I do not know if what I’m about to write makes me a monster. I do know that it makes me a part of a miniscule minority, if Internet trends and news stories of the past weeks are any guide.
“It”, is this:
I haven’t donated a cent to the Haitian relief effort. And I probably will not.
I haven’t donated to the Haitian relief effort for the same reason that I don’t give money to homeless men on the street. Based on past experiences, I don’t think the guy with the sign that reads “Need You’re Help” is going to do anything constructive with the dollar I might give him. If I use history as my guide, I don’t think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either.
In this belief I am, evidently, alone. It seems that everyone has jumped on the “Save Haiti” bandwagon. To question the impulse to donate, then, will probably be viewed as analogous with rooting for Charles Manson, John Wayne Gacy, or the Spice Girls.
My wariness has much to do with the fact that the sympathy deployed to Haiti has been done so unconditionally. Very few have said, written, or even intimated the slightest admonishment of Haiti, the country, for putting itself into a position where so many would be killed by an earthquake.
I can’t help but wonder why questions have not been raised in the face of this outpouring of support. Questions like this one:
Shouldn’t much of the responsibility for the disaster lie with the victims of that disaster?
Before the reader reaches for his or her blood pressure medication, he should allow me to explain. I don’t mean in any way that the Haitians deserved their collective fate. And I understand that it is difficult to plan for the aftermath of an earthquake. However, it is not outside the realm of imagination to think that the citizens of a country might be able to: A) avoid putting themselves into a situation that might result in such catastrophic loss of life. And B) provide for their own aid, in the event of such a catastrophe.
Imagine that I’m a caveman. Imagine that I’ve chosen to build my house out of balsa wood, and that I’m building it next to a roaring river because I’ve decided it will make harvesting fish that much easier. Then, imagine that my hut is destroyed by a flood.
Imagining what would happen next is easier than imagining me carrying a caveman’s club. If I were lucky enough to survive the roaring waters that took my hut, my tribesmen would say, “Building next to the river was pretty dumb, wasn’t it?.” Or, if I weren’t so lucky, they’d say, “At least we don’t have to worry about that moron anymore.”
Sure, you think, but those are cavemen. We’re more civilized now – we help each other, even when we make mistakes.
True enough. But what about when people repeat their mistakes? And what about when they do things that obviously act against their own self-interests?
In the case of mistakes and warnings as applied to Haiti, I don’t mean to indict those who ignored actual warnings against earthquakes, of which there were many before the recent one. Although it would have been prudent to pay heed to those, I suppose.
Instead, I’m referring to the circumstances in which people lived. While the earthquake was, obviously, unavoidable, the way in which many of the people of Haiti lived was not. Regrettably, some Haitians would have died regardless of the conditions in that country. But the fact that so many people lived in such abject poverty exacerbated the extent of the crisis.
How could humans do this to themselves? And what’s being done to stop it from happening again?
After the tsunami of 2004, the citizens of the world wailed and donated and volunteered for cleanup, rarely asking the important – and, I think, obvious – question: What were all those people doing there in the first place? Just as important: If they move back to a place near the ocean that had just been destroyed by a giant wave, shouldn’t our instinct be to say, “Go ahead if you want, but you’re on your own now.”?
We did the same after Hurricane Katrina. We were quick to vilify humans who were too slow to respond to the needs of victims, forgetting that the victims had built and maintained a major city below sea level in a known target zone for hurricanes. Our response: Make the same mistake again. Rebuild a doomed city, putting aside logic as we did.
And now, faced with a similar situation, it seems likely that we will do the same.
Shouldn’t there be some discourse on how the millions of dollars that are being poured into Haiti will be spent? And at least a slight reprimand for the conditions prior to the earthquake? Some kind of inquisition? Something like this?:
Dear Haitians –
First of all, kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment to human rights, infrastructure, and birth control should be applauded.
As we prepare to assist you in this difficult time, a polite request: If it’s possible, could you not re-build your island home in the image of its predecessor? Could you not resort to the creation of flimsy shanty- and shack-towns? And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?
Sincerely,
The Rest of the World
It shouldn’t be outlandish to hope that we might stop short of the reactionary word that is so often flung about after natural (and unnatural) disasters. That word: Rebuild. Thus, the tired, knee-jerk cycle of aid/assist/rebuild would be replaced by a new one: Aid/assist/let’s-stop-and-think-before-we-screw-this-up-again.
If forced to do so through logic-colored glasses, no one would look at Haiti and think, “You know what? It was a great idea to put 10 million people on half of an island. The place is routinely battered by hurricanes (in 2008, $900 million was lost/spent on recovery from them), it holds the aforementioned title of poorest nation in the Western hemisphere, and it happens to sit on a tectonic fault line.”
If it were apparent that Haiti would likely rebuild in an earthquake-resistant way, and if a cure could be found for hurricane abuse of island nations, then maybe one could imagine putting a sustained effort into rebuilding the place. But that would only be feasible if the country had shown any ability to manage its affairs in the past, which it has not done.
I can tell, based on my own reaction to that last sentence, that it might strike a nerve. The reader might be tempted to think, “We can’t blame the people of Haiti for their problems. Surely it’s someone else’s fault.” A similar sentiment can be found in this quote, from an article on the geology behind the quake:
“Unfortunately, [Haiti]’s government was not in a position to really do much to prepare for the inevitable large earthquake, leaving tens of thousands to suffer the consequences.”
The sentiment expressed is one of outrage at the government. But, ultimately, the people in a country have control over their government. One could argue that in totalitarian regimes, they do not have much control, but in the end, it is their government. And therefore, their responsibility. If the government is not doing enough for the people, it is the people’s responsibility to change the government. Not the other way around.
Additionally, some responsibility for the individual lies with that individual.
A Haitian woman, days after the earthquake:
“We need so much. Food, clothes, we need everything. I don’t know whose responsibility it is, but they need to give us something soon,” said Sophia Eltime, a mother of two who has been living under a bed sheet with seven members of her extended family. (From an AP report.)
Obviously, a set of circumstances such as the one in which Ms. Eltime was living is a heart-wrenching one. And for that, anyone would be sympathetic. Until she says, “I don’t know whose responsibility it is.” I don’t know whose responsibility it is, either. What I do know is that it is not the responsibility of the outside world to provide help. It’s nice if we do, but it is not a requirement, especially when people choose to influence their own existences negatively, whether by having too many children when they can’t afford them or by failing to recognize that living in a concrete bunker might not be the best way to protect one’s family, whether an earthquake happens or not.
Ms. Eltime’s reaction helps define what is the crux of my problem with the reaction to this and to other humanitarian crises. I recoil at the notion that I’m SUPPOSED to do something. I would like to help, but only if I feel that my assistance is deserved and justified. If I perceive that I am being told to feel a certain way, and if I can point to a pattern of mistakes made in similar situations, I lose interest.
When I was young, the great humanitarian crisis facing our world – as portrayed by the media, anyway – was the starving masses in Africa. The solution found, of course, was to send bag after bag of food to those people, forgetting the long-understood maxim that giving more food to poor people allows them to create more poor people. (Admittedly, it’s a harsh truth.) At the time, my classmates and I, young and naïve as we were, thought we had come up with a better solution. “They should just go somewhere else,” we said. Our teacher grimaced, saying, “It’s not that simple.”
It still isn’t. And I’m not as naïve as I once was – I don’t think the people of Haiti have the option of moving. But I do think that our assistance should be restricted, like it should be in cases of starvation. It simply does not work to give, unconditionally. What might work is to teach. In the case of famine-stricken segments of Africa, teaching meant making people understand that a population of people needs a certain amount of food, and that the creation of that food has to be self-sustaining for the system to work. In the case of earthquake-stricken Haiti, teaching might mean limited help, but help that is accompanied by criticism of the circumstances that made that help necessary.
In the case of the Haitian earthquake, it’s heartening to see people caring about the fates of their fellow men. What is alarming, I think, is the sometimes illogical frenzy toward casting those affected by the earthquake as helpless, innocent souls who were placed on the island of Hispaniola by an invisible force. In the case of some, this analogy might well be accurate; children cannot very well control their destinies. And as far as sympathy goes, much of it should go to those children.
But children are brought into the world by their parents. Those parents have a responsibility – to themselves and to their kids – to provide. They have a responsibility to look around – before an earthquake happens – and say, “I need to improve this situation, because if a catastrophe were to happen, we’d be in bad shape.”
The people of whom I write are adults. Functional, human adults with functional, human adult brains. It is not too much to ask that they behave as such. That they stand up and say, “Yes, we screwed this up the first time. We are forever indebted to you. Now show us how we can do it right. So that, next time, we won’t need your help.”
For my reaction to the discussion this piece generated: A Reaction, by Paul Shirley.
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Perhaps you should check out the history of colonialism and the US-backed coup that kicked Aristide out of his governing position in Haiti. He supported helping the poor, and if he was still ruling then perhaps their shanty-towns wouldn’t have been so shanty at all – i.e. better able to withstand the ‘quake.
Tell me, is ignorance bliss? You’d know for sure…
@ Anonymous,
Why would you “refuse” to donate..? If everyone believed in assumptive majorities there would no forum for you to say how you choose not to help those less fortunate than yourself… How do you think “developed countries came about? Do you think that those who believed in something just said “hell with it” It’s possible that you cannot understand how benefited you are but if anyone here believes so strongly in freedom and democracy than the underlying theme is to advance the group as a whole not just yourself. It’s not America versus the world. It’s humanity. No one is saying that you must donate raw dollars but certainly an ethical stance is to support those in need help. You can just say I care… It’s free. I mean is 200,000 deaths not enough for you to care..? It’s unfortunate that “self” takes so much priority. What would you expect for your family if they needed help for everyone to just not care? You probably made enough money in the time it took you to write a message to change someone’s life in a developing country — And it’s not about just dropping off money — Support a cause that has developed infrastructure as there are plenty.
@Crystal
Not sure if ignorance is bliss, but I know being a cunt to other people on the internet must be quite refreshing for you.
Oonagh Guenkel,i read your response…essentially you are comparing Haitians to children with down syndrome? seriously? You refer to the author as “narrow minded and self absorbed”…yet you called an entire nation of people essentially retarded…it’s obvious you are only capable of feeling pity instead of empathy, and you are obviously retarded enough to believe that throwing money at a problem will solve it.
Bravo Paul!
http://giveafiverforourwedding.weebly.com/index.html
So will he ever be sorry for what he said or even apologise in public. That may just help his case against public judgement.
After reading all the comments, there are points that repeat themselves;
1)how much should one do
2)why this much and
3)who to trust.
I have no doubt that after reading the comments, someone else will have a different reaction to them, but this is mine.
1)People who are living in richer counties SHOULD help some. Not helping at all can be looked at being “self-centred” but Haiti’s has been like this for a while, a.k.a. in need of help. Which leads to the second point.
2)How much is too much? I will use a famous quote that seems to have been forgotten: “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” If we continue to send money and aid mindlessly, we are selves will place are selves in a problem. However, to point 3.
3)Who CAN on trust? In places like Haiti, the rich will always get the help. I will use my parents as an example: when my parents were living as refuges, the U.S.A sent food, pills, and much more to help them. HOWEVER, it never reached them. Why? The government gave the supplies to the rich, NOT the needy. If if sent in by a Church or something else of the kind, my parents and their familiars would have what they needed.
I don’t think will think this way, but I believe that people should look at all these point before making a chose.
Thank you for listening.
I read the entire article after I heard about what you wrote. I don’t think you were entirely wrong, but I think that the part that you get wrong is that you blame the country of Haiti for its abject poverty. Haiti is one of the only countries where human slavery was ended through the slaves themselves; the rest of the world has been punishing them ever since. If you wanted to write an accurate letter, you should have addressed it to the rest of the world, and not the Haitians themselves. Before you make a commentary, you should really 1) do your research 2) figure out how colonialism and discriminatory measures have affected a region and 3) try to see things from places other than sitting on your tush in the United States. It will save you from being a complete and total douche.
It is rare to see someone using common sense and logic now days. Great article.
Do yourself a favor and read about Haiti and its people. The people that you are now thrashing were in Savannah, GA to help the US become independent. The first settler in Chicago was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable and is from Haiti. When Haiti became the first black independent country in the world in 1804, the US made them pay an exhorbitant sum of money so they could recognize Haiti’s independence. You would do Haiti a big favor by brushing up on world history instead of sending any of your money. As of now, you have been fired. You will need every cent before you get another job.
Colonialism????
Crystal are you serious about that?
Haiti hasn’t been a colonial country for over 200 years. Haiti was the second country in the western hemisphere to become independent (after the USA), doing so during the Napoleonic wars.
If they’ve been independent for over 200 years, seems a bit lame to try to blame “colonialism”. . . how long must a country be independent before they can be expected to take some responsibility for their own development, or lack thereof?
I find it troubling when African countries try to blame their lack of development on colonialism, when most of them have been indepedent for 40 years or more; but in Haiti’s case it’s even less valid.
I see nothing RACIST in his comments at all !!!!!!!!!!!
too many false analogies and logical fallacies in this opinion article for it to be taken seriously.
Good for you. I wish everyone else would open their eyes. We have enough going on in our own country to continue to worry about people that do not help themselves. Help those that can help themselves!!! What ever happened to that?? Freedom of speech.
Paul Shirley has some great points!
http://conservativehideout.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/paul-shirley-haiti-and-the-difference-between-intent-and-accomplishment/
After reading this article sent to me by different people, I took it as a sign to respond. Mr. Paul Shirley, whoever you are, this is addressed to you. Before you start writing about countries, people, culture, that you don’t know anything about, you can do all of us a favor and keep your thoughts to yourself. By that, I mean all the decent people, thank God who are still living in the world. Please don’t even try to argue about freedom of speech! It wasn’t awarded to us so that we can be ignorant, odious, pitiful, rude, prejudice and hateful. Frankly you are just a miserable excuse for a human being. I will not trade the Grinch for you now, although a fictional character. What have the people of Haiti or any poor, unfortunate people ever done to you for that matter? What is it to you? After all, you proudly stated that you have not contributed a penny to the catastrophic situation. You chose to write about how irresponsible, stupid, destitute and the list goes on these people are. You know what? I’ll let you in on a little secret “It’s called HISTORY”. Yes sir, before you start embarrassing yourself like you’ve done so successfully, you could have done yourself a favor, and taken the time to do a little research about the subject matter. You are right about one fact though, the people on this island did not choose to be in that position. The destruction started in 1492 with the arrival of Columbus and all the others like him who will follow him through the centuries. In today’s society, you can get all the information that you need with the click of a mouse. You can learn why Haiti is called “THE POOREST COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE”. Prior to that so infamous title, Ayiti as the indigenous people, native to the land named it, was known by different names. Columbus named it Hispaniola which means Little Spain . “It is so beautiful, that it reminded me of Spain. So I named it Hispaniola.”he wrote to queen Isabella of Spain one of his sponsor. Then the French named it “THE ANTILLEAN PEARL” and you know why? Because it was their richest colony. I am pretty sure that when you see or think about Paris you don’t know that Africans people uprooted from their mother land brought to Haiti contributed to make France what it is today. Do you know about the Louisiana Purchase? Do you know about the Battle of Savannah? Do you know that after Haiti became independent it helped abolish slavery throughout Central and South America. Haiti was also known as the Emerald Island, the First Black Independent Republic in the World, The Second Republic in this hemisphere with the U.S. being the first. Do you also know that throughout the history of the world there have only been three revolutions and Haiti’s revolution is one of them. The slaves of Haiti revolted and decided they will rather live free or die and gain their freedom 206 years ago. The world will never forgive them because of that. That is until January 12, 2010, when the international community finally came together as a family of nations to support the people of Haiti. You, sir, are a monster and should be ashamed of yourself . One more thing while we are at it: Africa is not a country, but a continent. They are rich countries in Africa too and plenty of natural resources.Your ignorance has no equal but the thick, black stone that is lodged in your chest cavity where your heart should have been.
Haiti is not made of shanty towns and huts like you so eloquently wrote. It had beautiful houses, estates, landmarks from the colonial era such as European architectural-inspired churches, Gingerbread houses, museums, first-class hotels (Yes; I said first-class hotels), golf courses, and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and the biggest fortress in the Americas, our Citadelle. So you see, when oppression will no longer exist, the poor people of Haiti will once again have their day in the sun. Until then, people like you will go on thinking the same way. Before I conclude, I want to remind you of certain biblical words. “To whom much is given, much is required.” ” Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.” Lastly “Treat others as you will like to be treated.” I wish that you will never find yourself in a desperate situation. As you can see, NATURAL DISASTERS they come without warnings.
This is pretty ignorant. Please do research before you pipe in on something as important as the worst natural disaster in the history of the Western hemisphere.
Wow. What a pity to have this kind of selfish mind…no matter how miniture it may be!!!
A note to Paul Shirley,
A note to Paul Shirley,
“Dear Paul,
Kudos to you for expressing your opinion about the Haitian disaster. I trust that your informed and highly intellectual views were developed after much study regarding the history and political economy of Haiti and what actually caused it to exist as the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.
If they were not, might I suggest starting with some study on colonial rule, exploitation of the land and people, and debt in the amount of 21 billion dollars the country was forced to pay which was to be an indemnity for profits lost from the slave trade. You may want to then compare their history with the history of your own country, the U.S., and consider what caused differences in development. I don’t recall the U.S. having to pay the equivalent of 21 billion dollars to its former colonizers for independence. And, if you’re feeling really adventurous, take a look at some of the theoretical underpinnings and philosophies that look to understand why some countries are developed while others are not. Karl Polanyi’s, The Great Transformation, is a great place to start. From there, you might want to look at Foucault and his theories on discourse and power and also structuralism/structuration theories that consider the role of structure and agency.
As we prepare to forgive your asinine remarks, a polite request: If it’s possible, could you refrain from making opinions about the nation and all things global without some informed study? Maybe pick up a history book or even try a simple search on google if it’s easier. And, if you choose not to do so, could you refrain from using your celebrity status and the resulting media outlets it allows you to use from making comments about which you know nothing about? And could you sometimes maybe keep your comments only on basketball and sports related matters once in a while?
Sincerely,
The Rest of the Intelligent World”
Paul, you are EXACTLY right. You should be proud that you mustered the courage to state things as they are. Sadly, most Americans today, think that we have unlimited resources to throw at every loser on the face of the earth, despite the fact that we’re well on our way to becoming our own economic basket case. I always liked what Margaret Thatcher said about socialism. I believe it goes something like this: “Socialism works great until you run out of other people’s money to give away”. I have no problem with people giving away their own personal funds to support Haiti relief, but I have not done so personally, and I think it’s wrong for the government to give away money on my or anyone else’s behalf. Last time I checked, the IRS was still taking away Americans’ homes when the taxes weren’t paid, and there are still Americans who are struggling financially to survive this economic recession. As far as I’m concerned, as long as there’s one struggling American still out there, it’s morally wrong to give away our collective money–money that’s supposed to be there to help Americans–to outsiders for no other reason than to make foreigners’ lives easier. I don’t think it’s right for our government to “give away” money at all, but it’s especially wrong given the shape our country is in. In my opinion, it would be wrong for a parent to give away food to other people’s children when the parent’s own children are starving, and that’s how I see this situation.
it’s like people just search for things to be assholes about. congrats, you’ve won the biggest, most unintelligent and bitter douchebag of the decade award. you need therapy.
I’m going to make a donation to Haiti in your name and I encourage every one else to do the same.
Look, I’ll even send you vegan cookies if you do:
http://www.firstgiving.com/carolynconspiracy
Doctors without Borders and Partners in Health are great organizations.
While I agree with making the government of Haiti take some fucking responsibility for their own people, your comments about them moving from the island are, at the best, child like. One question. Where exactly are they supposed to go?
I agree with Mr. Shirley. Using satire, he has clearly pointed out what’s wrong with the world. We in the United States can’t even keep our own house tidy, yet we run off, half-cocked to evry little disaster in the world. US Marines were deverted from Iraq. That means someone else had to stay longer. Nobaody gets it. I could go on and on and on….
Nobody liked Jonathan Swift very much either.
Keep the rebuttals erudite and free of needless irrational emoting, please. It’s kind of annoying and hard to have an intelligent discussion what with all the politically incorrect insults.
I agree with indavidual responsibility but when considering matters of infastructure and government, the same independent reasoning does not and cannot apply, because it is a civilization, not a group of indaviduals. Your view is very similar to what skin-heads and neo-nazis use as doctrine. Did you build your own house, or do you just write and post your self centered views on the internet? Congratulations, you are on your way to genocide.
To all those who kick the meek when they are down…’You are going to get yours’.
@ Paul Shirley
You are a poor excuse for human being. Ignorance is bliss that’s for sure.
It’s ignorant racist like you that makes me shake my head . The sad thing is that you have a bunch of brainwashed and moronic people like you who will actually believe your racist and fabricated rant
Robert V. Hayne, a senator from South Carolina, summarizes US policy toward Haiti: “Our policy with regard to Haiti is plain. We never can acknowledge her independence.” This position reflects the United States’ fear that Haiti’s example would inspire slave revolts in other parts of the world and bring an end to slavery worldwide.
The democratically elected Haitian president was deposed (twice) by the US well that there is a cause to the problem that has long gone overlooked. The US and France created the Haitian problem, and the US and IMF continued and exacerbated it.
Corporate greed is the force that funds the establishment of many of the governments around the world. Sustainable economies, equalization of assets and resources will only come about from the pressure of the populations in those countries. The fact that many Haitians have not yet seen quantities of aid is unjustifiable, and is due to the jockeying of various developed countries placing troops in the country instead of focusing on medical aid and food.
Well, after having read through your post here are my comments.
First of all, if you claim to walk the line of logic then be so fair and actually use it, not just claim to use it and then use it not even half.
Cities are and have been built at certain locations for good reasons. New Orleans was built where it was built because it has access to the sea and the river. Fishing was possible and trading too. Yes it might be a dangerous spot but the benefits still outweight the dangers usually.
If you contine the line of argumentation then ALL costal cities, assuming you are from the USA, which is easy to discern, that would mean, New York, Miami, the whole Los Angeles metropolitan area really, San Diego and others should actually be relocated completely because if you build there a Tsunamis is very well possible and can rez huge parts of the city. Furthermore Los Angeles as well as San Francisco are the two biggest US cities built on geologically very active regions. Then there are countless cities that are in hurricane and storm areas.
Still basically all US american houses are better cardboard boxes that a sneeze could blow over. So you would have to blame nearly every single person who lives in such a house for being idiots to do so.
Of course it is also easy to point the finger at Haity, considering how badly the USA interfered in their politics and how much that regressed thier political, social and economical development. Without those interferences Haita would be in a much better and more stable position.
I could continue my line of arguementation, but this alone should make you think enough.
So next time you ask yourself the question of if you should help and why and what could have done better from the start and so on and forth then be so fair and actually keep asking questions until you get to the core of the problem and don’t just stop when it becomes convenient for you.
Furthermore, follow your own advice. “What might work is to teach.”
Yes, certainly, and you yourself still have much to learn. It is always easy to point at things if one doesn’t see the big picture. And I dont just mean the bigger picture, I mean the whole and complete picture. You conveniently stopped looking when the picture was a size that suits you, but if you would have looked more you would have found additional connections and reasons as of why the situation is how it is.
Also you might not be as naive as you were as a kid, but honestly, I think you have still a very long way to go to get out of your naivity.
None of this is meant as an insult or attack on you, just in case you there are any doubts or misunderstandings.
Enough written for a short comment.
Should you want to contact me you should be able to find me on facebook with my nick TheAuthority.
look you freaking twits The man made a completely valid point he isnt racisit nor were his comments invalid they were made from common freaking sense something quite a few of you lack im 16 and even i can see that haiti should be left to its own devices to rebuild else they are going to keep doing the same thing they are literally insane they are the epitomy of insanity i.e. doing the same thing and expecting a different result so how about beofr being critical with someone else you try and look at what he said with some common freaking sense
Other than being completely ignorant, using terrible analogies, and choosing too sensational a manner to suggest oversight of how the US government should spend money in Haiti; who the fuck is Paul Shirley. An NBA player, what’s his longest contract, oh yeah he doesn’t even finish seasons. He’s played for 13 teams in 9 seasons. I mean if the one thing he ever possibly excelled at in life, basketball, can’t make him famous maybe being the biggest douche Haiti has seen since Emmanuel “Toto” Constant will be his chance for people to realize that he actually exists.
I agree with Darsha. i dont think you were entirely wrong.But seriosly,People are taking this haiti thing a little far fetch.i mean where was our government when Hurricane Katrina came? America wasnt willing as much then was they?We’re in a second depression and we’re trying to help Haiti when we cant even help ourselves.
Nice job dumbass. Did you take ethics at Iowa State? You should have stuck to basketball commentary.
I agree with about half but i think that while we are sending money their way along with doctors to treat the injured we should send people to give them help with future financial and economic construction. Also a few architects could help them construct new and efficiently resisting buildings. This would benefit for the future and people are doing more than just throwing money their way.
i think you’re right
good points, i cant say i agree with you a 100 % but more or less.
Its the same when anything happens that shouldnt have been, people react and say “we need to do something” and the result usually is very little thought about and destroying something else.
I would agree on we have to help people, also i do agree very much on the point that we need to do it with conditions, and alot of places Birth control could help on hunger etc.
Great point and a great option to start a debate with the subjects.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so glad to hear about someone’s firing more than when I heard about yours. This article proves that you are the scum of the earth. If someone broke into your house, stole all your possessions, and raped your daughter, is it your fault for not being preventative enough to stop them? According to you, it is. Please get out of America because you’re the type of person that is ruining it for the rest of us.
I agree with you. I haven’t donated either. I do donate to other causes, but just didn’t have it to give this time. I also agree that people who build their homes near the ocean, rivers, etc., should expect that a natural disaster will wipe them out.
Have you ever heard of ethics or studied the United States’ relations with developing countries or the history of colonialism around the world? First of all, Africa is not country, it is a continent. And second of all, we do have an obligation to provide aid to Haiti. Earthquakes are one of the most unpredictable natural disasters and can happen anywhere because there are thousands of fault lines around the world. You make it sound as if because they are a third world country they are asking for a disaster, but natural disasters can happen anywhere and are more common today because of the global climate change by humans not caring for the environment, which is one reason why these disasters are occurring in such high numbers. In this global world that has been created by the developed countries of the world, humans are now citizens of the world who are connected within minutes to people and places all over the world. You make a good point that throwing money at the problem is not the best option, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help them. The local people are not solely to be blamed; their government, or lack of government, has not provided the necessary needs of the country for the local people to be able to develop like their neighbor. Yes, education is needed and birth rates are too high to be able to sustain a country in a good manner. But, one cannot assume that condoms are widely sold there and birth control is available to all, because most likely they are not. One group that should be blamed for Haiti’s impoverished country is the U.S. because of our interference with Haiti’s politics. This has regressed their political, social, and economical development. We have throughout history used developing countries’ resources for the benefit of our large businesses and government functions. This is why the United States needs to be assisting Haiti in rebuilding, so that they can one day be able to help themselves, like you seem to think is possible now.
yeah, you’re right. most people who are poor choose to be poor. they’re probably just lazy and stupid, i mean they’d have to be live by the ocean right? oh wait. could that potentially be because their way of life is facilitated by living by the ocean? perhaps one of their main incomes is tourism and fishing?
do you really think that poor people choose to be poor? well i’ll inform you. they’re are people in poverty because society is structured to keep poor people poor, and to keep the rich in power.
go to college. take a class. read a book. or don’t ever write a blog again.
and you’re an embarrassment to iowa.
Paul Shirley…YOU ARE AN IDIOT….go get yourself educated…start we this link.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/opinion/22danner.html?scp=1&sq=To%20Heal%20Haiti&st=cse
I think Paul is right, and yall need to stop cry becuase this is what he thinks, and im right there with you Paul, keep up the good work…
Yeah you’re probably right Paul, and the rest of the world is wrong. You’re the one who’s got it all figured out. Is that why espn dumped you? Wait, that doesn’t make sense… oh yeah I guess it does cause this is the supidest thing ever written in the history of mankind. Wake up man. Ditch the narcissism and just try for once in your life to see things from someone else’s perspective.
I love you!!!
I am french, I am not sure to have understood everything but I think that Mr. Shirley can express his own opinion. He pointed out what the politics are afraid to say and that is a good point. We can desagree about it but when you see the reaction of ESPN, it seems that it is not allowed to be political incorrect.
If you watch the situation in Haiti, what Paul means is not stupid on a mid term strategy. And it is not because our governments feel guilty, we should all be guilty individually.
I apologise for my poor English
Eric
fuck you paul shirley you fucking fake ass quasi-intellectual, you are a fucking joke. you carry this attitude as if you’re a better person than the rest of your basketball brethren then you come off popping this ill informed bullshit. thank you for doing us all a favor by effectively ending your own worthless career. i’m glad i won’t have to see your stupid face ever again on espn and even more glad that you’ll never come close to returning to the league you never deserved to be in in the first place BIAAAAAATTTTTTTTCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you stupid or insane, keep your money then. When you died you will still be rich with it. you just so insensitive and stupid. We should help one another, money comes and go but your money will stay. So keep it in your pocket we dont need it.
To anonymous at February 11, 2010 at 7:57 PM – Personal basketball achievements and/or lucrative contracts doesn’t make that person any more creditable than the next. He’s just a normal human being like you or who is stating his own opinion; anyone can post on a blog you made the choice to read it.
To Tech – I thoroughly enjoyed your input, every point you brought up was valid. In the defense of the US government, they only gave $1 out of every $100 to the Haitian government because of how corrupt it is.
To Anonymous at February 6, 2010 at 3:00 PM – I also believe you’re correct, as a nation we never address the issues in our own country first and everyday fall further and further behind in debt. Lets be honest everyone in the world views the United States as the “piggy bank” of the world. I’m a school teacher and have been teaching for ten years. I earn approximately $40K annually, paid for my own education, and make my monthly mortgage payments on my less than eccentric home on time. I live within my means and manage my finances relatively well. Just yesterday I saw a student that got dropped off in a late model Cadillac Escalade, yet the student’s family is part of the governments free stipend lunch program. The problem I see is that a majority of the individuals/country encourage frivolous spending and irresponsibility. When our government decides to fund every world crisis that arises with the tax dollars I’m required to donate I’m not the least bit surprised at all.
Finally to Paul Shirley, while I thought your article was informative and a fair portion of the points you brought up were legitimate the entire time I was reading your article I thought to myself “Man does this guy have to be such a dick?” Is the Haitian government corrupt, yes. Will sending more money/aid alleviate the pain and fix any of their problems over time, nope. If we as a nation had a natural disaster of this proportion would they come assist us, nope. Those people are still human’s beings, and deserve at least a little bit of sympathy.
In close I’m all for assisting people in need but I believe the motto I’ll scratch your back if you’ll scratch mine. Personally I feel like my fingernails are gone, my muscles are sore, and my hand are cramped yet I still haven’t caught a glimpse of any signs of reciprocity.
Honestly, the comparison of Haiti and it’s own fault for not preventing such a disaster has a few valid points, but has only reminded me of this example (which you might as well have used):
A women is at a party, decides to have a few drinks. She is outside with a man, and decides she has had enough to drink- she ends up lying down in a secluded room, and is then raped by the man she was talking to earlier. Was it her fault? According to your logic, yes- she did not prevent herself from talking to the man, she had a few drinks, she lied down in a secluded room. And yet, she did not deserve to be raped. It is NEVER the victim’s fault. Think on that.
It is pretty hilarious that “ignorance” is claimed by the most ignorant people of all. It’s like a catch all for retarded liberals who think with their hearts instead of their brains. It makes me think of the Princess Bride… “You keep on using that word… I do not think it means what you think it means.” Colonialism? 200 years ago? Yeah that’s why the country sticks their hands out for 40% of their GDP every year from the U.S. and every politician is corrupt and the culture of the country is stealing whatever you can get. They have no way to support themselves and they have no interest in trying.
It must be weird for liberals to read an article with logic…. It’s my only explanation for their recoiling, chant of “ignorance, ignorance!”
Saying that colonialism in Haiti ended 200 years ago is incorrect. The French demanded payment from Haiti for the “losses” suffered by their
poor, oppressed slave-owners.
Many other nations jumped on the same bandwagon, and sent gunboats to Haiti to demand “reparations” for imagined slights.
Essentially every available dime earned by the Haitian people was paid to other nations until the debt was repaid — in 1946.
That’s why other, similarly situated countries (like the Dominican Republic) have been much more economically successful than Haiti. In the 1800’s they were building water systems and roads, by the early 1900’s they were building sewers and electrical distribution networks, and by the 1960’s they were ready for more serious development.
Haiti had nothing. And blaming them for having been exploited is like blaming the early martyrs for having been thrown the the lions.