Not-quite fandom stuff

[ratherastory]

Y'know, I think it's awesome that Random Acts is trying to raise a ton of money for Haiti. God knows, that country needs all the help it can get in order to rebuild after last year's earthquake.

It's just... I am seriously uncomfortable at the idea of fans "raising" $5000 in order to go with Misha et al. to Haiti in order to have a more "personal connection" to what they're doing, or whatever. I just can't help but feel that that aspect of this fundraiser is entirely made of fail. The idea of a group of tourists (feel free to disagree with my nomenclature, but to me that's what they are) going over to witness how grateful the natives are for their munificence just sets my teeth on edge.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm reading too much into it. After all, the money is going where it's supposed to, so it can't be all bad. It's just pushing several of my squick buttons.

Comments

Hmmm...

[onechairleft.livejournal.com]

If people are genuinely willing to spent their time fund-raising just to spend a more time doing backbreaking labour *just* so they can get a photograph taken with Misha... well, I think they kinda *need* the kick-in-the-behind reality check that will come with being in Haiti and seeing the devastation, and the poverty, that exists there.

Being honest, and less cynical, I don't think anyone could seriously volunteer for something like this without at least wanting to help in some way. There are easier, cheaper and less difficult ways to spend time with a celebrity. IMO, anyway.

There are some charities that bring skilled tradespeople from the first world to third world areas for just this purpose- but the problem is that skilled tradespeople don't have the time, mostly, to spare that young, uneducated, unmarried, kids do. And when you're running a charity, you do what you can with what's available- and if what's available are fangirls... well. So be it.