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I can only speak for myself when I ask the question: In the aftermath of this disaster, what is my role/responsibility?
Looking around this social network that is life, I see four groups I could join.

Name: Don’t Know, Don’t Show, Don’t Care
Type: misinformed and uncaring
Members: the Rush Limbaughs, the Pat Robertsons and the like
Description: We have the means and resources to help, but why should we? This doesn't affect us. This earthquake isn’t our concern. Let those people handle their own issued. Don’t we have better things to worry about? Let’s use this disaster as a way to push our own agendas and ideas and opinions to refocus the attention on us.

JOIN GROUP

Name: Money, Power, Respect
Type: I have the resources and power, how can I help?
Members: Tom Joyner, Wyclef Jean, Roland Martin, etc, etc, etc...
Description: These are our friends, our families and our neighbors. We have a responsibility to lend a hand and if we have the resources it is our duty to support, assist and aid the relief effort because we all are connected.

JOIN GROUP

Name: Helpless in Seattle and Everywhere Else
Type: I don’t have much, but I want to do something
Members: the average hardworking, global citizen
Description: Though we might not know anyone affected by this disaster, it shouldn’t be a second thought as to whether to help. We don’t have much, but every little counts.

JOIN GROUP

Name: Each One, Teach One
Type: this is a teachable moment
Members: educators
Description: We have command over a large number of people and it’s our job to use this as a teachable moment. We hope that by educating and dispelling the half-truths and whole-lies, we can impact our sphere of influence. Our hope is to get them to think selflessly and altruistically.

JOIN GROUP

A difficult decision indeed because the group I select will be an identifier as to how I respond to most things in life. Here was my message that accompanies my group request:
My plan was to continue teaching as usual. My lessons were in order, my work was finished and it was going to be a typical Wednesday. However, I knew I could not live with this regular Wednesday when Haitians everywhere had their sense of regularity crumble. I improvised. Taking clips from CNN, updates from Twitter and status changes from Facebook, I planned a lesson for my 8th grade students that would show them the immediacy of digital correspondents. In less than Six Degrees of Separation, I gave them their linked to Haiti. I wanted to show them that their feelings of voicelessness and disconnection were incorrect. Here are the thoughts they posted on their blogs:

Mr. Murray showed us various videos about the earthquake, including live footage of Haiti. To see all of the pain these people are going through makes me very sad. However, it also makes me want to give back. I am so happy to hear that America is taking a big part in the help of the Haitian people. On CNN, I have heard that America is in the process of sending supplies and people to help those affected by the earthquake…I truly hope that the people of the world will be able to help Haiti. I think it is wonderful, but in unfortunate circumstances, that the world is joining together and unifying to help Haiti. Perhaps this is what our world needs, to join together and help one another.

- Frankie

Earthquake citizens must be provided with plenty of water and high protein food in order for them to survive. Haiti will need a massive amount of supplies to help all of the earthquake victims. This earthquake has also come at a time where many nations are in economic down turns, which will make relief more difficult. Help Haiti.

- Jack

From Pictures from the news and videos I have seen so much damage to these buildings that some of them have been completely destroyed. These people had buildings that weren't all the best and now they have nothing. I pray for all the people in Haiti and for all the Family members.

- John

Hearing what is happening in Haiti saddens me in every way. Even though I haven't actually experienced the disastrous 7.0 earthquake at 5:00 p.m. on January 12, 2010, I am still emotionally touched...What this reminds me of is a song called "Carry Your Candle."

- Julia

I am glad that support is already on the way, but they will need more help. I hope they will recover soon.

- Lucas

Before I start to blog I would like to give the lyrics to a song that I think are appropriate for this event and to give people a sense of how hard it is for the people living Haiti.

People killin', people dyin'. Children hurt and you hear them cryin'. Can you practice what you preach? And would you turn the other cheek?
Father, Father, Father help us. Send some guidance from above. 'Cause people got me, got me questionin', Where is the love?
-Black Eyed Peas Where is the Love

I chose to use this song because people are dying in Haiti. This is a horrible disaster and I have no idea what I would do if my family, friends, and I were in the disaster. This song, to me, just gives us a sense of how the people in Haiti must be feeling. We should ALL be pitching in to help those who were victims of the disaster.

- Myhka

I was totally unaware of what had happened in Haiti last night until my computer teacher (Mr. Murray) told me about the devastating earthquake that occurred in Haiti. I am aware of the country of Haiti and how much of a hard time people of Haiti are having with many things such as poverty and hunger. I'm not sure how much more stress the people in that country can take. My heart goes out to everyone living and for people in different countries that have family there and for everyone to recuperate safely.

- Warren

The only thing you CAN do is help. One person can make a change. If we all make that change, then that one person turns into a million. We can't stand back and say "the other countries will help Haiti," or "other people can help Haiti, not me." One action by you can make a chain reaction of many people around the globe.

- Shannon

Most people wouldn't care what happened in Haiti last night (1.12.10). They would say, "I don't live in Haiti, I don't have any family or friends in Haiti...so why would I care?" Why would you say something like that? What if YOU were in Haiti and the building that you were in starting shaking? Wouldn't you want people to care about you and help set up the city again? Death toll is going to be in the thousands-from CNN.com. That is a lot of people.
What if you were that person in the street, crying for help, and no one wanted to help you...what would you do? There are many people in Haiti that are also wounded. When I first heard about what happened, I put my hand over my mouth and was in shock. It's hard to imagine what Haiti and the people in Haiti would be like.

- Wesley

God please help all the kids and all the people who were injured and who were hurt. There are many people who are running out of supplies. Thinking about this is just horrible to me. Please keep all of these people in your prayers.

- Emilia

I didn't know this happened in Haiti and it completely surprised me. But, when I heard about this I felt really bad but it was a totally different feeling from when I actually saw what was happening, I couldn't imagine how scared not only for their lives but for their loved one's lives. What happened in Haiti doesn't only severely affect the people there but family members in different places and the excruciating pain of waiting to hear from their loved ones and wondering if they are OK or not.

- Ashley

When I heard about the quake I was shocked. I don't have any family there though I feel there pain. Crying children with lost parents and people laying on the floor bleeding looking for someone to help them. I've explained grief and pain' but these are the events that give people hope. We are all the same and this is when we show that we are all family and we should show are love for each other and help in this time of need.

- Sylvester

I want to help them so much. I think that we all should help the people in Haiti because they are a part of our human family. And because we are their family we have the responsibility to help them. It is such a great thing though that in computer class we are seeing people all over the internet trying to help and to make groups to unite the world to help Haiti. When I get home today I am going to get the money I have and try to donate it to the relief. I am also going to join groups on how to help them.

- Thomas

I looked at some twitter and facebook and saw that about every subject I look at is just Haiti. I can't even believe that the earthquake had done this much damage for only one city.

- Eric