#5277: The Haitian Press...where are we going? (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LMB <lauretteb@yahoo.com>

Perspective from a Haitian-American,

It is the following line from Greg Chamberlain that prompted my response:

          "At least Haiti en Marche and Haitian Times, for all their
          failings, are not given over, week after week, to sneering 
          and hatred."



Foremost, I would like to state that I am talking for myself and not for
the group or a group. Therefore, when one responds to this post they are
responding to me a private citizen. Let us have a civil conversation and a
FRESH exchange of views and LET US AGREE TO DISAGREE.

I have been silent for most on the debates on this list but for once I
feel the need to voice my opinion on this subject.

For the past ten years, I have been an avid reader of the three main
Haitian Newspapers at the time—Haiti en Marche, Haiti Progres and Haiti
Observateur. Even when I was on campus, I would not hesitate to walk 50 to
60 blocks to look for the three of them. I also use to listen to every
single radio station (Haitian) that existed particularly during the “Coup”
years. 
 
But it has been more than ten years now, and, frankly I got burned out. I
am in my early thirties and all the while, my friends and family use to
laugh at me because they always thought that I was “obsessed” with Haitian
news. I think that, rather, I was holding on and wanted to know everything
that was going on In Haiti. There were many reasons for this during that
period, but I feel that I have outgrown this and frankly I got SICK and
TIRED of the SAME OLD DISCOURSE. I also got tired of the format and some
of the poor reporting. As in many other things in our community, we fail
to realize that we are all changing, that there are profound currents
moving people and events around us and that we have to either change,
adapt or we will be left out. 

The only newspaper I read regularly is The Haitian Times and the
editorials of Haiti en Marche (which by the way are available on the Net).
First, I wanted to support this new effort, and I admit, I wanted an
infusion of young blood in the dogma-prone discourse which is way old
today (to my very humble and personal opinion. Second, I like the fact
that it is mainly concerned with the Haitian American community. There is
absolutely nothing wrong with it since there are already three other
papers that are focusing on the motherland, Haiti. Probably my great
attraction to this paper is the fact that it has understood something, it
needs to use of the MEANS that now exist to communicate with its
readership: it has a presence on the WWW. As a matter of fact this is
where I was originally introduced to it, while surfing the Net.

It seems that we are unable to pass the baton to a new generation--“faire
ecole” as some would say. Where is the succession? We seem to be caught up
in the past, not that I am and advocate of forgetting our history, be it
the legacy of Duvalierism & Macoutism to Haitian politics and society at
large. These were very deep movements that have marked our community
deeply to the point that even when we join organizations, groups or any
other civic movement, we are always looking behind our backs. 

All events that have marked us as a people, whether at home or
abroad, are important to be remembered and analyzed. But the problem I
have is when everything we discuss goes back to these events. Some will
say that I am too young to understand, others will say what is she talking
about. I say take a new perspective and be progressive when wanting to
discuss issues in the community. Perhaps if we all had the wisdom to
understand that we can bring something to the table, we would have more
dynamic discussions in this forum.

respectfully yours,
Laurette





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