/Unitedbank
/Eedition

While we slept Haiti faced the long road to restoration

Posted by
in Opinion
Wednesday, January 13. 2010
Comments (26)
Port-au-Prince is now the subject of global relief efforts and media attention. The reason? Just before 5 p.m. an earthquake struck about 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince.

The quake, with a magnitude estimated at 7.0, caused the collapse of the National Palace, leveled countless shantytown dwellings and brought more suffering to a nation that was already the hemisphere’s poorest and most disaster-prone.

Please login or register to read the rest of this story.
Bookmark and Share
Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry
No Trackbacks
Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)
#1 Madison on 01/13/10 at 07:54 AM
While I agree that the United States is in no financial position to help Haiti nor is our government sound enough to offer unified aid, I do think it is our responsibility as human beings to help out however we can.

I will not be donating money to the Red Cross as I have personal issues with their administrative branch. However, I will help out through my church and through other humanitarian organizations.

I am blessed to live in a safe structure and to not be in a state of disrepair this morning as those in Haiti are.

Also, if you are on Twitter I have recently found out that some of the BEST on the ground Tweets can be found at http://twitter.com/cnnbrk/haiti

You can also follow @CarelPedre @Wyclef @AndersonCooper
#2 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 07:59 AM
If our government can spend billions supporting the corrupt Karzai regime in Afghanistan, surely it can spare a few dollars for humanitarian aid for our neighbors in Haiti.
#3 Gary on 01/13/10 at 09:46 AM
If anyone wants to donate, go to the singer's Wyclef Jean's non profit website www.yele.org or type yele from your cellphone and the number 501501 to donate $5 which will show on your cellphone bill. I agree with post 1. Red Cross is charging $10 which I'm sure maybe $1 will go towards Haiti. I never donate to these big organizations...Grassroot donating will get more done!
#3.1 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 06:30 PM
So you say the best thing to do is send money to some hip-hop artist who promises to give the money to Haiti. Last thing I am going to do is send my cash to some weird hip-hop artist.
#3.1.1 lizzybegood on 01/13/10 at 09:16 PM
Actually - Wyclef is a bit more than some "weird hip-hop artist". He's Haitian and has been deeply involved in humanitarian efforts in Haiti for YEARS. As I understand it, 100% of all monies donated will go to the relief effort. Check out Wyclef's twitter @wyclef for more information!

It's sad that people have to bring politics into every little thing --- especially a catastrophic disaster such as this. How you can look at those graphic, heart wrenching images on tv and not feel compelled to donate? Do you think being a Liberal or Republican is really going matter in the end?
#3.1.1.1 Anonymous on 01/14/10 at 03:04 AM
If you think 100% of donations gets all the way to the end, you are guillable. All you really know is this hip hop artist's website claims 100% of the money goes to the Haitian people. The red cross gets about 90% to the end project, some church groups have a little more and many have much less getting to the end. It isn't very likely a hip-hop artist has 100% getting to the end people.
#3.2 Madison on 01/14/10 at 07:05 AM
Thank you Gary for giving a bit of info. about Yele.

It is unfortunate that some folks deem an artist (hip-hop or otherwise) weird and therefore allow their heart to be hardened to the cause.

For those who may not know, Yele has been a 501(3)c since 2005 and was started by Hatian-born Wyclef Jean - formerly of the Fugees. Wyclef is not just another rapper or producer. He is a grammy award winning artist as well as a Goodwill Ambassador to Haiti.
#3.2.1 Anonymous on 01/14/10 at 06:55 PM
I'm sure being a hip-hop artist with a grammy and a 501c means all of the money will go to Haiti. I'm also sure pigs can fly. Until the grammy winner is rated by an independent audit I'd rather use Oprah. She pays all of the staff from her own pocket. Oh wait that means her money that could have been sent is used to pay people, so even Oprah isn't really 100%.
#4 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 03:32 PM
Red cross is charging $10 ? For what? I thought a donation was just that, a donation. Not to be mandated by the organization.
#4.1 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 04:43 PM
Here's what he is actually whining about:

The simplest way to give money quickly is to text "Haiti" to 90999, which automatically sends $10 to the Red Cross (the charge shows up on your cell phone bill, and 100% of the $10 charge goes directly to the Red Cross). But if you have more time (and money) to give, do check out the Mashable list to find out where to donate.

He wants to give $5, not be forced to give $10.

He says he is "sure maybe $1" goes to Haiti, but independent monitoring reports in the 90% range.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3277
#5 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 03:40 PM
Wonder where Obama will get money from to help Haiti? Where is he getting all the other money from that he is 'borrowing'?

I agree we should help others, but this country sticks its nose in too many places where it doesn't belong and money follows.
#6 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 04:00 PM
yeah should maybe help some out but hell we can't help our own right now...
#7 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 04:08 PM
Love your neighbor and don't let politics stop you. Some of the poorest people on this planet just lost what little they had. Can you imagine walking through your neighborhood and all you see is dead bodies and devistation, and all you hear is screaming and people begging for help as they die? Hope you never have to struggle to move concret slabs with your bare hands as you pray at least one member of your family is still alive under there. Thank God for all you have and thank him again if you are able to help.
#8 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 04:36 PM
We already had to invest $3 trillion dollars teaching people in Iraq to not pull any more 9/11 attacks on us. How much more do liberals want us to spend? I say let them fend for themselves. Let Cuba or some other nation help them out. I'm tired of bankrolling lazy people and bums.
#8.1 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 05:31 PM
We may have spent $3 trillion in Iraq, but none of the 9/11 terrorists were from Iraq, trained in Iraq or funded by Iraq. Nor were there any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. We spent $3 trillion cause W & Cheney wanted to finish the first Gulf War
#8.1.1 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 06:27 PM
You liberals make me sick. Everyone with half a brain knows the Iraq war was necessary to insure our freedom. Its time we took care of ourself first.
#8.1.1.1 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 11:30 PM
Man, where have you had your head stuck for the last 8 years!!! You think there were WMD in Iraq, even after W and Cheney admitted there were none?? Revenge was the reason we sent troups to Iraq, the reason we laid that country to ruins. The terrorist were in Afghanistan, and we let them get away to prolong this unjust war. Now, don't go saying I don't support the troops, because I do. They are just doing the job they signed up for. I will shake the hand of each one as he/she comes home. I will ride in the Patriot Guard to honor those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. But these people are our neighbors, we have many Haitians in this country who lost relatives. Have a heart. What if this happened in The Bahamas, or some other resort nation. Haiti is a poor nation, they need the help of the world. If we can spend 50 million dollars a day to kill in Iraq, surely we can spend millions to save people. By the way, I am neither a Democrat, or a Republican. I am an American.
#8.1.1.2 cmor on 01/17/10 at 08:33 AM
May God have mercy on your soul. It is because of people like you that ignoorance and a lack of understanding and passion for those less fortunate has this country at a stand still. Put up or shut up. Unless you can prove that Wyclef's foundation is not legitimate, shut your trap and make your donation to whatever charity you choose. you have no right to attack the man and what he has done for his country.
#8.1.2 Joe on 01/14/10 at 07:09 AM
This proves you don't know s#@t. You are making an assumption based on media. Some people know otherwise but can't speak about it. When you're ignorant on real facts it's best to not comment on it at all.
#8.2 Anonymous on 01/13/10 at 06:27 PM
The liberals didn't attack the wrong country, that was the conservatives. You and rudy from New York are having a little trouble with your history.
#8.3 big on 01/13/10 at 07:53 PM
May God be with you. Watch your days! With heart like yours they are surely numbered. I hope not to die when you die, but i sure would like to hear the list that read off a your judgement day. Wow! I pray nothing happen to your mom, dad, child, or wife and you have one of those jars at the counter of a store and those people buying lottery or beer says " Let them fend for themselves". I will be praying for you child.
#9 Anonymous on 01/14/10 at 05:39 PM
You bleeding heart spend my tax money types sicken me. I give enough to my church already. I don't want my hard earned tax money going to a bunch of heathens who made a pact with the devil to make the French leave. Let someone else pick up the tab for a while.
#9.1 Only One on 01/14/10 at 08:36 PM
You may have missed a few Sundays...But perhaps you can tell me what this passage means..

Matthew
35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
#9.2 ResponsibleThoughts on 01/17/10 at 08:11 PM
WHY DON'T YOU JOIN THE CIRCUS...AS THE FOOL WITH NO BRAIN. READ YOUR HISTORY, THAT IS IF YOU CAN READ!!! YOUR ANSWER JUST PROVED MY THEORY. THE THEORY THAT THEY "DO" ALLOW PATIENTS IN MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTIONS TO USE COMPUTERS.... DON'T WORRY YOUR MEDICATION IS ON THE WAY... LIGHTS OUT YOU RODENT!!!!
#10 Anonymous on 01/15/10 at 06:07 AM
Excellent
#11 Anonymous on 01/15/10 at 10:53 PM
A little history for the ones wondering why are we as a country are helping Haiti, The Haitian slaves lead a revolt against the French in the 1700's, (Napoleon was the governor of French Louisiana) and defeated the French which led to the Louisiana Purchase,history tells us that the United States has been and will always be grateful to Haiti, because they were able to purchase Louisiana from the French, They are our allies and we will help them! So tally up the tax dollars, The good lord loves a cheerful giver may he continue to bless those who are willing to bless others no matter how big the donation.
Only registered users may comment on stories. Please login or register to post comments. Your browser must support cookies.
The author does not allow comments to this entry
Copyright © 2008-2011 The Herald-Gazette