The news coverage of the Haitian earthquake is understandably showing people who are stunned and in agony. But before the disaster, Port-au-Prince was a very different place -- poor, certainly, but incredibly busy.
Everyone was working at something, from dawn into the night. The market women, known as "Madam Saras," sat all day in the hot sun behind little piles of fruits and vegetables, or stacks of "Kennedy" -- second-hand clothing from the United States nicknamed for the president in office when the first shipments arrived. Other vendors, mainly men, moved through the rundown city all day, ringing little bells to advertise shoe shines, or clinking metal openers against bottles of cold drink.
Still other people lined all the streets, pumping away at foot-pedal sewing machines, fixing bald tires, banging at scrap metal, pushing heavy, two-wheeled carts, clearing out the clogged drains, or sitting behind manual typewriters outside government buildings as, literally, "scribes," who would fill out your official forms for a fee.
Children were everywhere, dressed in school uniforms of every imaginable combination of colors, from the more traditional navy blue with white shirts and blouses to lemon yellow and bright checked green. Their schools had some interesting names: College Rene Descartes, or in the poor district of Carrefour, (which was hit especially hard by the earthquake), a storefront called Isaac Newton.
The children, like their parents, were spotless, the little girls with colored ribbons in their hair, as they stepped over mounds of garbage and gigantic potholes, even in the better-off neighborhoods, and pools of stinking water left over from the rains. At night, you would see students standing under street lights, studying their textbooks outside, because their homes had no electricity.
Over the past few days, certain mainstream commentators have shown more than their usual foolishness to trying to explain why Haiti is so poor. We will have more to say here at this site about this in the days to come. But for now we can at least safely conclude that Haiti is not poor because Haitians are lazy, or do not value education.
James North has visited Haiti many times, his last visit two months ago.
Hey, this is just a return of what happened in New Orleans. No matter, just keep
paying Israel its blank checks. After all, the Israelis are needy–and you need
to insure your American career. Calling Chris Matthews…. Now, there’s a good Catholic altar boy if I have ever have seen one–and I use to be one; before I grew up. OTH, Chris is well known, not poor, and who ever heard of me?
Blackwater show up there yet to “keep order”?
But for now we can at least safely conclude that Haiti is not poor because Haitians are lazy, or do not value education.
Thank you.
David Brooks’ twofer this week is too good to be true: Jews smart culture, Haitians stupid culture.
Here is a link from a morning discussion (today) this is very informative, the first 18 minutes are currently what is taking place in Haiti. From than on it takes a historic turn and is done so well (though brief), that I recommend listening to the entire program. It is a round table discussion –
HAITI
As you listen to this I am sure after a period of time you will begin to understand some of my consternation at certain posts on this issue earlier. I promise those who are not well informed will have a little better grasp of what is currently REALLY taking place there, and will get a short primer on Haiti’s history.
Today people were discussing “Jewish values” and whether Jewish charities provided aid primarily to Jews. I have been praising Israel for swiftly mobilizing to send aid to Haiti, but now I wonder who are the intended recipients.
So a hundred thousand people may be dead and buried in the rubble, people are having to loot in order to find food, and their priority is challah and Shabbat wine?
That is limited to the Chabad emissaries as it is there mission to help Jews worldwide, I’ve heard there is a relief effort far wider in scope from Israel than the Rabbis from Chabad
“But for now we can at least safely conclude that Haiti is not poor because Haitians are lazy, or do not value education.”
I agree. I just read the following articles that might be interesting :
link to commondreams.org
link to commondreams.org
P.S. I’ve never linked on this forum so I hope this works.
Thanks for the links; the articles are helpful.
You’re welcome, James. Cheers.