#1824: Re: #1810: Helping Haitians: Auguste replies

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:JRAuguste1@aol.com

My personal opinion regarding this helping Haitians in Haiti business is 
based upon what I have always been told while growing up "Aides-toi et le 
ciel t'aidera." 

It seems to me that too many Haitians in Haiti have developed a habit of 
waiting for a "papa" or "tonton nwel" to help them with everything. 

On one hand, a great number of Haitians are found of saying "we are 
independent; this (Haiti) is an independent country; nous sommes fiers; 1804; 
etc., etc." and more empty statements of the same genre, and on the other 
hand "What is the international community (read "the Americans") going to do 
for us." These two sets of concepts are antagonistic to each other and cannot 
exist side by side. It has to be one or the other, unless of course one is 
not too proud to beg.  

As to your statement that "when enough people in Haiti tell me to leave them 
alone, then I will stop being interested [her]. I don't think that is going 
to happen anytime real soon." , you are absolutely correct. 

With the above mentioned mentality/trend, few of those in need in Haiti will 
tell you to leave them alone. They have never been taught how to say that and 
never will learn that on their own. Too many Haitians in Haiti have been 
"accidentally" trained to become beggars on the international level. They 
will not ask you to leave them alone anytime soon. The hope is that in one's 
zeal to help, one doesn't just help ad infinitum but rather shows the 
targeted Haitians how to help themselves. 

I believe that professional helpers will never take this indicated path for 
sooner or later there will not be any need for them. I never met any police 
officer who strived to eliminate crimes entirely for the simple fact that he 
would sooner or later, by his own doing, be out of a job. 

I have been called cynical before, so don't even think about it. 

PS. How am I doing as the devil's advocate?