#1462: Labling of Haiti: Dorce comments

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:LAKAT47@aol.com


Bob Corbett:
<<The trick is:  how does one attract people to go beyond the
exaggerated generalizations and to care about deeper sperspectives?
That qustion seems more hopeful than holding us to silence about the very
things that drew so many of us into interest in Haiti in the first place.>>
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One thing that I have always known about Haiti is that not everyone is
able to see that country with the same eyes as mine, but when I do meet
people who love Haiti, it is almost certain that I will like them and find 
them
simpatico to my own feelings about many things besides Haiti.  There are 
those who will never see Haiti as anything but a poor country (yes, the 
poorest
in the Western Hemisphere!), who will only see the squalor of La Saline and 
never speak to a poor Haitian, for whatever reason, to find out the wonder of 
Haiti.  The hope that will not die, the humor that somehow still springs forth
in spite of dire conditions, the innate intelligence that manages to teach 
the 
most learned and erudite among us if we only listen.  Those people hear 
"that phrase" and nod sagely...."yep I been there.....very very poor."  As far
as I'm concerned, if that is where people stop when describing Haiti, that
is where I stop connecting with them.  Haiti is in need of great change, I
know that, but I hope what doesn't change is the richness of spirit and 
culture
that feeds the emptiness in my material saturated heart.  There is already a 
"France"!

Thankful for the Corbett list where I can speak of Haiti with those who 
understand what I am saying,

Kathy Dorce'