I agree!

I agree with you! If Paris wants to help the hurting people of the world there are many worth while organizations that are in need of funds to do the work that will last a long time. I know of Short Term Missions and other projects and missions with the contacts in Rwanda can and do touch many lives around the world. Many of these organizations are in need of funds to do the work they are called to do. I hear them crying out “Help us, help them!”

John | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Fleeting Fixation

Having been an aid worker myself for the International Rescue Committee in western Sudan (Darfur) during the onset of what is now, undeniably a genocide, I have worked very closely with refugees in horrific circumstances. Had the subject of Darfur been en-vogue at the time of the slaughter, it would seem that due to the glare of the international communities’ attention, much of the ruthless violence might have been prevented. Ideally. Of course, to anyone familiar with the details of the Rwandan genocide, this was certainly NOT the case. There was, even leading up to the three month slaughter, a great deal of press regarding deep civil unrest and ominous acts of genocide in Rwanda. The assigned United Nations presence had been warning the DPKO and the media of a potentially catastrophic wave of pending violence. Still, nothing was done, and in the words of Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire (United Nations Force Commander to the UNAMIR, the assistance mission in Rwanda) any solid support, monetary or otherwise, came “to little, too late.” And of course, in the aftermath of such willful ignorance, America declared once again, never to again let something like it happen. Well, not surprisingly, it has. Upon my return from the country, it became resoundingly clear to me that hardly anyone even knew that a region of the world called Darfur even existed. Having been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the ordeal, the psychological need to communicate and exercise some of my memories and experiences to anyone that could understand became absolutely necessary, though at the time, trying to find anyone who could really empathize was a near impossibility. Four years later celebrities like George Clooney, whom I have great respect for (as he has worked to garner attention to Darfur, not simply to glean praise and reverence off of the suffering of nameless millions), have brought the issue of Darfur into the limelight. Sadly, this much needed attention comes far too late, and at the price of many, far too many lives. The subject of Africa and its people is of serious import to me. The near constant exploitation of the continent as a plaything of the affluent enrages me. I fear every news headline regarding Africa and am haunted constantly by the faces of the people I couldn’t help. Nightmares that have gripped me fast and show no sign of letting up. Nor should they. The lives of the Other are our responsibility as human beings, for in as much as we destroy and ravage, we are paradoxically fantastic creators and must use any and all resources as we have them, for we are all doomed to the same inevitable fate, alone in death, with only the memories of the other to survive us. (I apologize, but this subject gets me worked up and it is incredibly difficult for me to be entirely objective where so much anger, sadness, and hopelessness is involved.)Okay. Deep breath. Now to Paris Hilton. (I was getting there!) For someone whose crowning achievement in life includes enduring a justifiable jail sentence for a matter of hours and the popularization of defenseless inbred animals as handbags, it is difficult for me to see anything but the grossest form of narcissism inherent in this “brilliant stroke of all-the-sudden altruism”. What makes this all particularly obscene, is that now she is using the hardship and misfortune of REAL human beings to bolster the public opinion of one sadly misguided and deeply self-involved pseudo celebrity. Sure, it may draw some attention to the plight of the people for a time, but the consciousness of those individuals that follow the life of Paris Hilton are notoriously rooted in American media habits, whose attention span is dismally short, to say the least. How long will they invest their attention before the whole country plummets again into relative obscurity? Yet another African country whose statistics are so bleak and depressing that any hope of salvation is lost to the next infatuation of a population capable, but unwilling to get its hands dirty? If Miss Hilton really wishes to learn and do some good, she should go to Africa and leave the cameras behind for a moment. Halt the press releases regarding her “selfless” plight and do something for humanity that will have no affect whatsoever upon her social and commercial strata, but every effect on her character.

Portia Harper | 1 year, 11 months ago
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You Are Wrong

jojo
why should people care about a trashy, no-class spoiled rich little ##### and really, besides gossip and ####, what does she have to offer the world
MAYBE you hacks in the controlled media could put someone on who is not a shallow pig or puppet politician. you claim to be intellectuals well my dog has more sense than to do the things that these corporate-controlled pigs do

Some dude in nc | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Why not?

Paris may not have the most admirable record in the world, but if she wants to go help others, then by all means let her! How many of us, given the chance, would be willing to give up part of our lives to go to another country and help out those less fortunate. Yes, it is possible that there are ulterior motives here bordering on the line of selfishness, but Paris is one of the most watched celebrities in the world right now. If they do make a reality show out of it, why not have a number at the end where people can make donations to the Rwandans. While Paris Hilton is far from a decent role model, a lot of people would probably be more likely to give money after watching this than just another infomercial. Much like Idol Gives Back from American Idol. Not only that, but maybe by Paris visiting Rwanda and experiencing first hand how some people have to live their lives every day, it will make a difference in her life, too.

Kristie Votaw | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Give me a break

Unless Paris is going to live in one of the villages and eat what they eat and sleep where they sleep, she should not go there. She should not have the luxury of a 5 star hotel and then go and film those that are poor and make it seem like she really cares. If the government does not want her there she should not go. I agree this would be an embarrassment and also doing this reality show is a slap in the face to those that are poor by highlighting “someone wanting to do good” instead of helping those in need and not trying to draw attention to yourself. Truly helping does not draw attention to you but instead to the cause. She would also be an embarrassment to American’s by the way she acts. I do work in Rwanda and would be so embarrassed if she and her film crew showed up and made American’s look like primadonna’s that throw money around and wanted the spotlight.

Tamara Stump | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Socialite Consciousness

I do not think that it is appropriate to exploit the tragedies of genocide for a reality T.V. show. She needs a reality check! Nobody wants to hear what a self-appointed princess has to say about anything. If she wants to help, she should send money! If Paris had a true interest in philanthropy she could actually help a great number of people. And that would be “hot”.

Serafina | 1 year, 11 months ago
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It is all about her

Paris is talking about Rwanda because of the movie Hotel Rwanda and other hype about that tinny country. Why does not she go to Haiti, Congo, North Korea, Somalia or Iraq? Why doesn’t she help the US homeless or 50 millions uninsured Americans? Sufferings happen everywhere. She is looking to something that can add to her money based celebrity a Gandhi or Mother Theresa like fame. Poor countries are to lift themselves out of poverty and anarchy by serious leadership and hard work of their citizens. Charlatans like Hilton can give a few thousand dollars to some villagers but can’t solve nor alleviate the socio economic problems of those nations.

Manga | 1 year, 11 months ago
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WHO CARES?

Who really cares what this washed up person thinks. What has happened to our world that we have to see this little spoiled rich brat make a fool of herself all over the place?
I am so tired of her that I could scream. I am saddened to think that anyone even cares what she does.Period.

Purelabor | 1 year, 9 months ago
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PLEASE!

Paris thinks only of Paris. This is pure publicity. She should not even be making news. How pathetic.

playjojo | 1 year, 8 months ago
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ARMs Are Barbaric?

I certainly agree with the statement that one’s attentions should be to their native land before going elsewhere. And I agree that the fact that many of our citizens signed their names to loans with terms that they didn’t understand and the repercussions of such is a sad thing. That being said, I find it in complete distaste to equivocate foreclosure on a mortgage and eviction from a house due to the inability to make the payments on an ARM to genocide. Maybe your fingers weren’t getting your thoughts across and you were thinking about the mortgage crisis and more “barbaric” problems (e.g., homelessness, violence, hunger, illness with inadequate or no health care, etc.) in the country at the same time and the thoughts comingled in your comment. I hope so.

Dave Washburn | 1 year, 7 months ago
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