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Haiti/FB
There's a "status chain" going around now that says
Shame on you America: the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment - yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations.
I've seen comments added on to that saying,
"good for you, i am sooo tired of us helping everyone...like i said, people are worried about 2012, open your eyes now and see what is going on in this country now...and its just not about homeless, hungry, nor elderly!!!!!! ECONOMY!!! Our same elected politicians!!!!wake up america!!!"
and
"Don't get me wrong, I smypathize for the people of Haiti but really...Friday nights TV airings were a little ridic..."
I don't get it. I understand the thought behind this (to an extent -- a few years ago I probably would have agreed regarding the amount of non-crisis foreign aid the US gives), but America gives money and puts on fundraisers like "Hope for Haiti" is because the poorest person in this country has it 85x better than a person in Haiti. A human is a human. Why are people so clouded in their own selfish bubble to see that we ARE the richest country. Why shouldn't we give to those who people who had nothing before the earthquake have even LESS now. When did compassion become an evil word?
/soapbox
Lucy Elizabeth 10.27.12
Re: Haiti/FB
I don't want to offend, but; I have a hard time with all the concern for Haiti post-earthquake. hypcracy? We inflict disaster everyday around the world, people suffer amazingly all the time and, more importantly, here in the U.S. I find it to be a waste of time to work ourselves up over things we can not control. Donate $, sure; let's keep perspective. Tragedy is relative, look around.
I don't think there was a need for every channel on Friday night to be broadcasting "Hope For Haiti".
I think the original writer's anger isn't that we're helping Haiti, but that we aren't helping our own poor. I bet you that a high percentage of people who texted to donate or whatever, have not given a dime to their local food bank, etc. We may be the richest nation, but we have a pretty bad track record for helping our own, probably because of the mentality of "I can do it on my own, why can't every other American".
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I don't understand why anyone wouldn't be concerned that hundreds of thousands of people have such a poor quality of life experienced such devastation. Is it because it's another country? Why should that matter? Like I said in my OP, it's about human lives. We should focus where the need is greater and more immediate.
Also, regarding the telethon, if people didn't want to watch or contribute, there is such a thing called a DVD player or DVR player. Or a book. It's not like there's anything decent on Fridays to watch in the first place.
Also, a similar discussion erupted on D&R. I found this poster's words particularly noteworthy:
Maybe you don't realize this, but poverty in the US is better than a lot of individuals have it in third-world countries. Step across the border sometime to Ju?rez. No running water, little to no chance for education, and crime rampant to a ridiculous degree. And that's without throwing in a natural disaster. Politics in a lot of countries tend to be unstable, and a good chunk of the population lives below the poverty line. We live in a stable, prosperous country, and have a hell of a lot to be thankful for.
For the most part, it's a safe bet that you have a safe place to sleep, access to at least some kind of education and healthcare, and don't have to worry if there will be a regime change in the next few years. You can also usually trust that if you seek justice from the police, they'll actually pay attention and not need some kind of bribe or payoff. That isn't a reality for many. I don't think it's ridiculous to extend aid to those in desperate need of it, especially when they wouldn't otherwise receive it.
,,,,
All that said, please think before you speak. Helping others is never a bad thing, especially when they utterly lack the resources to help themselves. People may die every day from natural disasters, but it doesn't excuse callousness to human suffering.
Lucy Elizabeth 10.27.12
What?
All I'm going to say is that Mames is right on. I feel like anyone that would post that FB status clearly has no concept of what goes on in other countries. I've seen people say "oh but we have homeless/starving people here." You can't even compare what goes on in the US to what other countries deal with. Without our help, Haiti would literally sink into the ocean. Their country has been devastated.
If something similar happened in the US and 200,000 people died and our country had fallen apart and let's say the UK donated millions of dollars to us, something tells me NO ONE would be b*tching about that. Stop being so freaking selfish people!
Though I don't have much time right now to type a well thought out response, I have to say that I side with Mames on this one.
There are countless opportunities available on a daily basis to help the citizens of this country. It seems to me that so many people are just "used" to things being this way in America. There are thousands of organizations out there aimed at helping our homeless, providing healthcare and education benefits to those who may not otherwise have access, etc. We tend to turn a blind eye to our own pain and suffering because, imo, it's not at a devastating level. Yes, it's sad that we have problems in our own country. If people are so passionate about perfecting our country over saving another, then maybe they should get out there and volunteer at a soup kitchen, sacrifice a new outfit to be able to donate more considerably to a worthy cause, or seek to actively raise awareness. Instead, people sit around and complain when we help other, more needy countries instead of our own. Sorry folks throwing $2 in the Salvation Army bucket at Christmas time doesn't constitute doing your part here at home. I say, before we debate so heatedly over helping our own before helping another, far less fortunate, allied country, we should take a closer look at ourselves and decide if, as individuals, we're doing all we can to make the difference here at home.
Totally inappropriate, but does anyone else think that if we got our butts in the kitchen and rearranged a few things, we could totally party with the Haitians?
I can't get this out of my head every time the topic of Haiti comes up!!! I know, I'm going to hell.
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I'm literally laughing out loud. Because I thought this SOOOO many times since last week, but I felt like people would judge me if I spoke it outloud. I
you.
Lucy Elizabeth 10.27.12
There's a big fight going on on my facebook between some friends of mine in regards to this. My high school was big into the Haiti Plunge (sending students there to help build houses) and in HS I helped raise money for them four times doing 24 hour food fasts. I'm all for sending them money to rebuild and don't have any issue with a telethon.
I don't think people understand the devastation of 150,000+ dead people ontop of entire cities and towns being toppled. It was the same with the tsunami a few years ago. Beyond the fact that we take so much for granted - running water, electricity, 4 sturdy walls and a roof. I know I can biitch with the best of them when my internet is down or my cell service isn't ideal. Yes, there is a lot of poverty in this country, but there's also a lot of wealth and a lot of plain ol' middle America. Some 90% of Haitians don't have our basic luxuries. Then, add in 4 natural disasters in 10 years and hundreds of thousands of orphans... It's horrendous.
First, I don't get what a fb post like this is going to solve. Not just for this cause but for any cause really. There are better ways to spread your message than a mass chain posting. I'm personally much more interested in reading about the actions one has taken to solve the problem they are talking about.
As far as this one, I do agree that we should be helping the people of Haiti because as PP said, what we describe as poor does not begin to describe the level of poverty they are experiencing.
Today, my work is holding an event to not only pack lunches but to educate people on how the lunches will help. I held a 1qt. bag of rice in my hand with a label reading that it would feed 6 people. And then I think of the times I stand in front of my full cupboards at home and say there is nothing to eat. Eye-opening to say the least. It was a proud moment when they announced that our group prepared 37,000 meals with 4 more groups coming in.
Whether people help those here at home or in Haiti is really a personal choice but either way just help someone. There are ways to help without donating cash if that is an issue. Donate time, donate goods, share your knowledge and talents. No matter how bad your situation seems, there is someone you can help.
I dont have enough time to really write out my argument right now but I side with Mames on this one too...
Yes there are poor people in this country, yes there are homeless, there are starving, however, there are hospitals, there is infrastructure, there are shelters. In Haiti people are sleeping on the streets because they are afraid to be inside due to the instability of the buildings that are left standing. There are emergency surgeries happening without anesthestics at the airports and any other space they could set up makeshift tent camps. It is a completely different world than anyone here knows anything about if they haven't seen it.
It almost makes me sick to think that DH and I were in the Dominican Republic, at a resort, living it up 7 months ago and we were just hours away from these people. It takes a disaster to get people to pay attention to the poverty and hardship these people face. Yet the reports from people I know volunteering down there say that they are the most positive, optimistic people. There is no looting/crime going on in the streets like there was after Katrina. They are just thankful to have help, however much it may be.
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I find it somewhat unbelievable that people are criticizing and finding fault with other people who choose to help those in need. That is NEVER the right attitude to have, in my opinion. I think the same people who helped/are helping the Haitians are the same who also donate locally and do what they can to help others. It's just a matter of having a helping spirit and a desire to help others, in any way you can. For anyone to say "We're concentrating too much on the people of Haiti, or on the victims of Katrina, or this or that," is just ridiculous. You can never help those in such a tragic need TOO much.
People need to seriously check themselves. It's easy for them to sit there and say that it's ridiculous to have a telethon broadcast on 5 stations, but then again--they're not the ones who lost EVERYthing.
I love your answer, angel, and I think you are probably totally right. I gave to Haiti, but I also give to my local food bank (and volunteer at the local public radio station, etc.), so I realize the other comment doesn't really apply to me, as much as it gets me riled.
And as for the original post about the FB status
"Shame on you America: the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment - yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations."
I am 100% sure that that is not true. The only country with children going to bed without eating???? Have you lost your mind?? Yes, there is poverty in this country and children don't eat, but there are programs, free lunch in schools. We have basic things like building codes so we don't have to fear our buildings will fall down on us. Haiti didn't even really have that.
I also think it's ironic they point out how elderly people are "going without needed meds." Um, then support public healthcare. Because by the tone of that post, I'm pretty sure they don't.
Also, side note, I think it's sad it took a natural disaster to get us to pay attention to Haiti when it has needed so much for so long. For people who get so upset over illegal immigration: I think the solution is to help our impoverished and unstable neighbors to improve themselves. Few people leave a healthy country where everything is going well.
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="D
double post. move along.
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My $0.02:
A disaster is a disaster. I don't care where it happens -- here, Haiti, Indonesia -- it's a tragedy. It's common kindness to try and rally to help in whatever way you can (money, volunteering, prayer, etc.)
And, in regards to the telethon, anything that brings George Clooney and Robert Pattinson to my television screen is A-OK by me.
I had to do a double take when RP came out. The beard!
And anything that allows JT to sit behind a piano with his sexy scruff and sing of my favorite songs is also A-OK by me.
Lucy Elizabeth 10.27.12
Obviously (before I get flamed) I don't mean the earthquake. I mean the telethon/it being aired on every broadcast network. I wish we didn't have to have them. I wish networks would just bring me George and RPatz because I asked nicely. I just don't find the telethon annoying because (1) it's helping people, and (2) I'm a celeb junkie.
*sigh* Leigha and Mames, save me a spot in hell, okay?