ESPN has fired former NBA player and part-time writer Paul Shirley after he published his comments about not donating money to the Haitian relief effort on Flip Collective.
His comments about Haiti have caused such a backlash that ESPN was extremely quick (too quick?) to cut all ties with Shirley.
Sample from Paul’s Flip Collective Rant:
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
It shouldn’t be outlandish to hope that we might stop short of the reactionary word that is so often flung about after natural (and unnatural) disasters. That word: Rebuild. Thus, the tired, knee-jerk cycle of aid/assist/rebuild would be replaced by a new one: Aid/assist/let’s-stop-and-think-before-we-screw-this-up-again.
Read Paul Shirley’s Complete Article and Thoughts on Haiti
Paul is one of the smartest guys to have played in the NBA. His ESPN pieces on music were top notch.
It will be interesting to see Paul’s response to his self-created firestorm.
I have tweeted back and forth with Paul on Twitter, several times over the past couple of months, and he is always kind and gracious. Paul will land on his feet from this, quite possibly with his own cable talk show.
Follow Paul on Twitter @paulthenshirley
Shirley played his college basketball at Iowa State under head coach Tim Floyd. He played professionally for the Bulls, Hawks, Suns and several European teams.
Agree or disagree with Shirley, he speaks his mind without awareness of P.C. garbage or filters. He might have been brash and insensitive in his column, but he did point out some important and truths that should be asked ONCE the emergency part of the recovery ceases and the rebuilding begins.
Donate to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Relief Fund
