Sean Penn In Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Hollywood actor Sean Penn visited a medical clinic, toured a food distribution site and passed out water filters Friday as he sought to get a firsthand glimpse of the devastation wrought by a deadly earthquake in Haiti.

Penn arrived in the poor Caribbean nation Thursday accompanied by 11 doctors and a U.S. businesswoman with whom he has established a private Haitian relief organization.

The star of "Mystic River," "Dead Man Walking" and "Carlito's Way" chatted with paratroopers from the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division and searched for areas to bring aid in and around the capital, Port-au-Prince.

"It is a devastated area," said Penn, dressed in torn jeans, cowboy boots and a dark blue T-shirt. "I've seen the same thing your cameras have seen: People are suffering and a lot of people are doing their best – the U.S. military and human aid groups – to help them."

Penn brought 1,000 water filters that were distributed to villages outside Port-au-Prince. He spent part of Friday meeting with aid groups and hospitals.

"The idea of us being here is to make sure the aid gets to them," he said.

Comments

[Canuck1967]

11:48 PM on 02/26/2010

As the wife of a Canadian soldier who is presently in Haiti working, I am thrilled to see Sean Penn has taken the time and opened his wallet for the people of Haiti. The man puts his money where his mouth is AND he just provided an incredible "lift" with his visit to Leogane, for the soldiers who have been working there to provide safe water and shelter for the people there and the residents of Haiti.
I know my husband and his coworkers will cherish the photos with Sean Penn, but no more than the memories of being able to help a nation that needs our help desperately.
Some complain that we need help at home, whether that is Canada or the US, but my response to them is that we aren't a Third World country with a history of political instability.
As my husband put it, this experience has shown him what matters in the world isn't our material possessions, it is the people around us. I'm happy there are people like Sean Penn in this world.

[KIVPossum]

01:05 PM on 01/24/2010

I don't get it. Every time a celebrity makes a donation or does something for the relief effort someone complains. Give a million, someone says they could give two. Brittany gives a dress, people complain it wasn't a million. Penn trots in with purifier and doctors in tow and that's a problem for some.

I'm old fashioned. When someone gives me something I say Thank You, and don't complain that it wasn't what I expected/wanted.

For someone like Penn, the residual value of his visit can be enormous. Many fans will pay a bit more attention, maybe open a checkbook, because their favorite star cares about the cause.

[ywcachieve]

12:25 PM on 01/24/2010

Even a thread about a celebrity giving his time to help Haiti, causes arguments.

Thank you Sean Penn. We need more people like you.

[PatA]

11:16 AM on 01/24/2010

It is really disheartening to read comment after comment of negative posts here. It doesn't matter if the subject is Sean Penn, the Pope, the President, Jennifer Anniston, Haiti, Wyclef Jean............on and on.

There are too many haters with computers..

I applaud anyone who isn't sitting on their butts griping.....

[BUSTERtheCAT]

08:41 AM on 01/24/2010

where is cheeeny, or LIZ??

SEAN God Bless man

[BUSTERtheCAT]

08:38 AM on 01/24/2010

Spacoli has a HUGE heart, actions speak louder then words, SEAN is no joke God Bless him, he knows what time it is and is the essence of being an AMERICAN

[Ospree18]

04:48 AM on 01/24/2010

Good actor. He's a troop h8'r though.

[HDR]

07:43 AM on 01/24/2010

He hates the soldiers or their mission?

[BUSTERtheCAT]

08:36 AM on 01/24/2010

CLEARLY their mission....CLEARLY, ohh and he was RIGHT

[kimmisner]

10:49 PM on 01/23/2010

I just hope someone keeps him away from a rowboat this time.

[Ruby52]

09:34 PM on 01/23/2010

Haiti needs all of the help in every category that it can get right now and for years to come. Sean Penn is adding help to this catastrophe in a much bigger way than answering a telephon phone, posing for celebrity pictures while sitting on his a**. Good for him.

[Usama]

08:35 PM on 01/23/2010

Im reminded of the Colombine shootings. The police arrived within minutes but waited outside for almost 1 hour, until tactical units arrived, and then the slowly creeped around. Meanwhile, the shooters killed as many as they could and then killed themselves. The US military has been widely criticized for militarizing the search and rescue effort, placing military order above humanitarian needs. Even retired general Honore, the commander in charge of New Orleans Katrina aftermath, complained that the miltary moved like a plodding military action rather than a humanitarian effort. If one soldier dies trying to save 1000s of Haitians, is an honor for America. But how many Haitians have died out of neglect to insure the security of American troops?

Penn showed a wealthy, influential American can waltz in and do some good within a few days. What a big mess this thing is.
And the corporations and corporate vultures are circling because they smell all the money that going to be poured in to Haiti.

[Atcha]

05:37 PM on 01/23/2010

I just read an interview from the UN Aid coordinator saying there's a two week waiting queue for landing authorization - doctors are needed but actors have nothing to do there

[BUSTERtheCAT]

08:39 AM on 01/24/2010

he is in there diggin, and you know spending all kinds of money

[Atcha]

10:52 AM on 01/24/2010

His money is needed, his presence has zero use

[Phxgwen]

10:10 AM on 01/24/2010

Perhaps that is why he brought 11 doctors with him.

[Atcha]

10:55 AM on 01/24/2010

The doctors are useful, he's not

[hulagirrrl]

03:58 PM on 01/23/2010

I love this actor/activist, he does what he believes in regardless of popularity. Makes great movies too.

[lioness39]

04:27 PM on 01/23/2010

co-signed.

[whatthel]

10:26 AM on 01/24/2010

Agreed.

[lionzion]

03:54 PM on 01/23/2010

Wyclef Jean on Ground Zero..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SunxiHP_eo4

[lionzion]

03:48 PM on 01/23/2010

Why is that, Huffpost showed Sean Penn in Haiti, but never showed, or reported about Wyclef Jean going to Haiti collecting dead bodies on the ground, a few days after the earthquake hits?. Wyclef is in Haiti now, where's Huffpost reporting of that?

[Furby2]

05:54 PM on 01/23/2010

Lionzion just provided a link of Wyclef giving an interview, but I'd certainly be interested in your link showing him doing body removal. As for Penn, they could only get a still photo of him. Guess he's busy passing out water purification systems.

[lionzion]

07:00 PM on 01/23/2010

He clearly stated in the interview, he and his wife were removing bodies all day long. Do you refute that?

[kathy001]

07:41 PM on 01/23/2010

Agreed. I'm glad to read this about Sean Penn but I've also been waiting for reports on Wyclef Jean.

[soundping]

05:37 AM on 01/24/2010

Make a report yourself and submit it to HP.

[Airedales Rock]

02:44 PM on 01/23/2010

Right or left, why can't anyone who at least is trying to help be given credit? Man, some of you people can't accept that there are good, honest people on both sides. Can you say tunnel vision.