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While I have no idea about the funding, I can probably speak to why they were chosen. Having family there means they probably have a more in-depth knowledge of the language and the people. The first thing they look for during a mobilization is for people with a skill set that matches the situation. These guys are first responders...and may know a little Creole which helps dramatically.
I'm on the short list to go with the Navy because I have Incident command experience...but also because I spent 6 weeks in Haiti adopting my daughter and can understand the language a little. It comes down to experience a lot of the time. There were also urban rescue teams from FDNY that went right away also.
I heard a lot of the adoptions now are being held up b/c all the paperwork is lost. Who even knows if the kids are alive. I couldn't even imagine awaiting an adoption to find out not only was the adoption not happening b/c of the paperwork but b/c my kid wasn't alive.
For once we agree. lol. But all joking aside, its great what they are doing down there.
Listen folks...its not like here where there are agencies to find people places to sleep and food to eat. Everything is destroyed in Port Au-Prince, Haiti. Everything! Whether you like the idea of helping out or not is your own mojo. But no one cannot deny that its the humane thing to do.
The thing too is that Haiti was a disaster before the disaster. I mean, like you said, it's not like here. Everyone is poor and people sleep on the streets. They don't have shelters for homeless people to go. Their government is a mess. Most families make like $2 a day or something.
I totally understand where you're coming from, and get the whole point of your post, but the poorest American has it way better than the average Haitian. I don't think it's really comprehensible to most Americans how poor that country is. The essentially have no government either - it's pretty much the UN and charities that have been holding the country together the past 15 years or so and now the UN and the charities have been decimated too.
It is aggravating to be the world's savior when all we get is grief in return, though.
I totally understand where you're coming from, and get the whole point of your post, but the poorest American has it way better than the average Haitian. I don't think it's really comprehensible to most Americans how poor that country is. The essentially have no government either - it's pretty much the UN and charities that have been holding the country together the past 15 years or so and now the UN and the charities have been decimated too.
It is aggravating to be the world's savior when all we get is grief in return, though.
I understand your aggravation, but I think in the end all political mumbo jumbo aside, it just feels good to help out...and yes, it's the right humane thing to do. I am sure too that if we had a huge crisis like this, other countries woud help us out. We are fortunate to be one of the world's most affluent countries so we do not need to rely on other nations to help us as much as a place like Haiti would. People need to understand everyday life was enough of a struggle for these people. This on top of that makes it a million times worse. If Haiti had a better government and wasn't such the mess that it is (was), it wouldn't need to rely on us...or other nations as much.
Haiti hates America. Fact. Do a search. They hate us. Maybe we deserve it for some of the stupid crap we've done over the years dealing with them, but the simple fact is they hate Americans. And we are now bending over backwards to help them out, and at the end of the day, other than some good global PR, it isn't going to change anything.
But we need help? Were the big bad USA. Listen, we turned down millions of dollars from other countries when Katrina hit. What kind of message is being sent out with that? We should have accepted it.
If you think we cant help our own preople here, you may want to start voting. I dont know what to tell you.
Yes we need to help ourselves as well. You see what state the economy is in right now, especially the financial sector.
I love these people who think they are saints and talk about the "humane thing to do"... yet these same people will overlook other tragedies because they are not trendy and not getting all the hoopla from the celebrities. You can really tell who the phonies are when something like this happens.
Listen pal the only phonie here is you! I dont care what country its in, if a natural disaster happens and human beings need help I will do what I can do to help them. Kinda like what you would do being a fireman right?..unless youre a phonie in that department too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by firefighter55
I love these people who think they are saints and talk about the "humane thing to do"... yet these same people will overlook other tragedies because they are not trendy and not getting all the hoopla from the celebrities. You can really tell who the phonies are when something like this happens.
Listen pal the only phonie here is you! I dont care what country its in, if a natural disaster happens and human beings need help I will do what I can do to help them. Kinda like what you would do being a fireman right?..unless youre a phonie in that department too.
I'm sure you do what you can to help all victims of natural disasters, right?
Did you do anything for the tsunami victims? Did you send money to Pakistan in 2005 after their earthquake? How about the folks in Africa dying of malaria or aids? What about the poor across africa, asia and in particular india? What about the victims of the fires in California? How about the homeless illegals in Huntington?
There are tragedies all over the world every day. Millions of people need help on a daily basis, so get off your high horse and stop being a phony. Face it, you donate to Haiti because George Clooney told you do... pathetic
Haiti hates America. Fact. Do a search. They hate us. Maybe we deserve it for some of the stupid crap we've done over the years dealing with them, but the simple fact is they hate Americans. And we are now bending over backwards to help them out, and at the end of the day, other than some good global PR, it isn't going to change anything.
Wheres your proof the Haiti hates America? Or does putting the word fact at the end of the every statement make it an actual fact... The average Haitian has no ill-will toward the American government... Overall, the current government is very Pro-American... Overall, people might not like American policies but they dont hate the whole country... Dont be so narrow minded and believe everything you read on the internet or hear on the radio... I think a lot of Americans acts like the world hates them... Travel some more and you will see Americans are not as hated as you might think... People might not like American policies but they have no animosity towards the average American...
You people are ridiculous... The problems of an unemployed or underemployed American are trivial in comparison to the plight of Haitians right now... I have donated what little money I can to the aforementioned natural disasters and have consistently donated to UNICIEF and Save the Children... I think you right that its weird people care so much all of a sudden... But whatever be aware now and stay aware...
The situation in Haiti is different from the aforementioned natural disasters in Pakistan, Indonesia, American Samoa, etc.. For example, those other places have safety nets in place... like infrastructure to deal with the devastation... Indonesia has 300 million people and a decent economy... The economy of Pakistan is also able to deal with some of the devastation... American Samoa is part of the United States and has a population of Port-Au-Prince neighborhood...
The magnitude is also important 200,000 dead 1.5 million homeless... In a country where 80% of the people live on less than 2 dollars a day... They have no insurance, no safety nets, nothing...
The location is also very important... This is not half way around the world... It is just miles of the coast of the United States... The Haitian government can not deal with it... If the US just let them deal with it... What do you think will happen? Where will 10 million Haitians go?
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