#3309: Haitian orphan's story draws no crowds: Coradin comments

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Ahpaly Coradin <ahpaly@hotmail.com>

The Boston Globe story is on point in terms of describing the disparate 
treatment that Haitians and Cubans get, but one of the underlying reasons 
for this disparity is the relative weakness of the Haitian community in 
South Florida compared to the formidable political clout and social cohesion 
exhibited by the Cuban exiles.  Refugee policy in practice is first and 
foremost about the politics of desirability:  groups who are given asylum or 
refugee status are those who give the US government a political reason to 
desire them in this country.  Haitians have made individual strides in the 
US but as a community remain dissipated and therefore politically weak.  
Without sufficient economic power and political presence, the US government 
is neutral at best to our presence.  As upsetting as the Elian fiasco is on 
many fronts, it should serve as a lesson, wake-up call and notice to 
Haitians that until we start treating ourselves with more worth as 
Haitian-Americans, no one else will and, very arguably, no one else should.


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com