6514: Haiti now: Chamberlain responds to Henrius (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

C. Henrius wrote:

> The whole situation supports my growing 
> belief that Haiti's number one problem is 
> not poverty, lack of democracy, over-population, 
> de-forestation or any of the other maladies often 
> named as her downfall.  Haiti's biggest problem 
> is her proximity to the United States

There really is no more crippling notion that can be spread in Haiti than
this one.  That if only the evil old USA would go away then Haiti's
problems would pretty much be solved.  The invitation to believe in a
single spectacular solution that would implicitly inaugurate a golden era,
a land of milk and honey.  

The average thinking Haitian of whatever social class is well aware of what
the country's real problems are and the need to tackle them urgently.  

But demagogues, politicians and local (and foreign) ideologues incapable or
unwilling to do anything practical to help Haiti will always see rich
rewards to be gained by persuading people to blame an easy and obvious
external target.  This is little more than a criminal and tragic attempt to
divert a heroic people's energies from what needs to be done (with or
without outside help) at home.  


        Greg Chamberlain