Soon after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the comments started. I read local news stories about volunteers who were leaving their families and businesses here for a few days to help the desperate earthquake victims, and I saw the comments there. I read news stories about the death and pain, and about how people could donate and help, and I saw the comments there. I was shocked at first, then realized that there were a lot of people with the same sentiment: “Why should we help people in Haiti? We have people here who are homeless and hungry and don’t have medical care, so we should spend our money and time helping them! Keep our money here at home.”
I have been going back and forth between just ignoring the comments and going on a full blown rant. So let’s just have a happy medium here.
First of all, if I follow the logic I’ve seen some people use, I could have said this a few years ago: “Why should I try to help the people hurt by Hurricane Katrina when we have people right here in West Virginia who are homeless and hungry and don’t have medical care.” Since when do we only help people from our own country, or from our own state?
Secondly, have you seen the pictures and video footage from Haiti? Have you read about people who are having limbs amputated because there is more infection than there is medicine? Did you see the woman giving birth on the ground–not because it happened so fast, but because there was nowhere else to go? Have you seen the rubble piles? Where in this country do the conditions of poverty and squalor and pain and devastation equal those in Haiti?
In our area, the only people who are hungry are those who are too drunk or too lazy to walk to the local mission. People in Haiti would be grateful to be living at what the United States calls the “poverty level.”
Finally, helping people in another country does not negate helping people here. In fact, that is why there is shelter and food available to people who need it. There are doctors who volunteer time at free clinics. There are charities that give away food and clothing, and even pay for medical care. Our government gives out food, clothes, housing, medical care, and even firewood! People do help people here, and they help people in Haiti, and they help whoever needs help. Just because those who help in the USA aren’t making the news for doing it doesn’t mean it isn’t getting done.
I would suggest that if you are not happy with the care of the homeless in your city, get up and go help them.
Americans are a generous people. We come to the aid of our family, neighbors, fellow citizens, and fellow human beings whether we know them or not.
If you choose to help, great. If you choose not to help, that’s fine. It’s called freedom. But ranting about how Americans should only help Americans is ignorant and naive at best, and hateful and prejudiced at worst.
Yes, this is the short version. I could say more.
May God bless the earthquake victims and the kind people who are helping them. And may God help the cynical and selfish who need to understand that Americans are not the chosen ones, but all humans are equal in His eyes.