Desperate residents face a fifth day with little food, water or medical care as rubble and a ruined infrastructure prove a barrier to troops and rescue teams.”
Like many Americans, my heart was gripped when I saw the recent CNN news coverage of a young Haitian girl trapped under piles of rubble as she screamed and cried for help. In the back of my mind I kept saying to myself “I wish the camera man would put down the camera and help out with the cause.”
All over the media landscape, we have been pummeled with horrible and graphic images of deceased Haitians as their bodies are tossed out of piles of rubble and piled up like heaps of trash. Reporters on the scene do their part to stir up the emotion of their viewers by pointing out the toll this is having on the little children. CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta cradles a Haitian baby on a recent broadcast as he tell viewers about the various injuries of this child.
As people all over the world watched these images, many were instantly moved to do something. From texting, to giving blood, to just donating to their favorite charity, people gave what they could to help in the recovery process of this tiny island nation. Despite all of our differences, it was a massive show of a humanity that actually cares about life. Or is it?
As the media floods us with virtually uncensored images of the dead in Haiti, why then can’t the same media and the sudden staunch advocates for Haiti stomach the gruesome images of what takes place in abortion clinics all across America?
“But Duane, it is not the same.”
It is the same. Death is death, period. Right? Well, apparently not for everybody. While the death of untold thousands who were just minding their business is universally called a “tragic loss”, the millions of innocent babies right here in our own country are routinely buried under the rubble of abstract words like “choice”, “abortion”, “reproductive services”, “Planned Parenthood”, “Women’s rights”, etc. In fact, we are still having debates on whether or not an unborn baby can actually be considered “human”.
Show a picture of an aborted fetus and it is considered “being insensitive”. Showing graphic imagery of the bodies of men, women and children being tossed like garbage and it is considered “daring media coverage”.
Why do we not have to think twice about helping to save life in Haiti (and we should), but when it comes to abortion, we have to pause and carefully craft our words lest we offend somebody and possible be un-friended by someone in Facebook?
I am all for the preservation of life and I am glad to live in a country where people of all differences stepped up to the plate and quickly responded to this tragic situation. To that I say “Praise God”. But as I mentioned in part 1 of this piece, “… do we really believe that ultimately it [our giving] will help this nation to truly build itself into a better Haiti? Or are we just hoping that Haiti can return back to its prior state of perpetual hopelessness that has been widely ignored by the mainstream public for years?”
So at this time, let’s continue to show our compassion for the Haiti people at this time by doing all we can to help these people. Above all else, I am praying for a move of God to break the cycle of poverty, depression, and corruption in that country. We desperately need His intervention there.
The whole topic of abortion may not be you cup of tea. But if you are a person that cherishes the lives of the innocent, my prayer for you today is that you would not cherish life on a part-time basis.
Haiti Needs More Than Compassion With An Expiration Date ((Part II))
by Duane on January 17th, 2010 at 9:24 amLike many Americans, my heart was gripped when I saw the recent CNN news coverage of a young Haitian girl trapped under piles of rubble as she screamed and cried for help. In the back of my mind I kept saying to myself “I wish the camera man would put down the camera and help out with the cause.”
All over the media landscape, we have been pummeled with horrible and graphic images of deceased Haitians as their bodies are tossed out of piles of rubble and piled up like heaps of trash. Reporters on the scene do their part to stir up the emotion of their viewers by pointing out the toll this is having on the little children. CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta cradles a Haitian baby on a recent broadcast as he tell viewers about the various injuries of this child.
As people all over the world watched these images, many were instantly moved to do something. From texting, to giving blood, to just donating to their favorite charity, people gave what they could to help in the recovery process of this tiny island nation. Despite all of our differences, it was a massive show of a humanity that actually cares about life. Or is it?
As the media floods us with virtually uncensored images of the dead in Haiti, why then can’t the same media and the sudden staunch advocates for Haiti stomach the gruesome images of what takes place in abortion clinics all across America?
“But Duane, it is not the same.”
It is the same. Death is death, period. Right? Well, apparently not for everybody. While the death of untold thousands who were just minding their business is universally called a “tragic loss”, the millions of innocent babies right here in our own country are routinely buried under the rubble of abstract words like “choice”, “abortion”, “reproductive services”, “Planned Parenthood”, “Women’s rights”, etc. In fact, we are still having debates on whether or not an unborn baby can actually be considered “human”.
Show a picture of an aborted fetus and it is considered “being insensitive”. Showing graphic imagery of the bodies of men, women and children being tossed like garbage and it is considered “daring media coverage”.
Why do we not have to think twice about helping to save life in Haiti (and we should), but when it comes to abortion, we have to pause and carefully craft our words lest we offend somebody and possible be un-friended by someone in Facebook?
I am all for the preservation of life and I am glad to live in a country where people of all differences stepped up to the plate and quickly responded to this tragic situation. To that I say “Praise God”. But as I mentioned in part 1 of this piece, “… do we really believe that ultimately it [our giving] will help this nation to truly build itself into a better Haiti? Or are we just hoping that Haiti can return back to its prior state of perpetual hopelessness that has been widely ignored by the mainstream public for years?”
So at this time, let’s continue to show our compassion for the Haiti people at this time by doing all we can to help these people. Above all else, I am praying for a move of God to break the cycle of poverty, depression, and corruption in that country. We desperately need His intervention there.
The whole topic of abortion may not be you cup of tea. But if you are a person that cherishes the lives of the innocent, my prayer for you today is that you would not cherish life on a part-time basis.