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Comments

• [1] Peter from Brooklyn May 13, 2008 - 10:43AM

  I’m conflicted on making a donation to the Chinese and Burmese (Myanmarian?) relief efforts; I don’t want to sound uncaring, but the simple truth is money is fungible and any money I give to the efforts is money that is freed up for governments to suppress human rights, or in the case of china oppress the Tibetan people.

  I am truly torn on what to do here, and the suffering is unimaginable, but I can’t in good conscious support governmental relief in these disasters. My heart goes out to the people of Burma and China, they are not responsible for the regimes that lead them, but I don’t know what to do. Am I way off base here?

  Maybe a donation in kind is a compromise? Thoughts?

  
  
• [2] hjs from 11211 May 13, 2008 - 10:43AM

  does china really need our help?

  don't they have like a tillion dollar in USA debt?

  
  
• [3] Mike from Staten Island May 13, 2008 - 11:43AM

  My understanding was that China was one of the few countries that the Myanmar junta was accepting unrestricted aid from unmolested. Now that China has its own massive humanitarian tragedy to deal with, how will they be able to aid cyclone victims in Burma?

  
  
• [4] veronica from manhattan May 13, 2008 - 11:44AM

  Unfortunately the Red Cross has become extremely mismanaged over the years. I think a better bet would be thru grass roots organizations or the united nations.

  
  
• [5] Robert from NYC May 13, 2008 - 11:47AM

  Oh please, Bye.

  
  
• [6] Dr. Jaccob Jaffe from Irack@aol.com May 13, 2008 - 12:01PM

  I was in China during the 1976 earthquake, Our hotel was split in half and we were evacuated to Peking.We were among the few foreigners in China - they were very protective of us but they didn't want us to take any photos of the destruction.

  Chinese reaction is very different today.

  Jack

  
  
• [7] Antonio May 15, 2008 - 09:49PM

  When is the human rights credentials of a country ever a prerequisite for sending humanitarian assistance to people suffering from natural disasters?

  By this standard, people around the world should not have sent any assistance to New Yorkers after the 9-11 attacks -- given our country's deplorable human rights track record.

  Get real people.

  
  
• [8] Susan DePalma from Manhattan May 21, 2008 - 01:59AM

  This comes to me from someone I trust in the film community, a tight-knit group around the world. I have worked with Michael McDermott and he signs his name to this appeal:

  Half The Sky Foundation (HTS), works in China to provide nuture and care to China’s orphans. During the current crisis, Half the Sky has focused on providing emergency relief, as well as temporary or long term foster care, for the children orphaned or separated from their families during the quake.

  We are using donated $$ to purchase desperately needed items: medicine, tents, baby formula, etc.

  The funds you donate will in most cases result in supplies reaching affected areas within 24-48 hours.

  To show our commitment, we have donated $10,000 USD to Half the Sky’s relief effort.

  Make sure you note on HTS’s website, that your donation is for the: “Gung-Ho Films Earthquake Fund”. Please write this down in the box next to “Special Instructions for Half the Sky”…

  Half the Sky’s website is: www.halfthesky.org

  If you have any questions, please contact me in China. My email address is michael@gunghofilms.com. My cellphone is +86 1390 138 7635.