“Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.” ~Andrew Jackson quoting Napoleon Bonaparte
Kay Plaza Clock Tower – Harding University
I went with a simple HDR on the photo tonight because I have something to say:
Ya know, its kinda fascinating with all this Haiti stuff going on. Its fascinating to see the response, the media coverage, the things that are going on.
Its a terrible tragedy. Fifty thousand dead? A hundred thousand dead? The numbers just keep changing – it’ll be weeks or months before we know for sure.
But three days ago, what was Haiti to most of us? Really! I want to know…
As journalist it was likely one of those fabled places on your distant radar of “gotta go there because there’s poor people and poor people equals good human interest and good human interest means good portfolio boosters”… but often falls down the list behind inland China (because its more exotic to westerners) or Malasia (because those people are “really” suffering) or the former Soviet States that got blasted with some bizarre radiation or gas mess 20 years ago and are still living through the birth defects and elephant-man deformations. As journalists, Haiti was a destination portfolio builder… kinda like a vacation. Pyramids? Check. Great Wall of China? Check.
I admit, I’m still very much a student photojournalist… this is how I’m trained to think right now. Its a painful realization to look at Tequila Minsky’s photos of the immediate aftermath and wish you were there… then sit and realize, “Why would I want to have been there for that much death and suffering”… then realize, “These photos of death and suffering are going to cause a reaction” …people are gonna come help.
But, as a journalist, I do not even remotely condone the locust journalism that are going to descend upon that little island in the next few days. Its the media rush. In about two weeks, we’re gonna be so inundated with HaitiHaitiHaitiHaitiHaitiHaiti that we will start changing the channels again.
It often takes a special type of person to be the kind of journalist that truly wants to make a difference in the world… but only by making a difference on the person-to-person basis. Right now, there are millions and millions and millions of dollars and thousands of people descending upon Haiti for relief efforts. And, by all means, they need it. My friend and spectacular photojournalist Philip Holsinger spent months living in a small town in Haiti.
He’s trying to get to his friends now to help them out. Less photojournalism… more help. He’s there for the right reasons.
Just curious… but what if we – as the average person on an average day with no horrible earthquakes or tsunamis or hurricanes – took a bit of our disposable income and made the kind of difference that is going to be made in Port-au-Prince this week. Wouldn’t it be grand if we – as a country periodically took the time to make the kind of difference that is going on right now? It would almost be as if a holiday is called and everything donated on that day goes for some certain relief effort somewhere in the world.
Not just for disaster – that’s cleaning up from ground zero – but starting while things are still “fresh” and “normal.” Instead of cleaning up rubble we would be improving on the buildings/infrastructure/medicine that’s already there. Just think of what 10million (just the amount the Red Cross gave so far) could do on any average day in Haiti… where the average person “lives” on $2 per day.
Ha! Oh well, of course I’m being idealistic, but wouldn’t it be nice?
“But isn’t that what missionaries are for!?” you might ask.
In very small doses, yes… but instead of coming in the name of any religion, you would be coming in the name of good and humanity itself. The relationships you would forge would be invaluable – that’s what its all about. And no matter what your belief is, there isn’t a single deity who would disagree with that…
Stay tuned,
-Noah D.
.
PS: Wanna donate? The Red Cross is my first choice above and beyond all the others that may or may not be completely legitimate. As I said, my friend Philip Holsinger is leaving Monday for Haiti. His friends are already there buying up provisions (mostly food) and he’ll be soon along. I can get you in touch with him if you’d like to donate.
Above all, donate money. The money will go not only to restore the lives of these people, but also restore the whole area.
