Stop sucking

[terabient]

Hey humanity, it's not that hard to act appropriately in the aftermath of a horrific natural disaster.

-Give what you can, when you can.
-If someone can't or won't give, ffs don't get all high and mighty and try to shame them into doing something. Giving aid is a wonderful act and one that is desperately needed, but even so - no one is obligated to do anything. Do not assume a person is in a position to give more than they have, or give at all. Ask, encourage, but do not judge.
-If you are one of those people who feel the need to dismiss the entirety of the quake/tsunami disaster because you don't know any Japanese personally/hate anime/j-pop/games/whatever - you are a gigantic gaping asshole. This is non-negotiable. You are a hateful creature whose opinion merits no serious consideration whatsoever.
-If you are one of those people who have decided this tragedy is a great plot device for your slash j-pop fic, you are going to the Special Hell. Yes - the one with the child molesters and the people who talk during movies.

Seriously, people. Do good when you can. Move along quietly if you can't. IS IT THAT HARD TO BE DECENT.

Comments

[terabient]

when i wrote this i was really sad over comments/posts that were making fun of communities like help_japan - it's just incredibly mean-spirited and unnecessary to snark at people who are too young or too financially strapped to give their own money and resort to offering their creative services to encourage others to donate. It may not amount to much or even anything, but they are trying to do the best they can, and the people who dismiss that energy as useless reek of entitlement - being able to make a sizable donation to any cause is a luxury not everyone can afford. :/

[theplaidsheep.livejournal.com]

I've seen this a few times on the interwebz, auctioning off fic or fanart with the proceeds going to the disaster area, and quite honestly I think that's a lovely idea. How different is that from Children in Need or Comic Relief? Just because it's done by ordinary people and not celebrities? Anyone denigrating such efforts need a clip round the earhole and a good telling off.

I completely agreed with all of your above points by the way, just got distracted by snapcakes rant and was reminded of my utter disgust at that article I read yesterday. Granted there are countries where christians are in the minority and some do suffer for it in terrible ways, but 75%? Apart from sounding patently ridiculous to then wail that foreign aid is anti-christian when we're currently in the process of helping a non-christian country...well!

This is perfect:
-Give what you can, when you can.
-If someone can't or won't give, ffs don't get all high and mighty and try to shame them into doing something. Giving aid is a wonderful act and one that is desperately needed, but even so - no one is obligated to do anything. Do not assume a person is in a position to give more than they have, or give at all. Ask, encourage, but do not judge.

Every little contribution should be welcomed no matter how small for that 'small' might be a chunk of someone's weekly shop for all you know. And some folks can't even afford to give that, and for them charity really begin at home.

I agree with Snapcake's rant on philanphropic organisations being snubbed because they are seen as too big, I donated monthly to Red Cross and others before finances dictated that my charity had to begin at home. However, I have to admit to some distrust of the huge charities - and it's the reason why neither I or my husband donate to Comic Relief or Children in Need, you really really cannot account for what has happened to your donation. Some folks are content to just give to assuage their need to 'do something' and don't really thing about it after, and that's fine because it's just as important to pay for the admin and travel as it is for the aid. It's when it gets lost in the system or is channeled into places where it shouldn't be, and for large aid efforts that is a big possibility. So I would prefer to donate locally where I can.