cc_rider wrote:
Better to obsess over an actual news story than most of the other carp that passes for news. Putting it front and center in the news may help motivate people to donate.
I wonder if we might look at this disaster as an opportunity to rebuild Haiti with some semblance of order . Like, oh, a functioning government , for example. Problem is determining what kind of government: is the country really stable enough to support a straight-up democracy, or is some tighter form of control needed in the short term? I wonder if this is an opportunity to forge a new Haitian Constitution , you know?
Of course the short term needs are most important, but eventually they'll have to start thinking about rebuilding. Who is going to help them do that, and what form is it going to take? Seems like a good opportunity for rebuilding the physical AND political/governmental infrastructure of the country.
Take a single applicable example: building codes for, say, any public building or building over 'X' stories tall (say, three). This would create 'safe(r) areas' for when (not if) the next disaster strikes. No point in creating building codes if there's no government to administer/enforce them. BOTH infrastructures are required.
Food for thought.
I've spent a good bit of time in Central America and the Caribbean in my life. I actually own some property in Roatan. I have friends and acquaintances in that region. I say these things to put a little perspective on what I'll say next.
The highlighted bits above show a particularly American point of view on the situation. And one that has been repeated w/o success many times in this part of the world. I'll be the first to admit that there are issues there. But I'll also be among the first to say that I think imposing our views of 'how things should be' is entirely the wrong approach. Things are different there. Each region has it's own peculiarities, but the general theme of slightly corrupt government, separation of classes, abject poverty, broken economies, poor building codes.... are all common. It's also what the people are used to, and really generally happy with. A lot of them come here for a time and then go back. They like what they have and despite the issues, some of the most content people I know live on little more than most of us pay for our cable packages.
Disaster relief needs to be just that. Some help to get over a very tragic incident. They will need immediate medical help, and near term help with food, water and shelter. Fortunately, Hurricane season is mostly past, but the general supply issues in the area will hinder rebuilding.
I'd love to see good building codes and a working regulatory environment to support them. But that is for them to put in place. Maybe this is an occasion to do so, maybe not, but it is certainly not our place to impose our standards, and if we try to do it now, it will look like a condition that comes with our good will, or even worse an opportunistic power grab. Let's do what we do best: Use our lucky position in the world to provide support and help them get back on their feet. Let them take it from there.
Let's not think that this is an opportunity to make them more like us. Part of the charm an interest in that region is the different way we do things. I don't want to see it become south south Miami.
... but I do want to say that there is merit to feeling the tragedy of another person. And when there are millions of tragedies to feel, it's hard to decide how much to try to connect, and how much to stay aloof for self-protection. 
