There must be something we can do to help the people in Bierut

[mosquitofeast]

We can't just sit and watch this city descend into anarchy, tear gas, rubber bullets, live fire, old soldiers setting fire to the foreign ministry, food shortages, water shortages, no apparent presence of any trustworthy relief organisation that we could pay money to to help.

What have I missed, there must be something we can do, isn't there?

YANBU - yes, there is something we can do and this is what it is....

YABU - there is nothing we can do to help

I think red cross have a dedicated appeal?

Is hard to take in how bad it is.

YABU We were talking about Beirut and the problems in the 70's and 80's. How do you suggest the mighty british stick their nose in, OP?
before social media and propaganda, you'd never have known about some distant land having problems.

@Devlesko

@labyrinthloafer

I think red cross have a dedicated appeal?

Is hard to take in how bad it is.

Thanks for that, I'll look for it. Are the red cross on the ground?

before social media and propaganda, you'd never have known about some distant land having problems.

How were we talking about Beirut in the 70s/80s if we didn't know about it before social media

@Devlesko

YABU We were talking about Beirut and the problems in the 70's and 80's. How do you suggest the mighty british stick their nose in, OP? before social media and propaganda, you'd never have known about some distant land having problems.

What has being British got to do with it? Its just one human being looking at the terrible situation of other human beings and wanting to do something to help.

And yes, I think we would be fully aware of this awful situation, even before social media

before social media and propaganda, you'd never have known about some distant land having problems.

There was this thing called 'the news' which told people about lots of things overseas before there was any social media.

Offering aid is not 'the mighty British sticking their noses in'. We're not the only country doing it.

I've donated to the Save The Children appeal, not sure what else I can do on a personal level...

Beirut was a byword for chaos in the 70s. But it hasn't been consistent since then.

I would say that white western involvement in the Middle East has almost never produced good outcomes. In fact it has generally produced horrifying outcomes. So the obvious thing to do is keep our noses out.

Generally I'd support small, local, women led charities with good oversight.

The controversial Live Aid appeal was way before social media.

@Devlesko

YABU We were talking about Beirut and the problems in the 70's and 80's. How do you suggest the mighty british stick their nose in, OP? before social media and propaganda, you'd never have known about some distant land having problems.

That's a rather silly notion Devlesko. Of course people are aware of the turbulent history of many countries including Lebanon. You don't have a monopoly on knowledge you know .

OP - WorldVision and also CAFOD are very good NGOs with Beirut appeals at present.

How do you suggest the mighty british stick their nose in, OP?

We have committed £5m along with some royal navy and specialists, and it's not sticking our nose in.

donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/beirut-emergency-appeal

Here it is, I found it, and donated. Thank you

I made a small donation to this charity that supports LGBT people in countries where they are still heavily discriminated against. They have put out an appeal for help after the Beirut explosion. go.allout.org/en/a/beirut-emergency/?akid=44635.3576067.fg-3PC&rd=1&t=2&utm_campaign=beirut-emergency&utm_medium=email&utm_source=actionsuite

OP - WorldVision and also CAFOD are very good NGOs with Beirut appeals at present

Thank you

A few links here Red Cross, food banks etc

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/06/beirut-explosion-how-you-can-help-lebanon-victims-fund-donate-donations-food-relief

loads of options, thats great. I donated to two others too, providing emergency shelter and food.

Thank you for posting this. I have struggled to see the news as its almost too horrible.

I have donated to Red Cross but will look out for other initiatives. These poor people, such suffering midst CV.

This thread goes some way to restoring my faith in humanity. One human being wanting to help and support another in need. Thanks op

YABU We were talking about Beirut and the problems in the 70's and 80's. How do you suggest the mighty british stick their nose in, OP?

What a load of arrogant twaddle!!!!!! You're claiming that having a humanitarian feeling towards people who are living through a devastating is wrong! What rubbish do you aim towards other countries who are trying to help or is it just 'the mighty british' who come in for your stupidity? I would bet the world that if the UK had not offered aid you and your ilk would be here, criticising!

@allinadaystwerk

This thread goes some way to restoring my faith in humanity. One human being wanting to help and support another in need. Thanks op

+1

Mosquito, thanks so much for donating. The dedicated Red Cross appeal is really one of the best, they were among the earliest relief organisations to get first-aid and food stations on the streets. The're also pretty uncorrupt and are supported by most people.

The second thing you might do is write a letter of protest to the Lebanese ambassador in the UK, protesting the state intransigence, incompetence and violence since 4 August - let alone the chain of events over the last seven years. If millions of people did that, it might have some small effect.

I spent a few weeks at Christmas and New Year in the part of town that's now been devastated, it's a wonderful place with fantastic people who deserve help to rid themselves of their shit 'leadership'. DD knows a lot of the activists in the protests there, they're very brave young people.

I have to say, I found the vote and pretending that you didn't know you can donate to Red cross bit distasteful, but at least it gets the conversation going.

Please, do make sure you are donating to reputable charities! As usual there will be disgusting number of scams.

I spent a few weeks at Christmas and New Year in the part of town that's now been devastated, it's a wonderful place with fantastic people who deserve help to rid themselves of their shit 'leadership'. DD knows a lot of the activists in the protests there, they're very brave young people.

It's SUCH a beautiful country from what my DH tells me. According to him, if there weren't trouble it would be THE destination in ME.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

I have to say, I found the vote and pretending that you didn't know you can donate to Red cross bit distasteful, but at least it gets the conversation going.

Please, do make sure you are donating to reputable charities! As usual there will be disgusting number of scams.

actually I didn't know. I maybe should have been able to find it, but I didn't