Don’t Panic!: Will the U.S. military’s intervention help or hurt Haiti?
The U.S.’ reaction to last week’s devastating earthquake in Haiti has, in many ways, been gratifying.
The U.S.’ reaction to last week’s devastating earthquake in Haiti has, in many ways, been gratifying. Whadya know — we actually care a little.
Sure, there will always be Rush Limbaughs and Pat Robertsons sticking their dicks in the metaphorical mashed potatoes with predictably hate-filled racist outbursts. But so far, anyway, the reactions of the public, commercial media, and the federal government have been overwhelmingly decent and compassionate.
Concern for Haiti’s plight is so widespread, in fact, that it’s seeping into the parts of culture otherwise isolated from normal human reality. Perez Hilton, the popular celebrity gossip blogger best known for sketching penises and cocaine on paparazzi photos, is now sketching halos on photos of celebrities who have announced large donations of money to Haiti. Nothing to do with Haiti, but he also has a nip-slip beach photo of Carrie Prejean if you’re interested.
Two days after the quake, President Obama announced that the U.S. military would take a leading role in our humanitarian relief effort in Haiti. Roughly 3,500 women and men from the 82nd Airborne Division, as well as 2,200 Marines, should be in Haiti by now. Accompanying them offshore will be the Navy’s USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and the USNS Comfort, a hospital ship with 12 operating rooms.
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(Photo illustration by Andisheh Nouraee)