Stiller Proud Of Obama’s Swift Action In Haiti Disaster
By WENNThursday, January 14, 2010
Hollywood star BEN STILLER has praised U.S. president BARACK OBAMA for acting swiftly in the wake of the Haitian earthquake disaster.
The poverty-stricken Caribbean country was left devastated on Tuesday (12Jan10) after being rocked by a huge earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale.
Early reports suggest the disaster has claimed as many as 500,000 lives and celebrities including Stiller, Wyclef Jean, Jessica Alba, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have called on fans across the world to donate money to the relief funds.
President Obama addressed the U.S. nation on Wednesday (13Jan10), calling the reports from Haiti “truly heart-wrenching” and announcing plans to send U.S. military forces to Haiti to assist with the security, rescue and humanitarian efforts.
And Stiller is pleased to see Obama pledging the support of his government to the Haitian crisis while his administration deals with the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He tells U.S. TV presenter Larry King, “I think it is also important to note that President Obama reacted very swiftly and decisively with - in terms of a relief effort. And it is going to be a long-term relief effort. And it’s a very difficult time in terms of where we are domestically. We are fighting a war. And I think we have to get behind that.”
Stiller has also been appealing for followers to donate cash to the Red Cross to aid their relief mission in Haiti.
He adds, “You can just text Haiti to 90999, and that will be a direct $10 (?6.25) donation (to the Red Cross) off your phone bill.
“They have already raised about $1.7 million (?1.06 million) over the last 24 hours. It’s making a huge difference. Anybody I talk to, Unicef, says this is what they need right now… They need the cash.”
