Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Speechless


After a year and months of our suffering about our economy, job loss, health issues, etc., what has  happened in Haiti sure puts things in perspective. I was in Labadee, Haiti a little over a year ago as a site stop on my first ever cruise vacation. It was oppressively hot, even by my Las Vegas standards, but very beautiful. We were disappointed that there was not a little town nearby to explore, but there were local artists and vendors set up that we could talk to. There is controversy with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line now that they have resumed docking there. You can read about it here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100119/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1063

I agree with the cruise line that every little bit helps, although I would be even more uncomfortable right now than I was when there. The thing is, no one person can fix the bleed in something so big. If everybody gives - just a little - then maybe we can make a difference.

1 comment:

julzabro said...

It's funny that u posted this link about the cruise ships since Teresa and I were recently discussing the downfalls of the rescue in Haiti. One of our theories was that cruise ships should be sent to Haiti to bring supplies but to also allow people to stay on the ship and/or to be used to bring people here for medical/survival purposes. However, this idea would only have proven useful if all cruise liners within a close distance would have been dispatched immediately after the quake hit. Many of them may have been able to get there quicker then the USS Comfort -n- the like.

Evidently, the airport was shut down for a full 24 hours until it was assessed and even when reopened planes were still congested so transport via ships seemed the best solution. There are doctors and medical supplies on cruise ships. There's food, water,facilities even some security.

I realize cruise liners are not in the rescue business but I think it would be a great mandate that in these types of disasters that cruise liners participate IF called upon to. What great press would that be for them to help people in disasters instead of looking like the product of wasteful consumer spending!?!

As far as cruise liner customers enjoying their vacation in Haiti, the only upside is that their also consuming in Haiti but I think their own personal conciousnesses needs to be questioned. I kind of hope a dead body floats past one of them as their swimming out to catch the next big wave on their boogie board!!! LOL! No, not really....well, maybe!?

I think the bottom line with the rescue effort in Haiti is too many people stirring the pot. There needs to be one person or, at least, ONE group that makes overall decisions for this scale of disaster. Didn't we learn that with Katrina and even 911? Just my thoughts!