Real Hope for Haiti

AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, March, 2005

When I watch the devastation in Haiti, I am amazed by not only the amount of destruction but also by the expressions of human care and love.  While most of us do not have a personal connection to Haiti, the impact of the earthquake has made its impression.  Many everyday citizens have donated money and supplies.  They have traveled to offer their hands in service.  I am in awe and so encouraged to see the countless ways everyday hardworking people are helping the people hurting in Haiti—without press, media coverage or acknowledgement of their work.

In the midst of this swell of human compassion we have the celebrities, behaving as they usually do in these disaster situations, deciding to band together to raise money—from us.  Tonight, a number of major networks will carry the “Hope for Haiti” telethon hosted by George Clooney and Wyclef Jean.  Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, Madonna, Bono, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Keith Urban, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen are all scheduled to perform.  In addition, Brad Pitt, Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Will Smith, Robert Pattison, Matt Damon, Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman and Bill Clinton will also make an appearance and ask us to give generously.

I have a better idea.  Why not charge every celebrity and performer 3 million dollars to appear on this telethon?  This would raise 72 million dollars from just the celebrities slated to appear!  In a year filled with bank foreclosures, soaring unemployment rates and a depressed economy, the celebrity’s earning potential has not waned.  Angelina Jolie replaced Oprah Winfrey as the number one wage earner—Winfrey made 275 million.  Madonna banked 110 million and Beyoncé? A cool 87 million.  Twenty year old Taylor Swift earned 18 million! And let’s not forget, this is their annual income.  Even five million dollars wouldn’t create a hardship for almost any working celebrity.

In contrast, Americans are experiencing an unemployment rate which is over 10%.  The average American makes $18.80 an hour and the cost of basic necessities are on the rise.  Even then Americans are giving generously to the people of Haiti.  So why the big telethon?

George Clooney could just as easily host a party at his huge LA home or perhaps at his six building compound in Lake Como, Italy and ask his celebrity buddies to give 1 million for the evening.  Remember the Haiti people only get the proceeds of this telethon.  It still costs an astronomical amount to put something like this on the air!  Why not host a private party and donate the cost of putting this telethon on the air as well?

Ahh!  But then Madonna, Bono, Julia Roberts and all the rest would miss the publicity that comes with coming on the air and begging all of us to “do our part.”  They wouldn’t get to parade around in their designer clothing, perfectly made up and hair coiffed within an inch of their lives, proving for once and for all that no, they are not shallow.  Of course it goes without saying, that those performing during the telethon will garner yet another opportunity to sell a CD, movie ticket or concert appearance.  Is this about the need of the people of Haiti or just more publicity?  If this is to raise the most money to help Haiti, then perhaps they should just dig into their own pockets.

I am grateful to be one of the hardworking every day citizens who do not reach out to soothe the human spirit only when they know they will benefit—but just because they care.

Child Collector

World Wrap Federation, January 2010

When I travel, I like to collect art work.  I have paintings from local artists, small sculptures, carpets and other household items I have collected.

Obviously, I’m behind the times.  Brad and Angelina like to collect children when they travel.  So far they have collected Maddox Chivan, Zahara Marley, Pax Thien and Shiloh Nouvel.  And just to round it out they added two more from the good ol’ United States of America —Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, birthed in France this time by Angelina herself!

When I wandered through the market in Tanzania, and said “oh how gorgeous!” I picked up a watercolor painting.  But when Angelina wanders in Ethiopia and says, “oh how beautiful!” she apparently picks up a child.

Mr. and Mrs. Pitt went to India to pick up a brown one and India told them to forget it.  They went home with a sari or jewelery like the rest of us.  I applaud India for the decision that just said no to Child Collectors.  It’s about time someone told this couple that children are to be cherished and brought into a family to be loved and cared for—not as another publicity stunt.

I’m not against adoption, by any means.  I love my adopted nephews and niece very much.  But they were adopted after much careful consideration and deep soul searching on the part of their parents.

No matter what their publicist says about how “hands on” Brad and Angelina are, you and I both know these kids are dumped with the nanny(s) most of the time, except when they are taken out for an occasional photo op.  And who advocated for the children when they were forced to leave their country and were brought to America (not everyone wants to live here!) to be the collection of  this hunted and don’t-take-pictures-of-us!-wait-i-live-for-fame harassed couple?

I wonder why this couple had to leave their country to collect these children.  Did they think about adopting one of the thousands of children who are in the many fost-adopt programs in America?  Most of these children are no longer babies, or have complications (health or emotional) but are desperately waiting for adoptive parents.  Of course these are not “perfect” children and might not present the proper “we love the world” perspective Brad and Angelina want to portray.  We have so many children in the country who could benefit from an adoptive family.  Doesn’t charity begin at home?

I’m posting about child collection because I have something to say about people who are up in arms about the lady who has seven cats but give Child Collectors a pass.