Haitian Disaster Shows World Come Together... Late as Always?

[mrstickball]

Zucas said:

mrstickball said:

Zucas,
You act like Haiti never had any aid or help prior to the earthquake. The fact is, Haiti was up to its neck in debt by the world bank. Haiti owed 13% of its entire GDP to the world bank due to loans it had taken out. I believe it even had its debt cancelled because it was too poor to pay back the half a billion dollars that was owed.

The problem is that humanity sucks. They are very flawed, therefore you can't always use idealistic caring for people and assume that it will relieve them of all debt and poverty. After all, if that were true, Western nations would not have so much poverty.
The key to human development isn't giving aid, but giving education and influencing cultures to become smarter and better with resources. It's like the old adage 'Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime'. The issue with Haiti and other countries is that many people merely give them fishes and assume that helps them. It does far from it - it merely encourages the status quo of corrupt government, and lack of productivity by citizens.

Furthermore, in some countries, you can even go as far as teaching a man to fish, only to have corrupt leaders take the fish, the means of life, away from the populace. Zimbabwe is a great example of that - murdering white farmers to give the land to political cronies and assume they have the means to produce from the land.

Ultimately, the key to developing poor countries is, as I said, through encouraging them to remove corrupt leaders, improve government and business practices, enhance education, and improve farming and the climate for basic needs. In the case of Haiti, the cause of the destruction wasn't entirely a 7.0 earthquake. It was the lack of building codes, corrupt builders, and a poor infrastructure. A 7.3 earthquake hit Landers California in 1992. Two died from heart attacks. 

And I got to ask this on a personal note, Zucas, when was the last time you:

• Worked at a soup kitchen
• Helped at a homeless shelter
• Donated to the Salvation Army
• Worked at a food pantry or food bank
• Taught a financial management class to low-income people
• Donated to a clothing shelter

Just curious.

Well I'm curious because if you had read what I stated, I did go on to say that I feel kinda like a hypocrite making the argument.  Now what is funny, the first person who replied to this noticed I said that yet you were unable to.  There is only one thing I ask when debating with me, and that is don't reply if you haven't read what I stated. 

The criticism of the topic, wasn't everyone BUT me.  The criticism was of humanity in general.  There's a reason I included myself because I go along with not doing anything about it either.  Only difference between me and most others, is I recognize I'm not doing the right thing.  People wil make excuses or illogical arguments on why what we know is right doesn't happen.  I make no excuses.  I am a fault of it.  How about you?  Is there anyone else in this world that is actually ready to state they are doing thigns wrong?

Okay then,

If you say your at fault for the issue, why are you posting here? Why aren't you spending your time helping in a homeless shelter instead of posting a rant on a message board to people that probably don't even understand the situation?

If you want to understand the problem and solution, a good place to start is usually.....Working with people that are in the problem you discribe to understand how their situations can actually be alievated. That is why I find your rant so hypocritical, you are essentially saying 'Why does humanity not help people when I don't even understand their situation, either?'.

As for me, I've done all the things I asked of you. That is why I know the good and bad sides to charity and helping the less fortunate. There is a reason that Johnstons 'great society' hasn't helped the poverty any more than when the government spent no money on poverty. When you work with those that are less fortunate, you do understand why some people are in such dire situations. You also see the great value in making a personal effort to helping people, as well, so as I said it has its good and bad sides.