Haiti: Time To Get Out Of The Virtual World

I wasn't surprised that five minutes after hearing the news about the dreadful earthquake in Haiti appeals and good wishes would spring up on facebook. An affluent city like Naperville is full of well meaning people who like to raise money for the underprivileged by doing important things like holding cocktail parties or selling accessories.
It came as no surprise to me when I attended today's meeting of Naperville Rotary, to discover that the local tapas palace Meson Sabika will be donating it's entire takings next Tuesday to the American Red Cross. It's owner, Hossein Jamali, is well known for his generosity. He's doing a great thing. And by taking part in their almost daily activity of eating out, Napervillians can quit worrying about their waistlines for a moment because they can engage in their favourite activity while feeling they are doing something for a good cause. It's a way of really doing some good in the world, without even getting your dishes dirty.
What did surprise me, however, was a short speech given by Rotarian Joe Raoul. He left Haiti 45 years ago to follow his American dream. He recalled as a child debating whether the now partially demolished Presidential palace in Port-au-Prince was more beautiful than the White House. He told us that just that morning he had finally been able to speak with one of two sisters still living there.
"She told me she and her family had been sleeping outside because the walls of their house were so fragile," Joe said. "She's a pharmacist, so I asked her if she was still going to work. Her response was, 'what work?' there is no where to work anymore."
Pat Merryweather, our president, said plans were already underway to send Rotarians to Haiti to build and stock a clinic next month. These are people not afraid to get their hands dirty. I know fundraising Stateside and physically rebuilding a broken country are equally important. Just spare me the smugness that some comfortable Americans exude in their attempts to help their fellow man. Don't Twitter or update your Facebook status so people will think how caring you are. Just shut up and do something about it.