Friday, January 15, 2010

Americans and Generosity: Just a Thought

From the news:
"Haitian Community in Florida Sending Aid Back Home"
Voice of America (January 14, 2010)

"Members of Haitian communities across the globe are trying to reach their loved ones in the wake of Tuesday's earthquake. One of the largest communities of Haitians outside of the country itself is in Central Florida.

"Staff at an aid agency in Orlando sort through food, clothes and other items donated by members of the public. Harvest Time International sends thousands of kilos of aid to countries around the world. Special bins are for contributions for the people of Haiti...."

"...Florida businessman Michel Dorcean heads Orlando's Haitian American Chamber of Commerce. He is one of nearly 200,000 Haitians in Florida. Dorcean says Haitians around the world feel they need to contribute resources to help those back in their homeland. He said, 'There is more than four to five million people throughout the world in the Diaspora, and that is a very strong number. And this Diaspora - it is time for them to get together and pick up the plate and help out.'..."
Well, that's not so surprising. People who moved to America often kept in touch with family back home, wherever that was, and sent help when it was needed.
"Corporate America offers help to Haiti"
MyFoxOrlando (January 15, 2010)

"A broad range of U.S. corporations has already provided millions of dollars to fund relief efforts for earthquake-ravaged Haiti, helping provide urgently-needed food, supplies and disaster-management specialists.

"Haiti was stuck with a massive, 7.0 earthquake on Tuesday, leaving the capital city Port-au-Prince in ruins, killing an estimated 50,000 people and leaving millions without access to food and housing.

"President Barack Obama said Thursday that the U.S. government will provide $100 million for relief in Haiti and companies, too, are pitching in to help.

"Roger Lowe, senior vice president of communications at the American Red Cross, said that retailer Lowe's Companies Inc, Coca-Cola Co. and Bank of America Corp. have each donated $1 million to the organization to fund its earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

"News Corporation, the parent company of FOX 35 has also announced that it will pledge $250,000 to the Haiti relief effort to be divided between the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

"In addition, News Corporation will match -- dollar for dollar -- contributions made by United States-based employees, up to $250,000 for the next four weeks to the following organizations: American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Real Medicine, Salvation Army, UNICEF, Save the Children and Yele Haiti...."
Okay: That's a little odd. Aren't the bourgeois oppressing the working class something fierce, and tearing bread from the bleeding lips of the poor? Or something like that?

America Did Something Right?!

Being upbeat - or anything other than being derisive or dismissive, at best - about America and things American simply hasn't been fashionable for most of my life. Americans, if they're to appear sophisticated and intelligent, have been expected to keep up appearances by at least being apologetic about their citizenship.

In some circles, at least. The better ones, of course.

Don't Worry: You Can Believe This is All Lies

My guess is that, among the brightest and best - just ask them - in America, Voice of America is still decried as a tool of the imperialist oppressors. And MyFox Orlando? That's part of the infamous FOX news network: and 'everybody knows' they lie. All the time.

America Isn't Perfect

I'm half-Irish. I've never seen an "Irish Need Not Apply" sign: and don't feel at all bad about that. I think it helped that an Irishman could drop his accent, get a haircut, learn to be boring, wear dull clothes - and pass for 'Anglo.'

Whether the John F. Kennedy's election to the presidency was a cause or an effect in the acceptance of those papist Irish is debatable - but I'm getting off-topic.

Right now, Somali-Americans are among those who are enriching this country: and occasionally being disrespected by the usual jerks.

Like I said, America isn't perfect.

Let's put it this way: Pat 'blame Haitians' Robertson is an American.

America isn't All That Bad, Either

Fashionable anti-Americanism notwithstanding, I think that America is okay.

I hope that didn't offend anybody.

I ran into an aphorism today, on televised news. Didn't catch who said it, and this is probably more of a paraphrase than a quote. Anyway, here it is:

Americans aren't generous because they're rich. They're rich because they're generous.

I think there's an element of truth to that.

About America, from my point of view: About Haiti earthquake, in Apathetic Lemming of the North. About Haiti, from A Catholic Citizen in America
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