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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100128/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_haiti_us_aid
This says it all.
This has been an interesting thread to follow. I wasn’t going to wade in, but it’s a slow morning…
It is a natural instinct of the human spirit to want to reach out to those in need, whether it’s grounded in our personal or religious beliefs, or simply in the innate understanding that all of us have in what is moral. We are social and interconnected beings that arose from the same source, regardless of what you believe that source is. Seeing others in distress fires a spark across that network to act, just as touching a hot coal fires a message across your body’s own network to react.
At the same time, the cynicism regarding this situation is understandable. While the event was not preventable, much of the devastation should have been. Freedom and opportunity is what builds strong societies, and money pouring into Haiti will create neither of those. It is also frustrating to see the United States continually called on to be the world’s savior when disasters strike on one hand, yet hear complaints about our efforts on the other—and to see no other countries offer assistance when disaster strikes within our own borders. It is also frustrating to know that some people will always want a handout, not a hand-up, and to see that adding more money simply adds fuel to the belief of entitlement.
So ultimately, you have to do what quiets that little voice in your head. There is no single right course of action. For me, I don’t believe that the negative reality I described above should stop me from reaching out in various ways, which I will not detail here, even though I know full well that at least some of the hard-earned money I contribute is being lost to graft and corruption, or simply wasted on those who lack any sense of personal initiative. For me, it’s the price of being human.
On the Left Side of the Road...People are in a hurry to donate to this cause, but people don’t know who they are giving their money too. Do your research before you donate your dollars to any organization. Some places will send 95% of your dollar to your intended cause but some will only do 50% of each dollar.
And I do agree with you get your home front in order before you go and try to do same for someone else. Why do you think our government is in such disarray. We all seen the Bush Effect for 8 years and now we are paying for that one now arnt we
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