Fighting for the Basics

Now close to two weeks after the catastrophic incident in Haiti, people there are struggling to get their basic need of food and water fulfilled in any way they can think of. While reporters are doing a good job of interviewing people and video covering the incident and the aftermath, it gets a little creepy when they are showing people being shot by police men for stealing bags of rice that fell from a truck of a shopkeeper. I am referring to an incident that happened on Thursday in Haiti that was covered by CNN. Three men were shot by policemen in Haiti, when they were in the act of stealing or rather picking up a bag of rice (whichever is true) that fell from a truck. One was killed and the other two were badly injured and lying on the side road bleeding to death. A couple of CNN reporters stopped their car and were video taping the incident and then were interviewing people to get a story.


Now, I am not discussing the fact that policemen shot the men for stealing a bag of rice. I do not know exactly what had happened, as to whether there was a riot going on or people were looting all over in that area and that the police had shot to maintain peace. It certainly did not give any right to shoot people over a bag of rice but I presume they did it in the spur of the moment to maintain peace. I am also not debating against the men who were stealing. When people are dying of hunger and thirst, the last thing they would be thinking of is to debate the fact over stealing that bag of rice to feed them selves or to take the honest road. I am awestruck at the fact that the reporters stopped to tape the incident rather than doing anything to help the wounded men.


I am not there in person to help the people in need and I am really impressed by all the people who are donating for a good cause and going there to Haiti to volunteer their time and efforts to help them out. Thanks to all the people who are donating money and things they need. Even a small donation goes a long way in helping them out. Friday night’s show – ‘Hope for Haiti Now’ by George Clooney brought many stars and strangers together in collecting close to $57 million dollars for the cause. Even a seven-year old boy in UK was able to collect $100,000 for Haiti relief by doing a charity bike ride.


Many bloggers would just say ‘do the right thing’, ‘help people in need’ but other than that how many have truly did anything more for the cause? Saying ‘do the right thing’ on the blog to attract hits is one thing and doing it actually is another. There is a big difference. People who say much, seldom do anything has been my experience. They just get carried away and say things that they can barely have the nerve to do or stand up for, just to win the moment and people’s trust. Don’t be one of them, do the best you can, donate even the smallest amount you can. It will touch people’s lives in Haiti. Donate now!