Haiti Relief

By Chris Wright

This is one of those situations that make me scratch my head. I mean, I don't know if you support relief efforts in Haiti or not, it doesn't matter. I'm just going to lay it out there. Here goes.

Americans and nations across the world are mailing money, texting money, wiring money, and exporting money at an alarming rate. I'm not even talking about time given and personal sacrifice. Athletes and celebrities are flying to Haiti to lend a hand. Food and water are being dropped so quickly, you would think it was New Orleans during Katrina... Oh wait... that took a week. Scratch that thought. Anyway. Large corporations are exporting supplies, beds, clothing, and other necessities. Ministers, priest, and Rabbis are taking whole congregations for spiritual relief and to feed the hungry. In just one week, over $200 million have been collected in relief efforts. Ladies and gentlemen, that is crazy good. And they have not even collected the money from foreign governments.

President Obama pledged that the US will donate $100 million. $616 million from the European Union, and $5 million from China. (They can afford much more).

Where am I going with this? You're wondering. Does Chris support these efforts or is he against them? I'm for them, BUT...As I stated on my Facebook status early this morning, why did it take devastation to notice Haiti? Before you think that i'm bitching about assistance, let me make it known that the United States leads the world in Haiti financial aid. Between 1990 and 2003, we as a nation gave approximately 1.5 Billion dollars in aid. But to put that into context, Jerry Jones and many investors and the state of Texas spent about a Billion dollars on the new Cowboy Stadium. But that's private enterprise, so they can do what they want. So it's not an argument. I was just making a point. That's what's great about America. You can do what you want with your money and I can write what I want.

The Republic of Haiti is the first independent nation in Latin America. It is the first post-colonial Black-led nation. And last but not least, Haiti's independence was gained as part of a successful slave rebellion. Which says quite a bit about the heart of the proud people of Haiti. I wonder had there been a slave rebellion in America, would Blacks be better off or worse off in present day? I dare not answer that. Food for thought.

Haiti is THEE poorest country in the Americas. Let me repeat that. THEE poorest country in the Americas. They have a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of seven billion dollars. We have more than seven billion dollars in Hollywood!! Here's more context. Their GDP per capita (per head, per person) is $790 dollars! Reality check: $2 per person per day!!

So remember the next time you drop $4.50 on your Caramel Macchioto, that your cup of coffee cost more than the daily pay of two Haitians for one day.

We are talking about an impoverished country. One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, ranked 149 of 182 on the United Nations Human Development Index. 80% of the country live in poverty. 50% of the citizens are illiterate. 80% of Haitian college graduates migrate, mostly to the United States. (Which tells me that there are quite a few Haitian-Americans that will be flying back to Port-au-Prince this week).

This place is so poor, that in 2010... yes... in 2010, over 225,000 youth are forced into voluntary slavery working as servants for food and shelter! Can you IMAGINE?

Now like I said earlier, Haiti does get aid. Foreign aid make up 30 to 40% of the national government budget with the United States being the largest donor. So again, I want to reiterate, I'm not bitching about that. Although I do have an issue with our relief efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, but that's for another day, another time.

While I totally get that a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, with death tolls reaching over 200,000, is extremely dramatic and tragic. But is the poverty, hunger, slavery, illiteracy and living conditions unfit for rats, not as bad? We react to large sweeping tragedy i.e. 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Oklahoma City bombing. The death toll of Hurricane Katrina was about 1,900 give or take a life or two. The 3rd highest death toll for a hurricane disaster in the US. But there are an AVERAGE of 150 murders in New Orleans per year, with tolls hitting over 160 and 163 in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Where's is the relief efforts? Where is the aid?

I said that over 225,000 youth were in poverty motivated slavery in Haiti and you probably didn't flinch. You probably did not give pause to the hundreds of thousands of death caused by poverty. Death from hunger. Inadequate medical treatment. Under qualified physicians (since they've all migrated to the United States). Murder and violence are always a product of poverty. So how many deaths are a result of that?

So as you're texting 45678 and 90999 on your cell phones to donate $5 and $10 at a time. Think about it next year too. And the year after. Figure out how you can help Haiti. Get children out of slavery. Keep college graduates in their country. Food, clothing, shelter, medicine, schools and so much more. When this is all said and done and the world rebuilds Haiti with new buildings, homes, schools, and hospitals. It might be a better country after all.

Grandma used to always say, "the lord works in mysterious ways". While we would all hate to believe that death and destruction is a means to an end.

It just might be an end to the way we presently think of Haiti. Or not.