Five days away from home so distracted me from everything but dirty laundry that it took Pat Robertson’s idiotic blatherings to draw my attention to the disaster in Haiti. It’s sad but true. If not for his opinions (and the similarly unconscionable statements made by Rush Limbaugh) I would have blissfully ignored the crisis long past the time it fell from the news in favor of the next big thing.
I have to wonder how many others stirred from impartial apathy to submit donations based on a sense of anger toward the ignorant? Will the unintended consequence of Pat Robertson’s words be even more help flowing to Haiti? Is it possible that he’ll be the unlikely hero of this story?
Perhaps anger will move you to action too. You should check out this list of reputable organizations accepting aid for Haiti and consider making a donation right this very second. It’s can be as easy as sending a text.
I’m just glad to see that everyone has banded together and pitched in so quickly. I think it’s heartening to see the country come together and help out another country in need — and especially when it’s aid that’s needed and sought out — not like we’re butting into other countries’ business (which we so often do).
I do hope that Pat Robertson is not a hero in any way, shape, or form, but if anger towards him does generate donations, it’s better to have the donations than not.
Reading Pat Robertson’s words inspired me (as a firm atheist) to donate what little I could.
I very highly recommend Partners in Health. (They do appear on that list)
http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti
They’ve been working in Haiti for over 20 years, employ a 90% Haitian staff (Doctors and Nurses too) and have a supply chain set up to bring in supplies. Their clinics are outside of the larger city and were well built so they are well equipped to see patients even now. What they desperately need is money to send more medical materials and trauma staff. Hopefully we can pitch in a bit to help.
There’s been a wonderful posting from The Reason Project (http://www.reasonproject.org/) on the Haitian Disaster: ‘It is widely imagined that, in times of crisis, religious people render aid in disproportion to their numbers. Richard Dawkins has now created an opportunity for non-believers to put the lie to this myth.
One hundred percent of the funds raised will go to Doctors Without Borders and/or The Red Cross (you decide). But giving in this way will send an additional message: one need not believe in God to care about one’s fellow human beings.
The response to this campaign has been tremendous. We have raised over $50,000 in 24 hours.’
Robertson must be very much a US phenomeon – his opinions would be derided in Europe and he’d be treated as the fool that he really is. How sweetly ironic if his intervention ends up supporting the work of the Devil ;o)