AS I SEE IT 1/18

AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com

There's not a person reading the column who hasn't seen the news of the disaster in Haiti.

As many as 200,000 may be declared dead by the time all is said and done. Millions are homeless. The entire infrastructure of Haiti...and the lives of the people in the island nation have been smashed beyond short-term repair.

But the world is responding with help...including those within wrestling.

Among the first efforts was one organized by TNA talent Awesome Kong who hosted a Haiti fundraising effort following Friday night's Reading, PA house show. The fundraising event involved Awesome Kong, the British Invasion, Mick Foley, and the Beautiful People. The effort raised over $2,500 in 24 hours from wrestling fans, then matched by Mick Foley, for a total as of Sunday morning of $5,100.

Wrestling website Diva Dirt is continuing the effort to put together a friendly competition among wrestlers on Twitter to raise money for the people of Haiti which was struck by a tragic earthquake earlier this week. As part of the competition, they ask all wrestlers to tweet to their followers to send a donation via PayPal to Wrestlers4Haiti@gmail.com.

The wrestler whose followers raise the most amount of money will win the competition and receive a trophy or custom belt! It’s not only a competition for the wrestlers, but for their fans too to show their support for their favourite superstars! Please donate as much as you can or as little as you can, there is no limit — even $1 can make a difference.

How to pledge via PayPal:

1. Log in to your Paypal account or sign up for one.
2. Click on the ‘Send Money’ tab.
3. Type Wrestlers4Haiti@gmail.com in the ‘To’ field and enter your pledge amount into the ‘Amount’ field.
4. Choose how you wish to send the payment [it's advised to send it as 'personal' and 'gift].
5. On the confirmation screen, you will see ‘Email to recipient’ which shows something similar to the image below. In the ‘Message’ field type in the name of the wrestler who you are pledging in support of. As you can see in the example below, the pledge is in support of Awesome Kong.

6. Click ‘Send Money’ to send your payment!

We are looking to raise as much money as possible over the next 24-48 hours so we can cut a check on Monday morning. However, we do hope to keep this ongoing for as long as Haiti is in crisis. All pledges will be sent to the American Red Cross’ Haiti emergency appeal fund. Please spread the word to your favourite wrestler on Twitter and ask them to get involved! We need your help to make sure we can raise as much money as possible. On behalf of Kong and the DD team, thank you and please pledge generously.

TNA Wrestling itself is asking fans to support the victims of the Haitian earthquake. During the TNA iMPACT! tapings this coming week at Universal Studios Orlando, TNA will encourage attendees to make a financial donation.Funds will be donated to the Central Florida headquarters of the American Red Cross for its International Disaster Relief Fund. ``The photos and video from Haiti are tragic,'' TNA President Dixie Carter said in a release. ``We want to help. We have to help. The money raised at The iMPACT! Zone is just a start of TNA's plan to help the country of Haiti.'' Buckets will be available just inside the entrance to the iMPACT! Zone for financial donations each day of the iMPACT! tapings.

WWE is asking its fans to support relief efforts through AmericCares:

By now, most of you are aware of the devastating 7.0 earthquake that hit 10 miles Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The devastation has been significant, with estimates of more than 3 million people impacted by the disaster. Emergency response teams have entered Haiti to start the recovery effort and provide needed medical relief to people affected by the earthquake. Among those responding is AmeriCares, which is sending $5 million worth of medical aid to survivors. Medicines and supplies are critically needed in Haiti right now. Emergency response experts from AmeriCares and other agencies are working around-the-clock to get those lifesaving products into the hands of medical personnel treating survivors.

  • Donate to AmeriCares through this link

    The Florida based Force of Wrestling promotion has also sent out the following:



    In support of Wyclef Jean, Yele, Haiti and the millions of families and friends being effected by the catastrophic events that happened on Tuesday in Haiti, Force Of Wrestling encourages the wrestling community to help those families in need right now. And give there support to what is a very tough and devastating time in so many families lives in Haiti.

    It is very easy to donate, you can do so by texting YELE to 501501 or online by CLICKING HERE!

    If you can not donate money, donate time, pass along all this information to family and friends, use Twitter, Facebook, MySpace! GET THE WORD OUT! The wrestling community is huge, lets come together and help those in need. Read, learn and educate!



    Statement by Wyclef Jean:

    "My commitment to Haiti is a unique and everlasting bond."

    "I formalized that commitment when I formed my first foundation, in 1994. From that day forward, I have spent tireless hours working on behalf of my homeland on development issues as well as human and immigrant rights. I have been committed to helping the people of Haiti throughout my life, and that commitment will continue until the day I die.

    It is impossible for me to even comprehend the recent attacks on my character and the integrity of my foundation, Yele Haiti. The fact that these attacks come as we are mobilized to meet the greatest human tragedy in the history of Haiti only serves to perplex me even further. I first learned of these baseless attacks when I left Haiti late Friday, where I had been since 12 hours after the earthquake.

    Let me be clear: I denounce any allegation that I have ever profited personally through my work with Yele Haiti. These baseless attacks are simply not true. In fact, I have, time and again, committed significant amounts of my own money to support the work of Yele Haiti and other organizations in support of our efforts over the years.

    More than that, I have spent countless hours, days, months and years of my life committed to the country of Haiti, the people of Haiti and the success of Haiti. These baseless allegations were first put forward by a fringe website with a history of pursuing sensationalist story lines. The mainstream media’s pursuit of them has required Yele to divert precious resources during this critical time in order to answer various inquiries. That must end.

    I will continue to commit my focus to what is most important right now: Haiti. Right now, Yele is working with its valuable NGO partners, the U.S. Government, the United Nations and so many others to save lives, honor those who have perished and get aid to the millions of Haitians suffering through the worst human catastrophe of our times. I will never give up on my commitment."

    - Wyclef Jean

    For More Information Click Here!


    You can also donate to these well-known chaitable organizations:

  • UNICEF's website
  • The Clinton-Bush Haiti fund
  • American Red Cross International Response Fund
  • Doctors Without Borders

    The following organizations are accepting SMS donations in the US only:

  • SMS text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts
  • SMS text “YELE” to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts
  • SMS text "GIVE10" to 20222 to donate $10 to Direct Relief

    But of course, with all this good work...there are those who have to act like assholes in politics, religion, and wrestling.

    The Baltimore Sun's Kevin Eck, who write "Ringposts" for the newspaper's website wrote the following on Bubba The Love Sponge's vicious, ill-mannered Twitter comment posted at the same time his co-workers in TNA were raising money for the effort:

    "I am proud to say that I have never listened to Bubba The Love Sponge’s show. I have heard plenty about it, but at this stage in my life, the mean-spirited, sophomoric shock jock shtick just isn’t for me. Unfortunately, thanks to Hulk Hogan and his cronyism, I can no longer simply ignore BLS, as he has ridden the coattails of Hogan into a gig as a backstage announcer for TNA.

    Well, it didn’t take long for BLS to embarrass the company. On his Twitter account Thursday, BLS weighed in on the subject of the U.S. providing aid for earthquake victims in Haiti. He posted the following (his words and spelling):

    “I say f%$# hati. Why do we have to take care of everybody our country is in shambles. Bubba”

    Nice to see Bubba The Love Sponge continuing the stereotype of wrestlers and those associated with it.

    Of course, there were also the comments by TV preacher Reverend Pat Robertson who stated that God targeted Haiti, Pat Robertson said Haiti suffered the earthquake "because of its pact with the Devil to escape slavery two centuries ago"; and Rush Limbaugh's filth claiming that the tregedy will "play right into [President] Obama's hands by allowing him to play up his 'compassionate' and 'humanitarian' credentials", and that the President will use this crisis to "boost his credibility with the black community." Then he claimed that charities recommended by the White House website "puts your money at risk of not reaching Haitians"

    I believe Pat Robertson isn't typical of Christians. I've seen what the Christian community will do to help others.

    I'd like to believe that Rush Limbaugh isn't typical of political conservatives. I've seen what many do with charities.

    I'd believe Bubba The Love Sponge isn't typical of wrestling fans. I've seen what wrestling fans will do to help charities, time after time.

    Now, I'd like to see all of you prove me right...by contributing to one of the above charities, or another one of your choice.

    Until next time...

    If you have comments/questions/event announcements/results, if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website, or if you'd like to add advertising on PWBTS.com (the flagship website of this column), e-mail me at the address above. Advertising consists of banner ads, available for $400 for one year. These ads would appear on each newspage appearing on the newsboard. Cube ads are also available for $200 for one year, which would be placed on the main newsboard page.

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    If you have comments/questions, or if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com)