Posted on January 27, 2010

Former NBA Journeyman Paul Shirley Says He’s Not Donating a ‘Cent’ to Haiti Earthquake Relief

Andy Clayton, New York Daily News, January 27, 2010

Paul Shirley, whose brief NBA career included 18 games and 33 points with three teams over three seasons, is not in the giving mood. {snip}

Shirley writes on flipcollective.com why he won’t be joining the millions from around the globe sending money to support the Haitian relief efforts.

“I haven’t donated a cent to the Haitian relief effort. And I probably will not.

“{snip} If I use history as my guide, I don’t think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either.

{snip}

He continued: “Shouldn’t there be some discourse on how the millions of dollars that are being poured into Haiti will be spent? And at least a slight reprimand for the conditions prior to the earthquake? Some kind of inquisition? Something like this?:

Dear Haitians–

First of all, kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment to human rights, infrastructure, and birth control should be applauded.

As we prepare to assist you in this difficult time, a polite request: If it’s possible, could you not re-build your island home in the image of its predecessor? Could you not resort to the creation of flimsy shanty- and shack-towns? And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?

Sincerely,

The Rest of the World

The essay, posted on the FlipCollective Web site on Tuesday, has already cost Shirley one job.

Shirley was fired from his freelance gig with ESPN on Wednesday.

{snip}