"No man is an island, entire of itself;
every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a
clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as
if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or
of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am
involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee..."
- John Donne, 1624
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Your Feelings
Reflect on your feelings as you have come to understand the tragedy that has occurred in Haiti. Please take a few moments to detail your initial emotional response and how your feelings have changed as time has passed and you have learned more.
My first feeling was a desire to do something. I am the leap without looking type, I didn't know what I wanted to do, i just wanted to help. As I have come to understand Haiti more, I have come to realize just how much the people of Haiti are in need and I feel as though I should have done something long ago. It makes me feel a bit ashamed that there is so much suffering in the world and I do so little about it.
I think I have always felt as if I couldn't do anything to help since we are "just" high school kids. I think alot of us have that impression and we just assume that charities and our government will deal with the issue. I really do believe, though, that we should try to do something to help. I mean a little bit of something is alot better than nothing..
I feel as if we need to do something, start something, be part of something bigger. Donating a dollar to a charity is fine and dandy, but starting your own and making a true difference for people not as fortunate as us is even more important. Together we can truely make a difference.
In my opinion, I think kids, and adults, don't really care on what is happening in other countries like Haiti. When Ms. Rut, showed us an image the other day, in English, it was a devastating picture, and yet my class mates, continued to goof off, and not show a care in the world. That really upset me. It seems like, people think that since we are better off, it doesn't matter, or that something like that couldn't happen to us here. NEWS FLASH! Something similar just did happen in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina. Just because we live north, doesn't mean we couldn't have a freak blizzard, or something like that.
I think the ones who care, like us, will be able to help make a difference.
I don't know if it is really that a lot of people don't care or if they feel compelled to hold some of those stances such as "We have our own problems and we don't owe them anything." I really hope it is the latter, although that says nothing good about our society if we compel people to state something as callous as not caring about such a tragedy. Don't we owe something as human beings that transcends national borders?
I was a the dinner tabel when first heard the news, and teh numbers didn't sink in. I thought "oh this is just another thing that happened." It wasn't until a few days later that I realized this was a major naural disaster. I hadn't even heard how strong it was until i got to school yesterday at teh assembly thing. I was shocked. I wondered why my Mom had only told me the estimated death toll, because numbers like that don't mean anything unless you know things such as the population, and the strength. It takes a shock for things to set it.
i was really upset by the way some of the poeple in my family and a lot of students reacted to tragedy in Haiti. They all say that we should just stay out of it because we have our own problems in our own country. Seriously, does it really matter what country you are from when that many people have died and so many more are left suffering, without homes, without food, and many of them don't even have any of their family members left. Their are kids in Haiti, some as young as two or three, that are homeless and have nothing. Could you imagine what is going through their heads and how scard they must be right now, and people over here are worried about themselves because they have to pay an extra ten cents for a gallon of gas. If everyone had that same self centered and ridiculous attitude then their would be no hope for these paople at all.When i first heard the news of the earthquake i was shocked and then i heard that the number of deaths was up to about 40,000 and i about cried. Now i have heard that its gone up to about 100,000. I told some poeple last night that i wanted to do someting to help and they were very against it. This started an argument and told them that if i think it will be safe that i was going to go sown to Haiti this summer whether it be with a mission group or whoever and i don't really care what they think. So if you think you want to do something to help then don't let anyone stop you because if you are determined then you really can make a differece even if you are just a highschool kid.
I totally agree with Tabetha. People don't seem to get it that (I know...major newsflash here) we're all PEOPLE. And you know what? As people, we are supposed to help each other out. Our society may be considered survival of the fittest, but if you have the means to help someone, DO IT! People throw around the argument "they didn't help us in 911"...what's up with that? There's a reason they need so much help right now- they have NO money. By staying out of this problem, we are as guilty as any murderer out there for not trying to save a human life. Because you know what? A human is a human and we are all equal. If you are one of those people who don't care to get involved or you think it's just a big waste of effort, try this one on for size- Imagine your family without a source of income. Then, imagine being robbed; having everything but the clothes on your back and the house you live in stolen from you. Then, imagine getting hit by an earthquake- an earthquake so awful that it makes your excuse for a house look like a sandpile. Then, imagine that no one would help you. The people you thought were your neighbors...your friends...they abandonded you and left you for dead. Only then can you even start to understand what these people are going through. And if the world listened to you...that's what it would be like, only a million times worse. Step outside of your little bubble and think about the rest of mankind for a change. As for my feelings on the entire situation in Haiti...I think I've kind of expressed that already. I think that so many people in this country are so immersed in themselves that they can't bear to even look beyond their quiet, comfortable little world. I think the nation needs to see the pain and the terror and the overwhelming sense of dealing with another day of agony that these people have been forced into. It's called compassion...and I think that the Haitian people are in need of our compassion right now. And I don't mean later- I mean NOW.
I already know my reaction will be hard to understand as I have a terrible time trying to explain my raw emotions....
I felt sick. The deaths and emotion and physical pain seemed like an overload on my brain. I tend not to think about these bad situations because even the slightest hint of one makes me warm and nauseated, because I instantly do that 'mile in your shoes' thing and make my self sick thinking of all the pain and frustration and anger. I sat quietly at my friends house and hid my face behind his sholder so I could try to pull myself together.
Then when people started saying "they deserved it", I became sick in another way... with uncontrollable anger. I evolved my mindset of sympathy and compassion to help Haiti and went to an extreme desire to prove those who live in comfort wrong and to put Haiti in a better position... to give them a chance. I can't stand people who have never lived in poor conditions who decide its thier choice to determine what should be done to people in poor conditions. "They dont deserve care if they can't earn it" "They'll just abuse it." "This will show them their sin was wrong." Things like that start to make my belief that people are generally good crack. I know that not everyone is like that. I know that for certain. But to make up for the people who don't care, I am determined to do so much.
My first feeling was a desire to do something. I am the leap without looking type, I didn't know what I wanted to do, i just wanted to help. As I have come to understand Haiti more, I have come to realize just how much the people of Haiti are in need and I feel as though I should have done something long ago. It makes me feel a bit ashamed that there is so much suffering in the world and I do so little about it.
ReplyDeleteI think I have always felt as if I couldn't do anything to help since we are "just" high school kids. I think alot of us have that impression and we just assume that charities and our government will deal with the issue. I really do believe, though, that we should try to do something to help. I mean a little bit of something is alot better than nothing..
ReplyDeleteI feel as if we need to do something, start something, be part of something bigger. Donating a dollar to a charity is fine and dandy, but starting your own and making a true difference for people not as fortunate as us is even more important. Together we can truely make a difference.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think kids, and adults, don't really care on what is happening in other countries like Haiti. When Ms. Rut, showed us an image the other day, in English, it was a devastating picture, and yet my class mates, continued to goof off, and not show a care in the world. That really upset me. It seems like, people think that since we are better off, it doesn't matter, or that something like that couldn't happen to us here.
ReplyDeleteNEWS FLASH!
Something similar just did happen in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina.
Just because we live north, doesn't mean we couldn't have a freak blizzard, or something like that.
I think the ones who care, like us, will be able to help make a difference.
I don't know if it is really that a lot of people don't care or if they feel compelled to hold some of those stances such as "We have our own problems and we don't owe them anything." I really hope it is the latter, although that says nothing good about our society if we compel people to state something as callous as not caring about such a tragedy. Don't we owe something as human beings that transcends national borders?
ReplyDeleteI was a the dinner tabel when first heard the news, and teh numbers didn't sink in. I thought "oh this is just another thing that happened." It wasn't until a few days later that I realized this was a major naural disaster.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't even heard how strong it was until i got to school yesterday at teh assembly thing. I was shocked. I wondered why my Mom had only told me the estimated death toll, because numbers like that don't mean anything unless you know things such as the population, and the strength. It takes a shock for things to set it.
i was really upset by the way some of the poeple in my family and a lot of students reacted to tragedy in Haiti. They all say that we should just stay out of it because we have our own problems in our own country. Seriously, does it really matter what country you are from when that many people have died and so many more are left suffering, without homes, without food, and many of them don't even have any of their family members left. Their are kids in Haiti, some as young as two or three, that are homeless and have nothing. Could you imagine what is going through their heads and how scard they must be right now, and people over here are worried about themselves because they have to pay an extra ten cents for a gallon of gas. If everyone had that same self centered and ridiculous attitude then their would be no hope for these paople at all.When i first heard the news of the earthquake i was shocked and then i heard that the number of deaths was up to about 40,000 and i about cried. Now i have heard that its gone up to about 100,000. I told some poeple last night that i wanted to do someting to help and they were very against it. This started an argument and told them that if i think it will be safe that i was going to go sown to Haiti this summer whether it be with a mission group or whoever and i don't really care what they think. So if you think you want to do something to help then don't let anyone stop you because if you are determined then you really can make a differece even if you are just a highschool kid.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Tabetha. People don't seem to get it that (I know...major newsflash here) we're all PEOPLE. And you know what? As people, we are supposed to help each other out. Our society may be considered survival of the fittest, but if you have the means to help someone, DO IT! People throw around the argument "they didn't help us in 911"...what's up with that? There's a reason they need so much help right now- they have NO money. By staying out of this problem, we are as guilty as any murderer out there for not trying to save a human life. Because you know what? A human is a human and we are all equal. If you are one of those people who don't care to get involved or you think it's just a big waste of effort, try this one on for size- Imagine your family without a source of income. Then, imagine being robbed; having everything but the clothes on your back and the house you live in stolen from you. Then, imagine getting hit by an earthquake- an earthquake so awful that it makes your excuse for a house look like a sandpile. Then, imagine that no one would help you. The people you thought were your neighbors...your friends...they abandonded you and left you for dead. Only then can you even start to understand what these people are going through. And if the world listened to you...that's what it would be like, only a million times worse. Step outside of your little bubble and think about the rest of mankind for a change.
ReplyDeleteAs for my feelings on the entire situation in Haiti...I think I've kind of expressed that already. I think that so many people in this country are so immersed in themselves that they can't bear to even look beyond their quiet, comfortable little world. I think the nation needs to see the pain and the terror and the overwhelming sense of dealing with another day of agony that these people have been forced into. It's called compassion...and I think that the Haitian people are in need of our compassion right now. And I don't mean later- I mean NOW.
I already know my reaction will be hard to understand as I have a terrible time trying to explain my raw emotions....
ReplyDeleteI felt sick. The deaths and emotion and physical pain seemed like an overload on my brain. I tend not to think about these bad situations because even the slightest hint of one makes me warm and nauseated, because I instantly do that 'mile in your shoes' thing and make my self sick thinking of all the pain and frustration and anger. I sat quietly at my friends house and hid my face behind his sholder so I could try to pull myself together.
Then when people started saying "they deserved it", I became sick in another way... with uncontrollable anger. I evolved my mindset of sympathy and compassion to help Haiti and went to an extreme desire to prove those who live in comfort wrong and to put Haiti in a better position... to give them a chance. I can't stand people who have never lived in poor conditions who decide its thier choice to determine what should be done to people in poor conditions. "They dont deserve care if they can't earn it" "They'll just abuse it." "This will show them their sin was wrong." Things like that start to make my belief that people are generally good crack. I know that not everyone is like that. I know that for certain. But to make up for the people who don't care, I am determined to do so much.