Humanitarian, Humanity, Human

This most recent natural disaster in Haiti has made me feel such desperation, compassion, and the feeling that all of humanity really needs to pull together and help each other during times like these. It bothers me that certain relief efforts are being delayed or even stopped due to political issues or financial issues with transportation, or military issues. I just read an article about a naval ship staffed with 50 or so medical doctors off the coast of Haiti, whom only had 7 patients on board, most of whom were American's affected by the disaster, because they didn't have proper clearance to take people on board and treat them. In times like these, nationality, race, religion, military, social status should not be an issue. The issue is that your fellow human beings are suffering and we must be able to do everything in our human power to help them with what resources we have to offer. I myself was wanting to organize a relief effort to collect goods, clothing, food, materials, etc. to help these people start to rebuild. Their entire country is demolished. They have very little if any food and water. People are fighting each other in the streets for basics such as water, clothing, and shelter. People in the United States and much of the world just went through the holiday season where they gave and received many items which they don't need, and that these people could benefit from. Even in my tiny apartment where I don't have much stuff, I know that I don't "need" hardly any of it. I would gladly give what I can to help, but all the organizations that I have looked into to donating what I can only want money. Don't get me wrong, money is obviously a very worthy contribution so the funds are in place to help those in need, to buy medical supplies and gas to transport relief efforts to Haiti. But at some point these people are going to need to start rebuilding and many of us have plenty of "stuff" lying around our homes, works, etc, that could help them rebuild.

I have spent the last 5 years working on a PhD that at this point makes me realize is useless in times like these. What good does all this "training" do for humanity. An MD on the other hand can help save lives when disaster strikes. A plumber or construction worker or gardener can help rebuild infrastructure. Once I graduate in the next few months, I am changing my goals around. I am going to become a humanitarian. I am going to see what I can contribute, in terms of my time, efforts, resources, etc, to helping all humans when they need it.

I also recognize there is disaster occurring all over the world. People ravaged by war, injustice, and various other forms of devastation. I want to contribute to making relief efforts, and a real beneficial physical presence less "scary" in some of the worst places in the world where relief workers lives are threatened by the local military/political/militia

presence because their actions and atrocities are the reason why the relief workers are there, so why would they let them in to help the very people they are harming. Why am I even concerned about this? For fear of helping and being killed in the process? I am not afraid to die, just concerned that if I did something of that nature and were to be killed, then my efforts would be wasted because I chose to go somewhere that didn't have the appropriate social mentality to receive the help that I had to offer. Why are we concerned about borders, lifestyle choices, religion, when basic human liberties are threatened, when such terrible acts against humanity are happening?

When natural disaster strikes, it seems more uninhibited compassion goes pouring out to the victims. There is more of a physical presence when it is a cause of nature and not some rogue terrorist organization or military/political group that would only cause more casualties were people to pour in to help. Why is this an issue? I don't know that this is a huge mitigating factor for many people, to be a physical presence of aid in places where it is clearly needed, but I know I would be a little worried about sending people somewhere to help only to have them all killed in the process. The people in those types of disasters, the ones who are in need of the help, the ones who are calling for aid, are barricaded by those that have put them in that situation. And for what purpose? Why do such things to your fellow human being? For power? For money? For land? I can't take it anymore. We are all HUMANS!!!!!!!!! We are all here to live our lives, and enjoy what we each have to give to each other, what the Earth has to offer us, what life has to offer us. When will people stop trying to take everything for themselves? When will EVERYONE start to give???? Not just give resources, but love, compassion, understanding, regardless of where the person is from and what they believe and how they choose to express themselves and live their lives.

I know the work that I am trying to establish is to get people to live in just such a way where we stop thinking of each other in terms of labels based on where we are from, what job we do, how much money we have, what God(s)/religion we believe in, how we chose to live our lives, etc. But in times such as these, it makes me want to leap out of my chair and abandon what I am doing and answer the call of humanity, to help every man, woman and child in need. But that is not entirely possible in the most efficient sense so long as barriers are still up to help people when they need it most.

When you lose everything, you really understand the true nature of humanity and what really matters most. Love, compassion, relationships, friendship, using the natural resources that are around and within us to harmonize with each other. To pull together to make a difference, to make a change. When you take the desire for money, power, greed, prejudice, control of any kind out of the situation, all you are left with is love and compassion and the connection between you and the other humans in your environment, wherever that maybe, whoever they may be.

In times of disasters you hear reports of people looting and hording and beating each other to take what they have away from them so they can have it. The basic survival instinct kicks in, however it is fueled by wanting to make sure you have enough to last for as long as it will for you and your family. So you take and take and take as much as you can and then set up borders/boundaries to protect it from being taken by others. But what people don't see is that the person you took that from is doing exactly the same thing you are. They are just trying to survive and provide for those they love. Now you may have enough for all of your family for a month, but now the people you took from don't even have enough for themselves for one day. If we shared and distributed it all evenly, we would all have enough for a week, and during that week we could get together and create a plan to find more resources together.

I am just rambling at this point, and feeling horrible that I can't do anything to help, other than give blood and donate money. I can only spare maybe $5 or $10, but I have so many clothes I don't need, canned food, and a strong urge to physically travel to these areas and help in whatever way I can, but without proper training what good would I be? I will do what I am permitted to do at this time, and keep working on making that change needed for compassion to roam freely throughout the planet, to aid all of humanity, wherever that aid is needed. But right now I feel a bit useless and selfish. Sitting here working on my dissertation when I could be in Haiti helping pull people from the rubble, helping set up stations to help organize efforts and distribute goods. I feel physically sick right now that so many people are suffering and I feel like there is nothing I can offer to help. The reports are coming in that they believe at least 100,000 people have died in Haiti as a result of this devastation. Our fellow human beings are suffering right now. Please help them. Whatever you can spare, please help them.