29204: Leiderman, re: "the Spanish isle" (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Stuart Leiderman leiderman@mindspring.com
20 September 2006

 Ain't it the truth, Gerard?  Sometimes, broadcasters and writers do
 indeed incorrectly refer to Haiti as "Hispagnola."  You'd think Americans
 raised on Walt Disney and Johnny Depp revel and actually believe in a
 kind of 17th century pirate-world...shrouded canvas flapping above the
 waves, silhouettes of palm trees through rusty spyglasses, trunks of gold
 doubloons buried just over horizon, bloody knives clenched between the
 teeth, Jolly Roger's leering from cruise ship masts above above bursting
 buffet tables...

 Notwithstanding the forces of globalization, wars, natural disasters and
 all the television exposure to National Geographic, Nova, the Weather
 Channel and "Secrets of the Dead," Americans seem to resist geographic
 literacy; this is well-documented and teachers pull their hair out
 because of it.  There must be a deep-seated vulnerability to imaginary or
 incorrect place-names.  Back in the '60s and '70s, for example, I'm sure
 some people thought there was a place called "Camelot" out on Cape Cod.
 And today, I bet 9 in 10 think "Gitmo" is a chain of sandwich shops.

 Well, if astronomers can gather and tell the world that Pluto is no
 longer a planet, then I'm sure we can purge the national-name registry of
 Hispagnola.  I'd start with Haiti's Permanent Mission to the United
 Nations.  In fact, because this week is show-and-tell time in New York
 City for all the member states, a quick word to the Haiti mission might
 yield immediate results.  Their phone is 212.370.4840   A press
 conference with The Haitian League at the General Assembly might be just
 the ticket.

 Note:  Web-browsing "Hispagnola" brings up 1,890 citations, but
 "Hispaniola" brings up 1,240,000.  Your research may be more fruitful
 with the latter spelling.

"Avast, mateys!"

Stuart Leiderman
leiderman@mindspring.com