When it comes to philanthropic endeavors, why Haiti?

The conditions in Haiti are terrible. Death toll estimates range between 50,000 and 200,000, and as many as 3 million Haitians—a third of the population—are said to have been affected. Buildings and entire complexes have been reduced to rubble, and there are powerful images of the devastated Presidential Palace at Port-au-Prince in shambles.

You probably already knew all this, if not more. And you probably know millions upon millions of dollars in aid have been pouring into the relief fund for this terrible disaster. Half of my Facebook friends have Haiti-dedicated profile pictures, and there seems to be a new event regarding the earthquake almost daily. And it’s not just here at Northwestern, because the worldwide response has been incredible.

I hope I’ve established my sympathy to Haitians and the current cause, because it is very sincere. That said, I don’t want to sound like an insensitive ignorant idiot when I bring up the point of this post: Why Haiti? Why has Haiti become the poster child for the hundreds of legitimate causes in desperate need of funding?

Why are so many people picking up their phones and texting “Haiti” to 90999, but no one seems to be giving a cent toward the terrible situation in Darfur? Genocide and violence have displaced 2.7 million people within the country who need protection, according to the Save Darfur Coalition.

Or what about the millions who live in slums in India? “Slumdog Millionaire” might have been a moving film, but the horrors it depicts aren’t fiction. Two million children die each year in the impoverished enclaves of this country with a poverty rate of 38 percent—nearly triple our own rate here in the U.S.

Or even in our own towns: the homeless and hungry who don’t know if they’ll have enough to survive next week?

It’s almost as if giving money to Haiti is the sexy thing to do. It’s the latest fad. Like Livestrong bracelets in the past, it’s become almost a society-wide push now. Maybe it’s the celebrity patronage, maybe it’s the outrageous comments made by Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh. The Haiti text messaging drive was making $200,000 an hour after it was released, announced the mGive Foundation, a co-sponsor of the initiative—that kind of generosity doesn’t happen every day. This is all great for Haiti, and the poor nation is truly in need. But the way this disaster has emerged to the forefront of worldwide attention makes it seem like the earthquake in Haiti is the only thing wrong in this world.

Sincere philanthropy should be a constant occurrence, not just the consequence of a mob-like mentality. Support Haiti, but don’t do it because it’s “in” and trendy. And more than that, don’t fall under the delusion that Haitians are the only ones experiencing hardships in this world. After the Haiti disaster is under control, my biggest fear is this sudden emergence of generosity will once again disappear into the shadows.

The heartwarming generosity brings with it a somber reminder. The media and public perception usually picks the winners and losers when it comes to worthwhile causes, but the world’s problems don’t begin or end with Haiti—and our philanthropic endeavors shouldn’t either.