A clarification

Like I said, it makes me feel like a complete asshole. We have a HUGE Haitian population here. Most of our forms have English, Spanish and Creole on them. Trust me, I know most of Haiti lives in, and below, poverty.

It isn’t even just Haiti that pisses me off. I have nothing against Haiti. I get my feathers ruffled about this every time something happens somewhere else in the world and it becomes the “Raison D’Etre” for all of five minutes before it’s forgotten. Why not focus that attention inwards and heal ourselves before we pretend like we can heal the world? A new mother cannot take care of her infant if she isn’t well herself. Same concept here. [Read more...]

Donations

I feel like a complete asshole, but I am sick and fucking tired of hearing about people soliciting donations for Haiti. Yes, it was catastrophic. Yes, it’s terrible. Yes, they nee everything from toothpaste to beds. But where the fuck are all the people soliciting donations for our own needy at any other time of year? Our own homeless (and working homeless and disabled and down on their luck and fire victims and whatever else) need donations day to day as well. Where are the “24/7 until it’s filled” trucks here being filled up with toothpaste and tents and clothes and blankets and food for our local needy? Why are we, as American’s, expected to give to every world-wide catastrophe, but we take out loans and beg for aid when it’s us? Why are we conditioned to give unconditionally, as long as it’s to some country other than our own? [Read more...]