Devastation

Haiti was already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, having suffered for what seems like forever under hideously corrupt rule, the worst kind of sexual tourism, lack of any crucial resource or export...in essence, a kind of inverse infrastructure that leads to shoddy homes and other buildings erected by and for the poor, the kind of no-code structures that multiply the number of casualties in an earthquake compared to wealthier countries with engineering rules. Just watch the buildings in the background of this video from the earthquake:

What has happened in Haiti and the aftermath is horrific. Not only are there potentially over 100,000 people killed, injuries will be sky high, disease will spread from the unburied bodies and loss of hospitals, not to mention ruined communications and transportation channels. Worst of all, for the living, may be the widespread homelessness from the destruction.

Will this focus worldwide attention on the poverty of Haiti in any lasting, meaningful way? Can it ultimately lead to any kind of improvement through tragedy?

Not if I know my Katrina.

Ways to help here.