The human capacity for love is simply astounding. It continually amazes and inspires us. Somehow, the world is able to put aside their differences, for however brief a time, and simply contribute. Man reaches out to fellow man, and both are lifted into a new level of understanding and, above all, love. So, it comes as no surprise that, mere hours after a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake left Haiti in ruins, the world came to their aid. There was determination, there was friendship, there was hope…

And then some people had to go and screw it all up.
But, really, should this come as any news? Shouldn’t we have expected something at this level? After all, there will always be the cynics, the people in the crowd who choose to go in the opposite direction, whether it is to make a point or just to fulfill some personal vendetta. It’s a tried and true fact that there will always be those who willingly stand up and let hateful drivel flow from their mouths.
I guess I was just being naïve when I thought this wouldn’t happen with Haiti.
How could anyone, seeing the daily-increasing devastation, knowingly attempt to broadcast his or her own, narrow-minded and hateful ideas? Who could look into the tortured, broken faces and sneer? How is it possible that someone could watch the news reports and not see the tragic loss of human life?
Apparently, it’s possible. Since the earthquake that shook Haiti to its core, a different kind of aftershock has been felt across the globe: that of the insensitive comments made in the face of the tragedy. They range from the stupid to the truly cutting, inserting religion, politics, and even personal ire into a situation that definitely does not call for such remarks.
The day after the earthquake, Rush Limbaugh made some not-so-savory comments about Haiti on his morning radio program. He brazenly attacked the relief organization set up in the White House, encouraging listeners not to donate to the fund. As he so eloquently put it: “You already give to the Haitian relief- it’s called the income tax.”
Of course, this ignited a firestorm amongst relief groups and Limbaugh criticizers, who accused him of promoting the message that there was no need, or point, even, to donate to relief funds (and yes, it did sound like that). Limbaugh, of course, was quick to defend with the statement that he was, instead, attempting to get people to donate to funds run by the Red Cross and the like.
He might have scraped by with that “support”, but other comments are a bit harder to take back, aren’t they, Rush? In the same radio program, he also claimed that President Obama and his cabinet would use Haiti as a way to get closer to the “light-skinned and dark-skinned black communities in this country.”
Oh, so that was the reason Obama went to Haiti’s aid. Not because thousands of people were suffering, but for a political agenda. It all makes perfect sense now. Just ignore the fact that the majority of America supports him; ignore the fact that relief organizations within the government have worked together before: this is clearly all to do with support ratings. No offense, Rush, but I think Mr. President has a little more on his mind right now.
Unfortunately, Limbaugh’s comments only scrape the top of the heap. Below his on the rung of insensitivity (and complete lunacy, to tell the truth), lie the comments of a Pat Robertson, who proved that anyone, anyone can insert religion into a completely non-religious issue if they just try hard enough. My hat is off to you, Mr. Robertson.
On the same day as Limbaugh’s commentary, Pat Robertson decided to make his views on why this happened to Haiti known. And, boy, did he have some good ones. Robertson claims that Haiti, as a whole, made a “pact with the Devil” in order to escape French colonial rule, and so have been plagued with misfortune ever since. Yep, the Devil made them do it.
Before we get to the actual statement, let’s look at the facts, ones that Pat probably could have learned a lot from: 80 percent of Haitians identify themselves as Roman Catholic, followed by the Protestants at 16 percent. Now, am I going crazy, or was a main focus of those religions to stay away from the Devil? Did I get hundreds of years of Christianity and Catholicism incorrect? Or is there another kind of Catholicism, and Protestantism, that only Pat Robertson knows about?
I’m going to lean towards a no for the answer. And, so, the issue comes back to why anyone would even consider making such a blatantly idiotic and insensitive remark? If it’s not bad enough that Haiti just experienced a major national disaster, it also turns out it’s all their fault. Kick ‘em while they’re down, eh, Pat?
But the final indignity comes in the form of Pat Shirley, a former NBA player who felt the need to not only comment on the Haiti disaster, but also to write a letter to all Haitians. Pat Shirley, you get my award for the most insensitive pinhead to roam the face of the Earth. Shirley penned a long letter on Jan. 26, detailing just how he felt about the Haiti situation.
He begins with firmly stating that he will not donate any money to the Haitian relief, and begins to list his reasons for doing so. His arguments basically consist of him blaming the Haitians for their situation, and for relying on the rest of the world to help them out. Shirley argues that Haiti should be able to pull itself out of the hole, while the world looks on.
That’s just wonderful. You really emphasized the collectiveness of man there. Who cares if we have a lot of money and resources? Why should we have to help some other country attempt to live? Survival of the fittest, right? Anyway, if they fail, that’s one less country we have to worry about.
The blows keep coming, however, when Shirley pens a letter directly to the Haitian people, applauding them on “developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.” And it only gets worse. After encouraging Haiti to build fewer shantytowns, Shirley also recommends “maybe using a condom once in a while.” He signs off as “The Rest of the World.”
What?! What?! How dare he! This has got to be the most offensive, the most insensitive letter ever written to anyone. Hang human compassion and understanding; just criticize them to within an inch of their already fragile lives! It appears that it is just too much to ask that people simply help these people trying to rebuild their lives. I know that there are those who always feel the need to get a comment in, but enough is enough. A couple of lessons on self-restraint, and, yes, empathy is in order here.
And then, of course, he has the audacity to sign it as the rest of the world. It shames me that anyone will even have to see this letter, much more to assume that this is some kind of twisted world opinion. Just because you don’t have a caring bone in your body, Pat Shirley, doesn’t mean that the rest of the world can’t care and attempt to help those less fortunate.
In the end, the results are all the same: disgust and humiliation. I don’t care who you think you are, mocking people in this kind of situation, in any kind of situation below yours, is never right. Shame on all those who perpetrate such lies and insensitivity and hatred, for lack of a better word. It is our duty, as a world power, to help those who are less fortunate than us. I don’t care how you think it should be run, why you think this happened, or any of that. Keep your mouth shut, and turn off the idiocy and insensitivity factories that seem to have replaced your brain.
No one, I repeat no one, has the right to mock tragedy, incriminate the victims, or thwart relief attempts. No one has the right to play judge when faced with a disaster of this magnitude. Perhaps you should have thought before you spoke.