As many of you readers of mine know, I generally stay away from politics on this blog. I discuss the Red Sox, Vikings and trivia most of the time. But there is a subject I felt a need to comment on today, so you'll pardon me if I take this detour.
For the record, I consider myself an Independent. I have voted for Democrats as well as Republicans. My attitude towards voting and politics is, "Show me what you got." Both political parties have their good people and their whackjobs. I don't follow any political ideology blindly. I think for myself.
The news of last Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti has been unbelievably devastating. Depending on the source you hear, as many as 100,000 to 500,000 people there could be dead because of it. Haiti is generally regarded as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, so an earthquake registering 7.2 on the Richter scale couldn't have happened in a much worse place.
The scenes there are beyond horrible. People wandering the streets homeless or are just afraid to go back in their homes in fear of aftershocks. Haitian-Americans here are worried about their loved ones down there, as most can't find news about whether they are safe or not, mostly because of the breakdown in communications. Fortunately, we've seen help come from all over the world and for me it brings back memories of the way help came from everywhere to New York City after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
It's a heartbreaking situation, and something that should bring us all together to help those good people trapped in this terrible situation, regardless of where we stand on the political spectrum.
But yet we get this:
"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French ... and they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, 'We will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. And the devil said, 'OK, it's a deal.' Ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after another."
And this:
“We’ve already donated to Haiti! It’s called the US income tax! There are people who do charitable work every day in Haiti. It’s not as though… it’s our fault. There are people that have been trying to save Haiti, just as we’re trying to save Africa. You just can’t keep throwing money at it, because the dictatorships there just take it all. It’s a simple matter of self-reliance.”
The first quote is by Pat Robertson, and the second is by Rush Limbaugh. I'm simply floored by the lack of humanity by these two individuals. Innocent people are dying by the thousands, and Robertson, supposedly a man of God, thinks that Haiti is paying the price for some kind of "deal with the devil" that was made over two centuries ago.
And Limbaugh thinks we've done enough for Haiti, despite the fact that so many people now don't know where their next meal is coming from and the threat of disease is a real possibility. I guess we are supposed to turn our backs and say, "We've done enough. Time to be on your own pal."
The word "soulless" comes into my mind right now. This disaster is no fault of the Haitian people or its government. It's a catastrophe that happened through no fault of man, yet we have to listen to jackasses like this who have to drag out their own screwed views (mostly for their own gain).
Robertson and Limbaugh should both be ashamed of themselves. But I'm sure neither is. I can't help but think of a title from a famous John Lennon song, "How Do You Sleep?" when I read crap like this from them. (I prefaced this article about my political views because I'm not some crazy liberal who loses his mind at the sight of Limbaugh or Sarah Palin. And I don't believe Barack Obama is the Devil Incarnate either.)
If you really want to help the people of Haiti, you can donate $10 in a very easy way, the way I did yesterday. You can send a text to the Red Cross, at 90999 and text the word "HAITI." They will bill you on your next phone bill $10, and that money will go straight to them.
Right now, the people of Haiti need money, medical supplies, water and food. They don't need idiots who pontificate that this earthquake is somehow their fault and that we as Americans already have done enough.
May God bless the good folks of Haiti and that things will get better there and soon.
6 comments:
Very well spoken and right to the heart of truth. Thanks, John for telling it just the way it is. Patricia
Well put. To be fair (and I am not condoning his comments (although he claims they were taken out of context)) Pat R. is donating a lot of money to this effort through Operations Blessings.
Unfortunately, neither of those statements surprise me, considering their source. I say unfortunate because there are so many people out there who believe every word that one or the other, or both, say. They will simply buy into this hubris and, in doing so, lessen themselves.
To Both Of Them, I say that both are practitioners of "Utter Arse Cap-ery."
Just did the donation as well, on the text. That was quick.
Amazing how callous some people can be.
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