Hope For Haiti Now

[Amaris]

Is anyone else watching this?

Just to make it more than a mutual watching thread, what do you think about the idea? Do you think it will make a difference? Do you see it as more than just a celebrity vehicle? I ask these questions to get the ball rolling. Will the costs of this fundraiser overshadow the donations?

What do you think?

 

[John Picard]

I remember how many people USA For Africa fed. Wait -- I don't, because it was another of these celebrity "LOOK AT ME" moments.

 

[Amaris]

I remember how many people USA For Africa fed. Wait -- I don't, because it was another of these celebrity "LOOK AT ME" moments.

How many people did USA For Africa feed? They apparently raised about $100 million, but how much of that went to administration costs? Running costs? I think there was also an issue that much of the money was put into the corrupt governments and it ended up not helping as much as they'd hoped.

I mean, don't get me wrong. I love George Clooney and I do believe he has the best of intentions, but I'm wondering where the money goes. If to the Haitian government, I get the feeling many folks won't ever see the benefits of that money.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Hasn't Haiti's government essentially been destroyed by this? I'm not sure there's much of a government to give the money to.

 

[Amaris]

Hasn't Haiti's government essentially been destroyed by this? I'm not sure there's much of a government to give the money to.

I'm not certain. It's why I want to know how the money will be distributed. It's not George Clooney I'm distrustful of, it's the handlers behind the whole benefit.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Well, it's not likely to do any harm and any good that it can do is welcome.

 

[Jetfire]

I don't know why this happened on a Friday night?

I think a major TV night would have had more impact...like Thursday, Monday???

 

[trampledamage]

I would have thought that the level of sponsorship and donation of time/equipment that something like this would get means there wouldn't be that much cost left to take from the donations, so it should send a lot of money to Haiti. Clooney's a smart man, he'll have people making sure it's well looked after.

I think these fundraisers are good things. They raise much more money than would be otherwise be donated and I don't really think they take away from other donations. I know whenever I've watched events and donated to them, I've also donated as usual to the charities I would donate to.

 

[John Picard]

Well, it's not likely to do any harm and any good that it can do is welcome.

Really? Do some checking around the 'net for "Feed the Children +Lawsuits". That place is rife with corruption. Overall, a lot of people are tired of celebrities, with large bank accounts, holding these fundraisers and there's never a follow-up with an accounting of how the funds were spent.

Wasn't there a similar fundraiser for victims of Katrina?

I fund this article rather interesting/amusing:

Disaster do-gooders can actually hinder help

“Volunteers without prior disaster relief experience are generally not selected for relief assignments,” it reads. “Most offers of another body to drive trucks, set up tents, and feed children are not accepted.”It’s an effort to help would-be Samaritans recognize the reality of the situation, said CIDI director Suzanne H. Brooks.
“It’s very romantic in the TV and movies,” she said. “They think it’s flying in for a weekend. They need to think of it in terms of months.”
Those best suited to help are probably already there, experts said. They’re trained crews who not only have experience working in disasters, but also in developing nations, Kirsch said. The best teams also have a command of Haitian Creole and French, if possible.
When teams arrive without those skills and without their own supplies, they drain resources that could better be used for actual victims, said Dr. Kristi L. Koenig, an emergency physician at the University of California, Irvine, who specializes in disaster response.
“Unless you’re part of a team before the disaster happens with a formal mission, you’re going to be part of the problem,” she said.
Even worse, certain volunteers have required emergency intervention themselves, Kirsch noted.
“Most people do quite well, but about 10 percent don't,” he said. “They end up totally freaking out and having to be evacuated.”

 

[Lindley]

Yeah, my flight school sent out an email saying, "Yes, we're sending two of our multi-engine planes to help transport relief supplies. Two of the instructors have volunteered to fly them. No, you can't ride with them, that would reduce the useful load. No, we don't need any other pilots, but pledging to reimburse fuel expenses would be welcome."

 

[RJDiogenes]

Well, it's not likely to do any harm and any good that it can do is welcome.

Really? Do some checking around the 'net for "Feed the Children +Lawsuits". That place is rife with corruption.

Even if that were true, the worst it can be is harmless for the Haitians; far more likely, though, that it will do some good.

 

[Marc]

Because of people's concern about just where the money would wind, up the Candian telephon is support 9 specific charities who's track record is well known and where there will be accountability.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Even if that were true, the worst it can be is harmless for the Haitians; far more likely, though, that it will do some good.

Do you have the same attitude towards something like this? Also this.

I'm not sure what to think about that.

 

[RJDiogenes]

What does that have to do with charitable works? Are you suggesting that people show their grief and support by further damaging the Haitian economy? Or are you suggesting that there should be a No Vacation Zone surrounding the earthquake area? How large should it be? Ten miles? A hundred? Should it apply just within the borders of Haiti or without as well? Perhaps everybody in the world should put their lives on hold while Haiti rebuilds.

Focus on doing something positive for the people who need help. A lot of those vacationers probably feel terrible about being there while all this is going on; some may even pack up and go home, or even try to help out in some way. Some may just go on as usual, not caring; they have the right to be assholes.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ So you really have no problem with a bunch of fatass tourists just laughing it up and having a great old time, only 60 miles from a city in shambles?

 

[trampledamage]

^ So you really have no problem with a bunch of fatass tourists just laughing it up and having a great old time, only 60 miles from a city in shambles?

Did you have a problem with tourists going to Haiti before the earthquake? It wasn't an island paradise then either.

It's not like they're treating the earthquake zone itself as a tourist attraction. The people in Haiti make money from the cruises.

 

[Amaris]

^ So you really have no problem with a bunch of fatass tourists just laughing it up and having a great old time, only 60 miles from a city in shambles?

Did you have a problem with tourists going to Haiti before the earthquake? It wasn't an island paradise then either.

It's not like they're treating the earthquake zone itself as a tourist attraction. The people in Haiti make money from the cruises.

Agreed. In fact, it was stated by quite a few there in Haiti that the people should continue to go there as a tourist spot, to bring in income.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^ So you really have no problem with a bunch of fatass tourists just laughing it up and having a great old time, only 60 miles from a city in shambles?

It's really irrelevant to the issue. Some may be laughing it up, many no doubt feel awful. And, as stated above, if they canceled their plans, it would only bring more trouble to the country.

 

[John Picard]

Haiti govt gets only 1 cent of every US aid dollar

Only 1 cent of each dollar the U.S. is spending on earthquake relief in Haiti is going in the form of cash to the Haitian government, according to an Associated Press review of relief efforts.
Less than two weeks after President Obama announced an initial $100 million for Haiti earthquake relief, U.S. government spending on the disaster has tripled to $317 million at latest count. That's just over $1 each from everyone in the United States.
Relief experts say it would be a mistake to send too much direct cash to the Haitian government, which is in disarray and has a history of failure and corruption.
"I really believe Americans are the most generous people who ever lived, but they want accountability," said Timothy R. Knight, a former US AID assistant director who spent 25 years distributing disaster aid. "In this situation they're being very deliberate not to just throw money at the situation but to analyze based on a clear assessment and make sure that money goes to the best place possible."
The AP review of federal budget spreadsheets, procurement reports and contract databases shows the vast majority of U.S. funds going to established and tested providers, who are getting everything from 40-cent pounds of pinto beans to a $3.4 million barge into the disaster zone.

 

[trampledamage]

The headline makes it sound like the other 99c is going to someone's pocket, but it's being spent on relief to Haiti, just not being given direct to the Haitian government. Since there's a huge amount of relief work being done by agencies other than the Haitian government, that seems fair to me.