr. George Clooney. What he has done to help the Haitian people is just amazing. So many of the Hollywood celebrities are just phonies looking for publicity. George is one of the true greats.