Haiti had a horrible earthquake. At their best, the people are very poor. Many are subsistence farmers. When the tremors started, people went inside for shelter....the worst decision they could make. Those that lived, ran outside. Buildings fell on the occupants.
The TV and print news tells of panic, starvation, smell of dead and rotting bodies, lack of medical care which resulted in fairly simple injuries getting so badly infected, the doctors had no choice but to amputate. I read where doctors were using saws and scissors for lack of proper instruments. Roads are so bad that medical supplies can't get through.
At first, people were very good. They rallied to get their friends out. They dug with their bare hands. Miracle after miracle happened. People who were buried for 10 days, were found alive. Time passes. How many days can people go without a drink of clean water or something to eat? After a while, riots broke out. Aid workers had to use teargas to get people to take their turn. Women complained that the men pushed to the head of the line. Women got nothing. Children were orphaned. Some people lost their entire families.
I see that the Haitians are people with the same love and concern for their family you will find anywhere there are people. The living are very worried about the missing.
I was prepared to point to Jared Diamond's book, "Collapse" to explain how Haiti ruined their environment with lack of foresight and too many children. I was prepared to point to their corrupt government. I know that good people have been concerned for Haiti for decades. This country was in trouble long before the earthquake. There are other causes for their troubles, beside the earthquake.
Haiti shares the same island with the Dominican Republic....which is doing very well. Why isn't Haiti also doing well?
Doctors are interviewed on television, near tears or in shock. One after the other states that it is by far the most traumatic experience of their lives....responding to the needs of the sick and injured. Slowly, food, water, medical aid gets through. reconstruction of property and of people's lives will go on for a long time.
This is not the time to point to Haiti to accuse the citizens of poor government and poor education. It is time to help.
The TV and print news tells of panic, starvation, smell of dead and rotting bodies, lack of medical care which resulted in fairly simple injuries getting so badly infected, the doctors had no choice but to amputate. I read where doctors were using saws and scissors for lack of proper instruments. Roads are so bad that medical supplies can't get through.
At first, people were very good. They rallied to get their friends out. They dug with their bare hands. Miracle after miracle happened. People who were buried for 10 days, were found alive. Time passes. How many days can people go without a drink of clean water or something to eat? After a while, riots broke out. Aid workers had to use teargas to get people to take their turn. Women complained that the men pushed to the head of the line. Women got nothing. Children were orphaned. Some people lost their entire families.
I see that the Haitians are people with the same love and concern for their family you will find anywhere there are people. The living are very worried about the missing.
I was prepared to point to Jared Diamond's book, "Collapse" to explain how Haiti ruined their environment with lack of foresight and too many children. I was prepared to point to their corrupt government. I know that good people have been concerned for Haiti for decades. This country was in trouble long before the earthquake. There are other causes for their troubles, beside the earthquake.
Haiti shares the same island with the Dominican Republic....which is doing very well. Why isn't Haiti also doing well?
Doctors are interviewed on television, near tears or in shock. One after the other states that it is by far the most traumatic experience of their lives....responding to the needs of the sick and injured. Slowly, food, water, medical aid gets through. reconstruction of property and of people's lives will go on for a long time.
This is not the time to point to Haiti to accuse the citizens of poor government and poor education. It is time to help.
Labels: Haiti
posted by gardenbug at Wednesday, January 27, 2010
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