Vent: Haiti

FutureMrsTR

I would use this in FFF, but I don't feel like waiting.  I'm getting really annoyed with the plethora of posts about how bad people feel about the earthquake in Haiti, how they want to do something to help because they're so compassionate and caring.  Hello?  It wasn't as if Haiti didn't had problems before the earthquake. 

I was there in 2001 on a missions trip and the poverty was just unbelievable.  If you were really so concerned with helping people you could have started helping before.

I know I sound like a biitch, but I've had a bad day at work and I'm sick of these posts.

kikibaby

So... nobody can want to help now if they didn't help before?  It's not like the people who want to help Haiti now were throwing rocks at them before.

AmoroAgain

Uh... how about being happy that they're trying to do something now?  There are lot's of places in the world that need a lot of assistance and help and they don't get it.  How would you feel if, even in the midst of such horrible tragedy, people STILL didn't help?

I think I'd like to tell you to STFU.

shellydiane820

Funny you bring this up, I was watching the today show, and they had these parents on of kids who were volunteering when the earthquake hit.  Some of the kids have been found, but others are still missing. They were saying how the US isn't trying hard enough, and they need to get out there and get their kids.

I was getting frustrated listening to it.  I'm thinking, so many people are going there, and its not an easy place to get to.  Volunteers just got a flight from central IL (where i'm from) and they had been trying for almost a week.  There are so many people there who need help, and so many people trying to help.

I realize it must be torture not knowing if your child is alive or dead, but think about the thousands of other families going through the same thing.

AmoroAgain

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_vent-haiti?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9d26f298-0185-4509-9b26-c17a0801357aPost:9808d559-56ab-42b2-8d0b-7e9fdbdb962b">Vent: Haiti</a>:
[QUOTE]I would use this in FFF, but I don't feel like waiting.  I'm getting really annoyed with the plethora of posts about how bad people feel about the earthquake in Haiti, how they want to do something to help because they're so compassionate and caring.  Hello?  It wasn't as if Haiti didn't had problems before the earthquake.  I was there in 2001 on a missions trip and the poverty was just unbelievable.  If you were really so concerned with helping people you could have started helping before. I know I sound like a biitch, but I've had a bad day at work and I'm sick of these posts.
Posted by FutureMrsTR[/QUOTE]

And yup, this is a JIC

mwhitson14

TR, I hear what you're saying, but a lot of the times, it takes tragedies like these for people to wake up and realize how bad things really are/were. So many Americans live in their little bubble and don't take notice of oppression/poverty/conflicts with other countries. It often takes a major disaster for people to wake up and go, We need to help these people!

Sad, but true.

JessAndTrav

I agree that there were problems there before, but I will say I genuinely didn't know what it was like there.

My heart does break for them, but my heart breaks for countries and people that struggle with poverty on a daily basis.

The situation in Haiti is just sad because it was already bad there, and now it's exponentially worse.

It's like with Invisible Children, people continue to look away, and that's the way it is everywhere. Those who are fortunate enough to live in the US are often blind to what's happening every where else.

I'm not saying EVERY PERSON is blind to it, but you know what I mean.

JessAndTrav

But I also think that we should continue to reach out to them. They clearly couldn't help themselves before this, so how will they help themselves now?

pandasquishy

I think a lot of people were just unaware of the situation there before the earthquake hit.  My hope is that lots of money will be raised for them, aid given, food donated, etc. so that after the earthquake mess is taken care of (which will be years of course), Haiti will be a better place than it was before the earthquake. 

FutureMrsTR

haha Amoro, you think I would seriously delete my post?  Come on.  It's great that people want to help, but I'm disappointed that it takes something like this to make people notice those who need their help.

alixzafiris

Wow you sound ignorant. Who cares what the reasoning is behind the motivation, as long as people are both aware and assisting?

Yes, it's a terrible situation, but at the end of the day, would you rather people just shrugged it off and said oh well, someone else will help? Grow a brain here. I'm sure there are a shitload of people who knew fvck all about Haiti before this and maybe they're better informed about the country now than they were before.

lyndausvi

I agree shelly... It tooks weeks to go through New Orleans and it's a western country.  Can you imagine a 3rd world country like Haiti?  The main roads and ports are closed.  It's not like they can move heavy trucks around with ease.

Besides, it's another country.  The US can't just 'take over' the mission.

alixzafiris

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_vent-haiti?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9d26f298-0185-4509-9b26-c17a0801357aPost:bbcf87a4-88c3-41a0-b6cc-465c014160aa">Re: Vent: Haiti</a>:
[QUOTE]haha Amoro, you think I would seriously delete my post?  Come on.  It's great that people want to help, but I'm disappointed that it takes something like this to make people notice those who need their help.
Posted by FutureMrsTR[/QUOTE]

And now you come across sounding like you live under a rock somewhere. The majority of people are woefully ignorant to everything outside their little bubble, you must know that.

georgia_bride09

So you're complaining that people didn't really contribute before the earthquake due to ignorance about the situation, but now they are contributing, or want to contribute? That's a productive thought to have.

It sounds like you're just biitching because you feel superior for having already seen the plight of the Haitians. So I have a question for you. Did you come home from that trip a changed person and have contributed to Haitian relief ever since, or did you come home and go about your business? If the latter, than you're pretty much a hypocrite.

kikibaby

TR- It kind of sounds to me like you're patting yourself on the back.  "I volunteered there WAY before the earthquake, so I'm better than you late-comers!"  It's like saying you knew about a band before they made it big.  As a PP said, just be happy people are helping now.

crfische

So pretty much youre saying that you are a MUCH better person because you cared before?

All right, TR. You got there first. You got us. I guess we'll turn around and go home.

I just DO NOT get people that think this way.

laurenclaire1386

It's a bad habit to thumb your nose at goodwill of any sort. Yeah, I get that not everyone's compassion is sincere, but fuuck, Haiti needs more help now than they ever have.

JessAndTrav

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_vent-haiti?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9d26f298-0185-4509-9b26-c17a0801357aPost:deedefe3-ddce-4714-bf9c-a13fe24bd306">Re: Vent: Haiti</a>:
[QUOTE]TR- It kind of sounds to me like you're patting yourself on the back.  "I volunteered there WAY before the earthquake, so I'm better than you late-comers!"  It's like saying you knew about a band before they made it big.  As a PP said, just be happy people are helping now.
Posted by kikibaby[/QUOTE]

I can't really say that I don't agree with this statement.

I don't really know you, OP, and I understand where you're coming from, but at the end of the day, it does sound like what kiki is talking about here.

AmoroAgain

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_vent-haiti?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9d26f298-0185-4509-9b26-c17a0801357aPost:bbcf87a4-88c3-41a0-b6cc-465c014160aa">Re: Vent: Haiti</a>:
[QUOTE]haha Amoro, you think I would seriously delete my post?  Come on.  It's great that people want to help, but I'm disappointed that it takes something like this to make people notice those who need their help.
Posted by FutureMrsTR[/QUOTE]

Uh, people in the US ignore the poverty in the US... what makes you think they're going to pay attention to what's happening to one half of a tiny island nation??  They don't even know where it is.  People generally don't pay attention to what's going on in Africa or the ME.  I mean, REALLY.  I studied human rights in college, so I'm a little more aware then most, but people do.not.get.it. 

At least hope that SOME of these people continue to do goodworks after this without having to wait for tragedy.

ac_in_dc

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_vent-haiti?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9d26f298-0185-4509-9b26-c17a0801357aPost:bbcf87a4-88c3-41a0-b6cc-465c014160aa">Re: Vent: Haiti</a>:
[QUOTE]haha Amoro, you think I would seriously delete my post?  Come on.  It's great that people want to help, but I'm disappointed that it takes something like this to make people notice those who need their help.
Posted by FutureMrsTR[/QUOTE]

This comes off as a bit judgey to me. I've spent a good chunk of my life trying to make the world a better place (as a teacher, a peace corps volunteer, and now working for a non-profit). And it's not as easy as it sounds...not that we should stop trying to help people, but just because someone doesn't know how they can personally improve the situation in haiti or anywhere doesn't make them uncaring or selfish. A lot of people have been thinking about these issues for a long time...the solutions aren't clear.

mandysmear

Wow, so what are you, queen of the fucking world?  Get over yourself TR.

FutureMrsTR

Again, I never said people shouldn't be helping now. 

And no, I didn't come back and just go about my business, I continue to contribute to the group we worked with.

And just because I know that people are unaware of other countries' situations doesn't mean I can't be disappointed in that fact.

NuggetBrain

I didn't know sh*t about what was going on in Haiti before this earthquake.  Why?  Because I don't make it a point to make sure I'm completely on top of the economic climate in every country in the world.  Does that make me a sh*tastic person?  Apparently so. So go ahead and be terribly disappointed in me because I didn't know Haiti was in such dire straits before the earthquake.  Somehow I think I'll manage to go on, me and my disappointing, selfish self.

cmhershey

Sooo...are you saying that because you helped out Haiti before that you have more compassion than someone who sees the devastation on the news and decides out of the goodness of their help donate money/food/supplies.  I would think as someone who has been to Haiti first hand that you would be glad that people are aware and helping out instead of whining.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

Well... most people aren't REALLY contributing. I understand frustration at people who are sitting around, boohooing on the internet. Yup, it's sad. Okay, now what? Oh yeah, you'll go back to your normal life.

Stackeye210

Maybe some people had their charitable contributions going towards other things that they felt were important to them, but have looked towards Haiti now in their time of need. 

Just because now is the first time they are doing anything to aid Haiti, doesn't mean they weren't contributing to charitable things prior because nobody can forsee the future, or where tragedy is going to strike. 

I concentrate a lot of my charity on research for things like cancer and arthritis, because they mean something to me.  It doesn't mean I won't stop at a light and hand a homeless man $1.  I didn't forsee him being there otherwise maybe I'd have put $5 in my car that day for him. 

Just because this is their first time directing help towards Haiti, doesn't mean they don't help make the world a better place in other ways.

kikibaby

Also, I volunteer in my own community frequently.  I think that counts for a lot, because I am helping the people I live with every day, not just people in another country that I have no ties to.

crfische

Dude, if you're going to spend your time being disappointed about causes and countries that people don't know shiit about, you better settle in for a life of depression.

You're really quite unbelievable.

SarahPLiz

Haiti needs more than just money thrown at it, as they have had aid for years and their people still lived in squalor. I hope this tragedy CAN draw attention that was not there before so someone pays attention to why it got so bad before the earthquake, and it can be rebuilt even better than it was before, in financial, political, and physical infrastructure.

That's like saying I can't root for the Saints because I didn't wear a paper bag on my head at their games in the 1980s. I get that you are upset that people didnt' see it before, but it doesn't make their current concern any less sincere.

FutureMrsTR

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_vent-haiti?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9d26f298-0185-4509-9b26-c17a0801357aPost:f1e5d40f-a1b2-47b5-b4a8-8cdded997726">Re: Vent: Haiti</a>:
[QUOTE]Sooo...are you saying that because you helped out Haiti before that you have more compassion than someone who sees the devastation on the news and decides out of the goodness of their help donate money/food/supplies.  I would think as someone who has been to Haiti first hand that you would be glad that people are aware and helping out instead of whining.
Posted by cmhershey[/QUOTE]

And I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off like I thought I was better than anyone just because I went to Haiti before, I just figured someone would come back with "Well, what have YOU done?" eventually anyway.

JessAndTrav

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_vent-haiti?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9d26f298-0185-4509-9b26-c17a0801357aPost:afb20013-6535-4bbb-a0c3-9d9dae6bd569">Re: Vent: Haiti</a>:
[QUOTE]I didn't know sh*t about what was going on in Haiti before this earthquake.  Why?  Because I don't make it a point to make sure I'm completely on top of the economic climate in every country in the world. Posted by NuggetBrain[/QUOTE]

Me too, Nuggs.