Paul Shirley Haiti Advice: "Maybe Use A Condom Once In A While"
Photo: Paul Shirley.
The outrageous comments were part of a blog post Shirley wrote which explained why he wouldn't be giving a single "cent" to the victims.
Shirley might be wise to save his pennies. ESPN fired him from his part-time contributor post as soon as word of the comments spread.
"The views he expressed on another site of course do not at all reflect our company's views on the Haiti relief efforts. He will no longer contribute to ESPN," a statement from the network read.
Photo: Port-au-Prince, Haiti Jan. 21, 2010.
As the number of estimated dead from the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake reached 200,000, Shirley took to the Internet and suggested that much of the responsibility for the disaster "lie with the victims of that disaster…"
Shirley wrote his comments on flipcollective.com, a website that bills itself as a "group of writers with topics to discuss, ideas to share, and stories to tell."
And tell he did.
"I haven't donated a cent to the Haitian relief effort. And I probably will not," Shirley wrote on the site.
The baller compared sending relief money to giving money to homeless people on the street.
"I haven't donated to the Haitian relief effort for the same reason that I don't give money to homeless men on the street. Based on past experiences, I don't think the guy with the sign that reads "Need You're Help" is going to do anything constructive with the dollar I might give him. If I use history as my guide, I don't think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either," Shirley typed.
Photo: Pat Robertson.
But that was not enough for the man of many opinions, who decided to write a mock-letter to the victims.
It reads:
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
Shirley's musings come after a number of other controversial comments were made in the wake of the national disaster.
Pat Robertson, the American Christian televangelist and host of "The 700 Club," said that Haitians need to have a "great turning to god" while he was reporting on the devastating 7.0 earthquake that shook the island nation.
Ever-controversial radio talk Rush Limbaugh advised his listeners not to donate to Haitian relief through the fund set up by the White House because, said Limbaugh, you'll probably just end up on an Obama campaign mailing list.
Shirley still plays professional basketball in Spain.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Were Shirley's comments on Haiti reprehensible or sensible?