By By Katherine Yaremko , Columnist

In response to Haiti’s devastating earthquake on Jan. 12, millions of ordinary citizens donated money to relief organizations. The generosity and empathy that poured forth quickly became overwhelming with serious complications arising over issues of aid and interference.

On Feb. 1, an outrageous attempt by 10 Americans, primarily belonging to Baptist churches in the U.S., was made to offer assistance; they attempted to smuggle 33 Haitian children across the border into the Dominican Republic. The group claimed they were trying to save orphans by removing them from the disastrous conditions in Haiti and sending them to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic that the group was planning to establish.

The Americans have received an enormous amount of criticism for their actions. They have been labeled as arrogant criminals and accused of national and religious chauvinism. The members claimed they were acting with good intentions. While it may be impossible to determine the exact intentions of the Americans, the most likely possibility is that they were actually trying to help the children. While this does not justify the group’s actions, it does not necessarily warrant them blatant hatred.

Certainly, the group’s actions were foolish, unintelligent and fraught with problems. However, I do not believe they deserve the hatred and vilification many have issued. These individuals, despite the lack of judgment they used and the issues they caused, were in all probability trying to do something about the situation instead of merely sitting in front of a television screen and offering a simple “That’s awful” exclamation.

Understandably, the desire to contribute toward a rescue mission after a national disaster should not be one that is undertaken vigilante-style, with individuals taking problems of abandoned, homeless children into their own hands. However, a genuine desire to offer meaningful help and the ways in which it can best be delivered is better served by educating individuals, not hauling them over the coals.

Many of those delivering the criticism have probably done little more than donate a few dollars, which is not an insignificant contribution, considering the vast numbers of people who donated. However, it is far easier to judge the mistakes of others when in a position of comparable luxury. I doubt that anyone is lavishing praise on these individuals, especially when they are undeserving of it; although the hatred being doled out is unjustified when coming from those who have offered little themselves to the crisis.

The Haitian government is understandably concerned, considering the possibility of the children being taken advantage of, used for either trafficking or prostitution. There were also concerns over whether all of the children were really orphans. Indeed, some of the children have stepped forward, telling authorities that they are in fact not orphans.

Those 10 Americans certainly should not be praised for what they have done but should not be denigrated either.