Earthquake Pakistan/India (x-posted to 10percentclub)

[avad]

I am really saddened that the horrible situation in Pakistan (post-earthquake) is getting so little media attention and help. We must be able to respond to all emergencies. I don't understand after showing such aMAZING compassion and cooperation for Katrina Hurricane victims...how we can let this terrible catastrophe go comparatively unnoticed. Why is there no donation button on Amazon? (just through that button 12.5 MILLION was raised for Katrina).Why are there so few major efforts? Are we interested in humanity or does Pakistan somehow not count? I'm confused. Many say 'Donor fatigue'...and that's another reason why I think the 10% pledge works...because you never stop giving...it's built into your life...and you feel 'on call' to help in whatever small way you can. With each of us doing that...we can allieve so much unecessary suffering.

All Things Considered, November 2, 2005 · "The official death toll from the Oct. 8 earthquake in South Asia has risen to more than 73,000. Relief agencies are making an urgent plea for more money to prevent survivors from dying when the harsh Himalayan winter sets in. Jan Egeland, coordinator of U.N. relief efforts, details current needs...." listen to the report

I decided to donate my 10% to CareUSA.org for their earthquake relief efforts. If you have any good ideas of how we can help, PLEASE post here. I'll try to compile a list of links. I think we have to raise awareness of this issue now. Winter is coming....these people are not provided for. We can't just turn away and forget about it.Let's try to help those that are helping...:(

start of list of links to help:
CareUSA.org
MercyCorps.org
UN Refugee Agency

Comments

[viciated-wilkin.livejournal.com]

i don't think people are turning away because they don't want to help.. just that everyone is overwhelmed with the death and destruction we've seen since last year - the triple hurricane hits of florida, the tsunami, more stuff, the hurricanes this year, the massive earthquake in Pakistan.
People are trying, just sometimes there are so many things needing help that people get desensitized or blinded to it, just to continue on.
my primary concern is my mom at the moment.. and though i continue to donate clothes and other items.. my life revolves around her health, not others.

[fragiletender.livejournal.com]

I've been wondering about this. Is it less real because it's not happening in the West? Are we just all reeling from all that's happened already this year? Is it racism?

That said, I am currently on such a low income that I haven't been able to even afford to give £10, let alone 10%. But if I do make some extra money from the craft fair I'm doing later this month then I will be donating.

amazon

[(Anonymous)]

I wouldn't call it racism considering how much was raised for the tsunami relief. Overall, it IS depressing, but I'd say it's not all that confusing.

Keep in mind a few things.
1) Both Amazon and Google had to be SHAMED into putting a donation button up for Katrina. A concerted effort to shame them might help. And considering that Amazon is about to have its biggest season of the year, a button would really help. There was a blog effort two weeks ago, but it didn't get as much play.
2) Donor fatigue, sadly, is real. As pointed out by your other commenter, many of the smaller folks who donated for the other causes are tapped out... and more so with the upcoming holiday season.
3) Sadly, TV is a visual medium and hurricane disaster and tsunami disaster make for stronger visuals than piles of rubble (or even people starving in the desert).
4) I think the U.N. has created its own problems with the oil-for-food scandal, its continued lack of action in Darfur and, quite honestly, its laughable response to the tsunami, in which Jan Egeland specifically claimed the U.S. was stingy and in which the U.N. predicted millions of deaths and such after the fact, yet did little but drag its feet... then try to take credit for the work of Japan, Australia and U.S. militaries AFTER the fact. ... The American Red Cross had this problem after 9/11 when people found out their money was going to a general fund rather than to the victims they wanted to help. Dying people shouldn't be made to suffer, shouldn't be punished for the actions of such organizations, but I'd bet that a lot of middle class and wealthy people in the world have reached a point where they want to make sure their money is getting spent wisely rather than paying for Kofi and the krew to tool around in Range Rovers. (Bill Clinton and Bill Gates touched on this at the World Health Summit this past week ... and it's why Gates started his own foundation so he can make sure his vast wealth is spent appropriately.)

Granted, these are excuses, not legitimate reasons, but there they are. I'd say shaming Amazon to help... or some celebrity. But again, Christmas makes it tough for some.


Ken