Only yesterday after my coworkers started talking about it, did I really start reading about the extent of the horrific earthquake that shook Haiti. Armenia's earthquake is still fresh in the head of anyone over 25 years old and the people here have deep feelings of empathy for nations that get kicked when they are already down out and out. After the mourning of the thousands of lives lost and trying to heal those who are injured, efforts to rebuild down the road can be daunting. Many here told me that Armenia country faced massive challenges in its efforts during the 1990s and even today, more then twenty years later, the remains of the earthquake are everywhere in Gyumri. This gives me great worries about the future for Haiti.
When someone asked me about Pat Robertson's crazy comments regarding Haiti's supposed pack with the devil. I just apologize. I pointed to the fact that there were many Americans who were doing their best to help. One Armenian-American in the media helped to alleviate the suffering through knowledge sharing. Nicholas Kristof's blog yesterday in the Times, "Today We Are All Haitians" reminds us that poverty can "hugely magnify natural disasters".
kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/today-were-all-haitians
In general his pieces are especially good because tons of people post useful comments below (unlike so many other blogs that are usually blank space for people to rant madly). This particular post spurred readers to write in comments about good aid organizations to donate to from UNICEF to Doctors without Borders.
Hopefully this aid can get to people quickly.
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It's unfortunate that the media gives Pat Robertson the platform that he wants.
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