SUBSCRIBE VIA RSSI’ve read a number of opinion pieces and comments slamming the relief efforts underway for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti and I have to respectfully disagree with their viewpoints.
The basis of their argument is that there are enough needs here in America…why should we help some foreign country? Why should we divert funds, rations, and supplies to a small nation in the midst of their tragedy when we have daily tragedy happening right here at home?
I get that. I understand that. But I also think there can be no comparison.
There is a big difference between being affected by the economic downturn and being instantly crushed beneath concrete and rebar.
There is a big difference between being forced to seek assistance through unemployment, food programs, and charities, and being forced to hunt amongst the dead in search of morsels of food and suitable drinkable water.
There is a big difference between realizing your family is broke and realizing your family is dead.
I’ve read a number of commentaries where people have grown tired of seeing Haiti splashed in the headlines, dominating the news, and eliciting all kinds of attention. Rest assured, the families of the tens of thousands who were killed, maimed, or stripped of everything they owned have grown weary of the earthquake’s fallout as well.
Right now, as the detractors write from computers that equal a typical year’s pay in Haiti, there are people still trapped beneath the rubble. At this very hour, there are children wandering the streets without parents, without family members, and without a known destination.
As you read this, there are wounded people agonizing outside makeshift medical tents that are woefully understaffed and under supplied. And right now, there are hundreds of thousands of people who have no access to even the most basic of necessities.
As you shower in warm water, cook that can of soup, or flip on a light switch, remember that these are unfathomable luxuries to the affected. Packing what you can, sending what you can, and doing what you can to extend comfort to Haiti doesn’t mean you are ignoring the problems we face at home. It just means you’re making an effort to give a little more than you’re used to.
Throughout the year in our household, we bag up items for Goodwill, donate money to charitable organizations, give food to local pantries, and offer our time to charitable programs. No one is asking us to stop, and no one is asking us to divert our donations away from American needs and forward them on to Haiti.
We’re simply digging a little deeper in our closets. Digging a little deeper in our pantry. And digging a little deeper in our wallets.
An argument was posed saying that people are losing their jobs, losing their homes, and being forced to sleep in their cars here in America, so why don’t we help them instead? Ok, good argument, point taken. But do most people help them? Or do they simply want to try and dictate where aid that they had no hand in securing should be distributed?
In truth, we as a society do try and lessen the burden for those affected by poverty, unemployment, and homelessness. There are public assistance programs, there are food bank options, and there are social outreach initiatives in place. Is it enough? No. Not so long as men, women, and children go hungry. But this doesn’t mean we should ignore the pleas of others.
Answer the following questions honestly…even if you already gave at the office.
Would you offer a bandage to the wounded even if he or she wasn’t a part of your family?
Would you take cold water to the lips of the parched even if he or she wasn’t from your community?
Would you offer comfort to a child who just lost his or her entire family even if he or she wasn’t an American?
Then why is this so different?
This isn’t a situation where a bunch of people are lined up with their greedy little hands out looking for freebies. These are people who seek the basic necessities of life so that they can return to some degree of normalcy.
If we can help alleviate their pain by boxing up some extra old clothes from our closets, plucking some extra food from our pantry, or donating a few extra dollars from our wallets, then where is the harm?
Truth be told, I’m sick of hearing about Haiti as well. Not because I feel they don’t deserve our assistance, but because I’m saddened by all the heartbreaking stories of death, despair, and hopelessness.
It will take more than prayers, condolences, and statements of sympathy to bring back what was lost. It will take time, money, and supplies, and I know that we’re going to do our part to help.
And I promise you this.
Not one American man, woman, or child will suffer as a result of our compassion.
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
This was just awesome!
.-= Mindi´s last blog ..Rite Aid Weekly Deals: Week of 1/17/2010 =-.
Nicely put; I hope many read it!
.-= msfahrenheit´s last blog ..HALF THE SKY =-.
Great post, well done. I know that it is hard to not get worn down by the stories but your right even though I am unemployed, I still have access to a computer, can actually watch the news and eat. Its hard not to watch without having some feelings. You literally don't have to have a heart (rush limbaugh, pat robertson) to feel compassion for the lost people and the survivors.
I will retweet this.
http://www.newyorkcitysinglemom.com
.-= NYCSingleMom´s last blog ..Martha Stewart Show – #Blog Show =-.
Wow. First time visiting here and I love this post. Very well put and I have to agree with everything you said. Will definitely be coming back!
.-= Meg´s last blog ..Cool Tricks! =-.
Oh Greg, I couldn't agree with you more. I have seen several negative comments on Facebook as well suggesting that instead of reaching out to Haiti we should be focusing on America. My response: if we dig a little deeper it doesn't take much to do both.
.-= Maria @ Mom et al´s last blog ..Help for Haiti: Your Comments Count! =-.
Well said. If we all only looked out for ourselves what a tragedy that would be. I believe we are all called to be compassionate regardless of borders.
.-= Janis´s last blog ..Happy Birthday Grandma! =-.
Thank you! For saying so eloquently what I've been thinking all morning.
.-= The Shopping Mama´s last blog ..dadoo kids Review, Discount + Giveaway =-.
Greg, I too have even more to say and I will be blogging it
.-= Not So Average Mama´s last blog ..We Don’t Own a Microwave… =-.
What an incredibly well written and dead on post! Wish everyone would understand this. I too am sick of hearing, seeing it….as it breaks my heart and I can't bear to see anymore. Thank you for sharing!
This is an incredibly timely, well-written article. Thank you for pointing it out.
I recently lost my entire hard drive, and as we struggled to fix it and as I struggled to maintain my composure (I didn't) I happened to turn on the TV. An extended newscast (I don't remember which, now) was in Haiti, showing the devestation. How can I honestly think that losing a year or two's worth of data, or having to go on food stamps, or losing my job – any of that – compares to what happened in Haiti? These people, desperately poor already, have lost the little they had. They've lost _children_.
Seeing the program, I cannot complain much about my hard drive. It's so small in comparison. I wish I could send more.
One thing I have seen a lot on the news lately, though, is that many of the relief organizations would prefer cash to items so it can be more easily transported and they can get the things they need that they aren't getting through donations.
.-= Candice´s last blog ..Waste Not, Want Not – Phantom wastes that suck you dry… =-.
I have been reading different blogs and their thoughts in Haiti. It's been hard for me to formulate the words to respond but your post is basically my feelings (except much more eloquently said than what my knee jerk responses were).
We did donate to doctors without borders for Haiti relief, but we have been thinking about how we can support our local community through volunteering or donating. Too bad it took such a tragedy as what happened in Haiti for us to start researching more into local charities.
Well said, I couldn't agree more. I believe some people are "tired" of hearing about Haiti because it is a very real reminder of what could happen. None of us wants to face our own mortality.
Regardless of what we want, these things happen and are very real. My biggest concern is the children who are wandering, alone and vulnerable. There are people who would take them for use of horrible things most of us can't imagine. Lord, grant these children mercy!
You make a lot of good points. But we too was in need on a few different times and no one came to our aid. We couldn't even get our own government to help much. Those effect by Katrina are still suffering and they too was like Haiti searching for loved ones… Fe-ma took their sweet time coming to the aid of the victims. It just seems every-time something happens in a different country our government is so QUICK to jump, but when it happens on our soil they take their time. I have no problem helping others I have giving my last dollar before to help a cause. But we also need to think about our country as well. If our government showed they cared as much for us as others we would have no problem with this issue.
.-= Jammie´s last blog ..Dear Husband =-.
Thank you Greg for your post. I just wrote a response to Not So Average Mama and decided to come visit.I am so glad to see so many of my points used in your post. It is exactly how I feel and I applaud you for writing it. Because I'm getting sick of others being sick of hearing about it because they have an us vs. them mentality. I look at pictures of the devastation, of the corpses in the street, of the people lining up waiting for medical attention, those poor people with no access to food, water or shelter and all I think of is how I'm glad that we are doing what we can as a nation to help but that I wish we could do more. There have been so many obstacles for aid. What I don't say is that why can't my government do more for me here, why when my sister's house has been foreclosed and they filed for bankruptcy and my BIL was out of work for over a year do they give aid to Haiti? I don't because even though it hasn't been easy, my sister and her family have never been without water,never been without some kind of food, never been without shelter. They've found a way to always make it through and yes, sometimes, from the generosity of others and social programs. Our lives may not be perfect but we can't compare our plight as a nation to what has become of Haiti. So thank you Greg because I couldn't agree with you more.
I'm truly at a loss here and completely unable to comprehend why there is so much distaste for helping people. This isn't America vs Haiti – we all live on ONE world.
Thank you for saying what so many of us are thinking and feeling!
.-= Cat´s last blog ..Wash them Grow with Suave Kids and Win! =-.
Very well said! I don't care what country your from, but it is always good to help out a fellow human being!
.-= Bethany Larrabee´s last blog ..My little Rowan loves to help out in the kitchen! =-.
As usual, a compassionate response from someone who cares deeply about the world around him and tries to better it. KUDOS!
Great points but I am tired of the hype. Life in Haiti has always been horrible and, relatively speaking, the earthquake really didn't add that much to an already miserable experience. CNN makes it look like we are turning this country around or something, now featuring front page adoption stories of Haitian children etc… I have more respect for those who don't have to wait for an earthquake and the latest news headline disaster feel good fad to take action.
I live in the area and paid close attention to the trial. This man makes me sick and after the sentancing today I know he'll get what he deserves. He's not even good enough to get what he is getting. I send my deepest sympathy to your family. The whole community here in Ohio has your cousin and your family in our thoughts and prayers. God Bless
i so don't care about the haiti thing at this point it's just another media distraction – there are countless lives lost everyday all over the world – lives lost in tragic circumstances, look at the millions murdered by us in Iraq. MILLIONS. yet an earthquack happens in a place that was already not suitable for human life, where the buildings were already hazardous and the people procreating despite not having any recourses to support their offspring, and we're suddenly inondated with guilt trips and calls to donate money we don't have to feed ourselves to some obscure place effected by a Natural event. the millions dying of hiv/aids, US invasions, none of them are the focus now. it doesn't make since to me that this opinion isn't heard more, since I know I'm not the only one who has it. we want to donate something to help the Haitians? Sure, nothing's wrong with that, but also force them to think twice before making more babies when they have no capacity to fend for them damn selves. that applies to any human. haiti is a welfare nation. the US is a corporate state. it's all ****** up and in ___ years u die.
Hi Greg,
Thanks for the great post. My favorite part was the last line. I donated during the TV. program to help Haiti last night. I did it by text. Very easy to do. It cost less then a pizza to help those people in need. I can always go without a pizza or two in order to do the right thing. Win,Win!!!
Take care and God Bless,
wheels209
It is truely a tragedy what happened in Haiti . But as a former member of the military that has been to Haiti why are we diverting so many resources to them which I have no problem with are goverment helping , but where was the help from are goverment on 9/11 which I had the misfortune to see first hand when I was stationed in ny city and why was there not this kind of effort to help the people of new orleans when Katrina hit . Why is Haiti so much more important then are own country ?
i'm just sick of all the singing and crying.
i never heard of other countries fawning over us when we were hit by hurricanes katrina or andrew.
it's really irritating.
we look like we're just trying to keep up appearances.
be like canada.
they're all like
"whatever, eh."
ALSO.
we are only helping them so much because they're so close.
we never help japan, or madagascar, or finland!
i'm pretty damn sure they've got natural disasters happening.
why aren't we helping indonesia??!!
they're pretty ****** if you ask me.
I completely agree. I am a high school student and today in class I overheard a friend saying that she's "sick of hearing about haiti" and how haiti didn't help us with hurricane katrina. We got into this huge argument and I was saying that hurricane katrina does not even began to compare with the disaster that has struck in haiti.
Let's all worry about the starving people and families that are homeless in the united state are economy is the worst it has been in 40 years and we have a 10% national unemployment rate we need to help are fellow country men and woman out before we help a country out that wouldn't pee on us if we where on fire . Let's think about the USA instead off following and listening to a bunch of actors and entertainers that just want to increse there social status by getting in the news by helping Haiti. If u ask me are goverment is gonna be the united states is downfall because are politicians are just like the entertainers they worry more about making themselves look good then by helping a foriegn country then going and helping are own people America help each other. And worry about the rest of the world after we have fixed are own problems
Very good article-thank you!
I remember when the great tsunami hit in 2004-it was one week after my dad died. My world was crushed, the shock that it was real was so hard to swallow. And the week later, I thought about those people who not only lost one family member, but who lost entire families, and I couldn't even begin to know how they felt.
It is much the same with Haiti-why can't we just have compassion and stop to think of if we lost almost our ENTIRE family, PLUS have no home to go back to, and no food to eat, crying babies and no way to help them–why is it so hard to feel pity? God forbid that we as individuals be so heartless, that our turn comes.
March 4th makes a year ago that my home burned to the ground, and all that was saved was our garage and our lives. But my family is alive, and we all had a warm place to sleep that very night. I think Americans tend to give more on a personal level, one that doesn't show the amount of dollars that are given to help their neighbor, friend, brother, sister, etc. It was truly humbling to see all of the people that came out of the woodwork to help us-offering us a place to live temporarily, giving us clothing, money, etc. I know time and time again my own scenario has been played over and over again in America.
I too agree that we should help our own country's people, and I have been blessed by the generosity of others, and have tried to bless others when I can, but there are two things to consider as well-1 is that American spending is out of control, and people are purchasing a lot of things they cannot afford. YES-I absolutely know that there are families that really are hurting, and a lot of them. But it's kind of hard to hear the sob story of someone who loses their $200,000 house when there is a good chance that they couldn't afford it in the first place. America's mentality is all too often, "If I want it, I'll get it," without considering the real cost, and delayed gratification.
The second thing to consider is, those who are giving to Haiti are giving from their hearts, just as we give to our fellow Americans-voluntarily. Surely all of us have seen the donation cans set up to help a sick child, the public dinner that benefits the 9 year old cancer patient whose family has no insurance, the Salvation Army raising money at Christmas, the Angel Tree Foundation, which participates in a child's life who has a parent in prison, and a TON of other causes. And I think most, or many Americans, do reach in their pockets and at least dig out their change, and give time and time again.
When we see the homeless in America, and we are bothered that our own problems are not being taken care of, maybe we should look directly in the mirror. What is stopping YOU or ME from raising money in our community to house a homeless person? Or help a family not lose their home? Do we get upset enough about it to actually DO something ourselves? Or is there a reason we don't reach out? Maybe because sometimes we know a person is where they are because of choices, such as not paying the bills by choice, or buying two brand new cars they can't afford, or watching them blow oodles of money on eating out 3 times a week, buying toys(boats, 4 wheelers, fancy cameras, etc.) they can't afford, spending money on cable TV and habits they can't afford. Maybe, just maybe that is why. And I wonder if those who are sick of hearing about Haiti, and want to see our own needs in America met, have actually reached out with their own dollars to help someone in America.
As far as Haiti or some other countries reaching out to us when our tragedies strike, what can they really offer that they have, that we don't have much more than they already?
I have yet to have my children go to bed on an empty stomach because we had no food, our neighbors had no food to share, and we had no stores to get food at because our stores had been destroyed.
I have never had to tell my children that half of their family has all died at once, and I cannot find their favorite blanket or teddy bear for them to hold and cuddle with because it is somewhere beneath the rubble.
I've never had to tote my children across dead bodies, and listen to an entire country screaming and crying all at once because of horrific tragedy, while I screamed and cried, and my child screamed and cried too.
Please, just let me do what I can to help, when I can, when it is 1000 miles away, or 100 feet away to my next door neighbor's house.