Today we are going to react to the scandal around Three Cups of Tea.
Please do the following:
1. Read this op/ed piece by Kristoff.
2. Read this interview with Greg Mortenson.
3. Read a summary of Three Cups of Deceit by Jon Krakaeur
4. Read this article in which the CAI responds.
- Now, in Google Docs, write your reaction to this controversy. How do you feel about it and why?
- Post your response on our blog.
- Then read 3-4 other students' responses and write reactions.
I feel betrayed. I don’t like Greg Mortenson now! No matter if he is guilty or not, he’s still guilty in my eyes. If he’s not guilty, why wouldn’t he do things correctly? He can do all of the mission statements that his organization spent into. Everything that the news said must be true, since they check the whole school list that the Mortenson built. It’s ridiculous to see a non-profit organization which doesn’t have a specific list where did they spend their money into. I would really like to see all of their economic activities and check if it’s all true. After that, I want to know if he can change the public opinion about his advertisement and trips all over the place to promote his work.
ReplyDeleteAfter I read those articles, I feel so sad and angry. As you can see, as time go on, people donated more and more money. We wanted to help the children, not to help you to sell the book. If you feel you are doing wrong, you have to give money back to the children.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear that news I feel very disappoint it. I feel my faith and idol is fail down. On “60 minutes” they show our the “three cup of tea” have many things are fabricate. And many school didn’t be use. There have no children and people right there. I feel I have be deceived. Right, Mr.Greg Mortenson he is not a bad person. He did many good things. But in some way I can’t accept that. I had collect penny and many student, they very enthusiastic about it. when they bring pennies for me I feel power and moving. I feel public welfare can’t have any selfish problem.
ReplyDeleteI feel very confused about this controversy of Greg Mortenson. We were reading his book “Three Cups of Tea,” and now there are lies about some information of the book. We all are humans, but lying at the world while there are a lot of eyes looking at you that is very bad. Mr. Mortenson lied and now he didn’t want to face the truth to “60 Minutes,” a huge controversy. I feel that all the people who are trying to help others, they are not going to do because they want it, but because they are interested. Perhaps they want power and later on abuse from it. I am very disappointed.
ReplyDeleteby Daniel
I feel very confused about this controversy because I don’t really know if Greg Mortenson is an honest or dishonest person. By reading all these opinions about “Three Cups of Tea” and its author, I feel that He is a person who just tried to do his best to help children get educated in Afghanistan. He seems to be a good person seeking how to help others. In the other hand, after watching “60 minutes” I felt very offended by Greg Mortenson and his organization because I was helping him by collecting pennies. To judge him, I will need more facts about it. Even though, I don’t think we should judge him if all what his opponents are saying is true because we don’t have the right to do so. Only God knows the true, that’s why he can judge him not us.
ReplyDeleteI feel betrayed. I don’t like Greg Mortenson now! It’s doesn’t matter if he did anything good the thing that he lie to the people who were trusting him he use people trust and bad way ,also he lie to little to the kids who were collecting money for him and now those kid know that people who are old lies so they wont trust anybody any more because he lie to them .From mine point of view he did bad thing even if he did build the school its always it doesn’t let him take rest of the money to him and making up the history .
ReplyDeleteI believe in Karma and whoever's in fault of the accusation, hopefully will get one. honestly, I think the scandal is true for a fact that the organization has only been audited once for its more than a decade of operation. I also think that using the organization's money for book touring was very unecessary. I think for it's well known philantrophy, it doesn't need advertising such as that and to know that the profit that it gets from the book aren't completely spent for the organization but for personal profit/interest. I think the only way to end this scandal or situation is by showing their finances and activities so that people would be doubtless, and so that the truth will calm everyone down.
ReplyDeleteI felt that was shock! I ‘m unbelievable Greg is a liar. He wants to got money to enjoy his life but he says “I want to use the money to build school in Pakistan.” Another way, he just wants more people buy his book. You know I think he is a hero before we got he is a liar. Now we will not believe Greg more and ever forever.
ReplyDeleteI think this scandel is so surprised to me.Before I saw this scandel,I was so excited.I collected pennies for supporting this organization.Now,I don't want to believe this.There are some sadness in my heart.How big this organization is.How does he lie to us?Our students want to raise money for them because we want to let our world to be an educated world.He injured me very much.
ReplyDeleteI feel disappointed about it. I don't know he is trying to earn money from that or not，but he built some schools in the Pakistan and he helped some kids over there specially some girls. He doesn't have to lie to others. He just have to tell others what he did.
ReplyDeleteWhen I knew that message first time, I was totally confused. I don’t know why he lied about good things he did. Even he only helped 3 school, we are glad to see it. I can’t accept if people lie for their own reputation.We need the trust. We all make mistakes, I hope he can get though it. At lease, he did good things. We don’t need to judge a person.
ReplyDeleteto WangJJ,
ReplyDeleteI know right. If he told us the trust, maybe we still could collect money for him and it would be OK.
I feel confuse about this controversy because Greg has a good starting point, but he uses his good reputation to cover his bad thing that he did. I knew he did a lot of good thing in the past. However, the real fact is he used our money to publish his books rather than to build schools for Pakistan's children. Also, we are donating the money for him. Right now, it turns in to a lie. It is hard to believe that is the fact.
ReplyDeleteDear, Chris
ReplyDeleteI also feel betrayed. Greg is smart person, but what he did is to making benefit for himself.
Dear, Heng Liang
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, we are also the people who donate money for him. Is so sad when I knew about the news.
Dear Weiwei,
ReplyDeleteI also feel confuse. There must be some facts in the news. Also, what Greg did also helpful in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Three Cup of Tea by Greg Mortenson is a controversial novel. Yet this is very inspiring for all but it is later found out as a false establishment. As a reader I felt disappointed knowing about this. In “60 minutes” they said that the book is not based on a real event. It was just a great publishment about him. It is also identified that in Afghanistan he didn’t build any school. It’s sad but true that Greg Mortenson was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Peace. He surely inspired a lot of people by his novel, but with false information. I think it is not acceptable for me to read a book which provides wrong information.
ReplyDeleteI feel very sad if it is true because many people were betrayed by people who told them that they will provide help to them I also feel angry because Greg Mortenson lies many people and it is not fear for the people who wait to be helped and it is not neither fear for the people who collect money to contribute a foundation which we don’t know if they are really helping the other people. Instead of doing things like Greg mortenson has done( if it is true), people should really help other people who really need help.
ReplyDeleteAs a reader I felt disappointed knowing about this. In “60 minutes” they said that the book is not based on a real event. It’s sad but true that Greg Mortenson was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Peace. He surely inspired a lot of people by his novel, but with false information. I think it is not acceptable for us to read a book which provides wrong information. But now after this event we should not trust so easly in others authors because we never know what really is going on
ReplyDeleteafter i saw "60 minute" i felt angry, betrayed because after hearing about his struggle and work not only me but people around the globe gave him a position of a hero. for bringing the light of education to the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan. but after seeing "60 min" all of our trust of broken. because in a way he cheated to the world and it's unforgivable.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this it really sad because I got my motivation from all of little children I watched on the video giving their money so they can make a big change. I can’t imagine how those kids are feeling right now. Beside this is so confusing I don’t know if children of Afghanistan will get the chance to have the same kind of education that I’m having . I just hope things will get better there and all afghan children will have the best education one day and our world will change.
ReplyDeleteI feel very angry and disappointed after knowing this crisis in “60 minutes”. I read some pages of The Three Cup of Tea by Greg Mortenson. I found it very inspiring. But now I am angry because some information is not correct. He didn’t build any school in Afghanistan. Reporter s said he was never kidnapped by Taliban. He made a false story to make his book famous. People also collect money for his organization. so it’s not acceptable to read his book.
ReplyDeleteThis notice about Greg Mortebsin was very surprise because to me Greg Mortenson was a wonderful person who help many childrens to have the opportunity to study but when I read this notice I was in shock, I couldn't believe it: now after think about it I don't really know what to say because I think he is not a bad person because he help at many childrens, he gave them the opportunity to study, but at the same time he lie other people making us feel disappointed.....I hope he can explain why he do that and what he can do to fix this.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading those articles I feel betrayed, disappointed and kind of angry. I was so excited for raising money for this foundation, because I really felt inspired to help building schools in places that lacked of education. After reading three cups of tea I felt so motivated by this cause...it encouraged me to really put some effort on helping. However, now it's so dissapointing that all our help wasn't really going to the direction we hoped it would go. I just don't get it..what's the point of exaggerating and changing the true about some as important as a good cause. It's silly to trust on a non profile organization, because if you cannot see openly where the money you are donating it's going, then why you should trust them? It's so sad all this situation.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s very disrespectful for that story to even be true. And those people who thinks it is, i do not believe it at all. Although it might be true but to even have a little doubt about his work i need more proof than just a simple article. People thinks too negative these days. Or i am not taking any sides here, i just need to see myself it’s impossible to make all that story for so long and it’s now that they are having doubts. It is unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteSeeimng the 60 minutes video made me feel angry at myself. i couldnt believe that he, a human rights activist would do something like that. i think it isnt fair to anyone. I think that the argument is true because everyone has a right to know where all that money is going and who is it helping. Selling the book wasnt as important as raising money for the schools. He shouldnt have dissapointed us and all the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan in that way.
ReplyDeleteAfter I read this articles I felt so strange asking to my self if those things that people said about Greg Mortenson are real. But I don’t know what happened what is the truth, only he knows what he did , but I think he is a good person, he did a lot of good things to help people specially children in Pakistan and Afghanistan and we cannot judge him and I hope he can faced this problems and also tell the truth to the people and explain what happened.
ReplyDeleteBy Silvia S
While watching the "60 minutes", i started revealing that Greg Mortenson wasn't entirely faithful to us the readers of "Three Cups of Tea" and the people of Afghanistan, also Pakistan people. But then i thought that, it's always good to try to see or think under the box. Meaning that, we are not so sure that he lied about everything that he did or didn't. There is always a rumor about someone's success, whether or not he/she deserved his accomplishment. I am not on his side but i am just trying not to judge others because of what others are saying about them.
ReplyDelete