Paul Shirley, a former journeyman NBA basketball player turned writer, is under fire today for recent comments about earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.
Namely, they put themselves in this mess, so he's not going to be donating any money. He has a right to that opinion, certainly, but his word choice?
In an essay published at FlipCollective, he says he "has not donated a cent" to Haiti and likens it to giving a homeless guy money. It's a lost cause.
"I don't think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either," he says.
The questions posed by his missive as a whole - whether events like the Hope For Haiti telethon are worthwhile, and whether a certain level responsibility for such a disaster lies with the victims of the disaster - are not entirely off base.
However, Paul Shirley might have considered an alternate ending.
In arguing that there should be some discourse on how the millions poured into Haiti will be spent, he writes a hypothetical message from the world to Haiti:
Dear Haitians –
First of all, kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment to human rights, infrastructure, and birth control should be applauded.
As we prepare to assist you in this difficult time, a polite request: If it's possible, could you not re-build your island home in the image of its predecessor? Could you not resort to the creation of flimsy shanty- and shack-towns? And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?
Sincerely,
The Rest of the World
Damn, P-Shir. Was the condom bit necessary? ESPN has already said he won't be back as a freelancer, and we suspect he may find other gigs hard to come by.
Source : http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2010/01/paul-shirley-haiti-can-go-help-itself/
Posted by Free Britney
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