So someone's status on Facebook earlier today was, "Don't be an a$$. Donate for Haiti." Seriously? I bit my tongue, but all I could think was, "Get over yourself." The status was for someone who is either employed or voluntarily staying home. So in between looking for the best weight loss supplement since having a baby, she's telling me how to spend the money I'm barely making? Thanks for nothing.
Maybe it's just me, but when there are celebrities dropping MILLIONS of dollars to help rebuild Haiti (which, if they'd been there helping out before, maybe it wouldn't have been so devastated BEFORE the earthquake...), I don't feel guilty for not giving part of my grocery money to help out. When something is getting so much focus and dedicated efforts, I'd rather spend my charity money a little closer to home. There are still Americans asking for help every day. As long as George Clooney, Wyclef Jean, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are doing their part for Haiti, I'm sure no one there is going to miss my $5 donation.
9 comments:
I actually agreed. I have a friend who's from Haiti, living here now but I STILL agree. I think we should help our fellow man but I also think we should be doing MORE at home.
Like you said the celebrities are helping out. Plus as individuals we in the US are also. Think about it. The relief money from our Gov. comes from our taxes.
I can't afford to give. I do like to eat.
I completely agree. We here in the US are struggling thruogh these rough economic times barely getting by. Who's donating to us?
Don't stop posting such stories. I like to read articles like that. BTW add more pics :)
Totally agree. I am not even a U.S. citizen {I'm legal U.S. resident} but I am very concern about what going on in this country. It sad to see that some do not see that there are so many people struggling with their life here. I feel for the people from Haiti but I also hope they think about whats going on with this country before helping others.
Seeing these responses and reading your post struck a major cord for me and I have to say I disagree. While I agree that your friend’s Facebook status was not appropriate (and is also the most ineffective way to spark people to donate), justifying not donating because there are causes closer to home that could use the donation first is just offensive.
There are at least 100,000 dead. The smell of dead bodies in the street is forcing people to have to relocate because they can’t get rid of them fast enough. People are having limbs amputated without anesthesia because they don’t have simple antibiotics that would prevent infection. And there are still live people being found in the mess at least ten days later.
NOTHING in America can compare to what has happened there. We probably will never understand the devastation there because thankfully our government, while it has its problems, is able to overcome disaster much more successfully. It would take something insane to rock our country to the degree that the earthquake rocked theirs—and until that happens and it is so bad that our people and our government are totally paralyzed by that force, we will never understand or come close to the devastation that Haiti has felt.
At times like these, we are all human and our humanity is worth far more than its borders. At a time like this, it kills me to know that people and children are dying gruesome deaths in the most out of control circumstances. Donate if you want, don’t donate if you don’t want to, but justifying not donating because people in America are asking for help ignorantly discounts the level of devastation that no part of our country is faced with and that none of our people experience on a daily basis.
The best part of your post is when you mentioned how devastated it was BEFORE the earthquake. But before no one cared because it wasn't all over the media. There are bad situations, all over the world, all the time. I feel for the people of Haiti like I feel for all hurting people right now.
--AnnMarie
Watching all the newscasts I'm impressed with the faith of the Haitians. My prayers are with all the people that need so much and have so little. Those prayers are extended to peoples everywhere that have needs that are not being met. God hears us wherever we are and whatever our prayer.
Donate where your heart is.
I know how big of an advocate you are for other causes and it is perfectly fine to want to stick with them. I know I've felt pretty insignificant when all I can manage to scrape up is a measly $5 donation especially when Sandra Bullock can drop a mill and even more so when there are so many charities that I'd like to help out.
I must say though, the earlier "offensive" comment is just rude. The current horrific conditions are not due to lack of funds (especially Becki's $5). They are due to a lack of transportation and skilled individuals on top of it occurring in a region which has been horribly neglected for decades.
Personally, I find it disgusting when people push their favored charity to be "above" another. There are so many deserving charities out there and so many people needing help for a variety of reasons. The point is, you are helping others and not shut off to interests outside of your own. You are not hiding in your basement on a pile of cash, hording it all and laughing wildly while the world outside suffers.
So once again, I say, donate where your heart is. I know you do. And don't let anyone make you feel like crap for doing other.
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