Bleeding Heart

Posted on | January 19, 2010 | No Comments

Last week, an earthquake ravaged Haiti, destroying schools, hospitals and homes as if they were nothing more than toy blocks. Hundreds of miles away, I sat in my comfortably – and sturdy – upper-middle class apartment and felt helpless. Aside from making a monetary donation to a relief organization, there was nothing I could do to help. And still, I felt helpless.

It’s probably natural, in the wake of such a devastating natural disaster, to feel like you should be able to do more to help, all the while knowing that you can’t. But mostly, I felt helpless because I knew just how difficult life in Haiti was before the earthquake and I still couldn’t do much more than send a donation or say a prayer.

On the one hand, I’m gratified to see so many people doing what they can to send money, water, food and supplies to the people of Haiti. It makes me think that maybe we’re not a lost cause after all. At the same time, I’m endlessly frustrated by the fact that so many in Haiti needed the money, water, food and supplies before the earthquake as well. But until a natural disaster made bad living situations much worse, only a very few people were paying attention.

About two years ago, while in graduate school, I was introduced (or perhaps even awakened) to the realities of Haiti by Dr. Nate Nickerson, the executive director of a nonprofit organization called Konbit Sante. I was given the opportunity to do some work for Nate and his organization as part of my class and, ever since, Haiti has been on my mind.

One of the reasons this earthquake was so horrific is because Haiti didn’t have much of an infrastructure to begin with. According to the U.S. State Department, it is the least development country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest in the world. And, of course, the U.S. has a history of interfering with Haitian politics in order to ensure outcomes that benefit Americans, not Haitians.

Right now, Haiti is news. But how long will it last? In this day and age of the 24-hour, 7-days-a-week news cycle, how long will it take for us to become bored and tired of yet another Haiti story? The hard, vital – but often unsexy – work of rebuilding the country will inevitably be overshadowed by the next big news story.

It’s a cynical perspective, to be sure, but it’s also somewhat accurate. Last Monday, almost no one was talking about Haiti. In the week since, it’s been in the headlines constantly. Though people might not admit it, they’re thinking it. George Clooney is rushing to put together a telethon benefit for Haiti – it’s a great idea, but I suspect even he realizes that if he waits too long, it won’t be as effective. If I had to guess, I’d bet that, a month from now, some other story will be in the spotlight.

And when Haiti slowly fades from the fronts of our minds, who will still be around to care?

As jaded and negative as I realize this post is, it’s actually something that bothers me quite a bit. Why don’t we care more? I know that we all have our own lives and our own concerns, but it legitimately drives me crazy that the collective we – humans of above average wealth and prosperity – can’t seem to be bothered to care, not just when it matters most, but during all the other times as well.

Of course, it might just be me. I am, after all, a bleeding heart liberal who actually gets frustrated when I can’t do more to help other people. And the logical, practical side of me knows, deep down, that it’s just not possible to be able to help everyone, everywhere, all the time. But that doesn’t stop me from wishing I could.

I should probably just be glad that people are doing whatever they can at all. It’s not like donating to relief organizations is mandated by the government. Still, I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if the rich and prosperous of the world actually gave up their excess wealth for the benefit of those less fortunate. It’s a fantasy, I know, but just think what an incredible place this world would be if it was a fantasy that came true.

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