You might expect a certain critic of celebrity-aid to make fun of the Haitian telethon last night.
And there were indeed some cringe-inducing moments in this 4-minute video summary I just watched.
But it’s a little-known dark secret that crotchety skeptics often have a sentimental streak. So what’s really wrong about some well-meaning gushy-anthem-belting megastars raising money for some currently very needy people?
I just hope that some day we will get to the point where there will also be an anthem about accountability. Here’s some lyrics by an anonymous contributor, for which I take no responsibility:
So clear the fogs/Listen to the blogs/Don’t just throw dollars out the door/Make sure them reaches the poor.
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Maybe you’d believe me if I said that I had “accountability, effectiveness, pertinence…” in the back of my head last night when I also watched the telethon for a couple of minutes (besides the strong emotions connected with the images). And I believe there is some awareness slowly rising, as one MTV news presented said something like “if you wonder how your money is being spend, as you see is on this and this…”. Nevertheless, I believe it’s very important to keep pushing for formal accountability, before deception turns out to be big and another disaster happens and help does not arrive…
Speaking of aid really getting to the poor, I thought you’d like this description from a family in Haiti currently running a clinic (that’s become a hospital). In their recent blog post, they write about how the US military has been slowed down by politics, and they won’t even enter certain areas deemed “unsafe.” Plus, they are letting the UN handle logistics… Despite all the confusion, politics, and bottle necks at the airport, etc, they have this to say:
“Having shared that, it has been amazing to see the ways little organizations have worked around the red-tape and the ridiculous politics and have found their own supplies and have traded out and rallied together for the greater good. Please continue to pray for order, cooperation, and successful teamwork — it can only benefit the hurting if we all play well together.”
The blog URL is:
http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/
Just Muddling Through: Thanks for this, this is fantastic.
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[...] Haiti has touched a raw nerve with the professional aid cynics. A case in point is William Easterly, the champion for more accountability in aid, who is now going out of his way to praise the current [...]