12214: Re: 12198--Reparations (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: riwilson <RIWILSON@maf.org>

        It would be interesting to know how much aid to Haiti the
     governments noted have given both formally and informally; grants and
     loans combined.  It would also be interesting to discover how much
     money flows into Haiti via NGO's (Non-Governmental Agencies) and
     humanitarian and Christian aid groups.
        Just as interesting would be to know who received it in Haiti, how
     did they spend it, what can they show for it?
        The Dominican Republic is also two thirds of the island of
     Hispanola.  While it has had political and economic troubles as well,
     it is considerably more prosperous and the life expectancy is much
     greater.  What is the difference socially, economically and
     politically between the eastern two-thirds and western one-third of
     Hispanola.  They share the same history.
        Blaming the imperialist powers for Haiti's troubles only flies so
     far before crashing.  Seeking reparations for past sins is like the
     tort practices of the United States legal system.
        Find someone with deep pockets, make the semblance of an argument
     and collect your money.  Most businesses  and professional people
     settle out of court in order to avoid the expenses involved in
     litigating the case, not because they are guilty of wrong-doing.  A
     recent example is Walmart settling for $130,000.00 out of court on a
     plea of nolo contendere because a young man bought bullets in their
     store and used them to cvommit suicide.  His surviving family then
     contended that somehow Walmart bore some responsibility for the use
     the young man made of the bullets.  The sole responsibility was on the
     shoulders of the young man for his actions.  The greed of his
     survivors and the lawyers who aided them is inexcusable.  But perhaps
     also inexcusable is the moral weakness of Walmart for not fighting a
     ridiculous and frivolous lawsuit no matter the cost--because it is
     morally right to do so.
        Haitians must also take responsibility for their actions and
     decisions.  After almost two hundred years the burden of
     responsibility surely has shifted to Haiti and its people.  The
     argument that is used in court by those accused, "But judge, you don't
     understand, I had no father or mother, I was abused and neglected.
     That's why I HAD to do this," is not valid for an individual nor for a
     country.  The bottom line is, "YOU chose to do this."  Countries make
     choices, good and bad just as people do--and both must live with the
     consequences.
        Many years ago I was a probation officer for Morgan County,
     Indiana.  Probationers were regularly called before judge Smith for
     failure to pay fines and court costs and reparations to the court and
     their victims.  The judges interrogation always began the same way,
        "Do you smoke?"
        "Do you eat out at McDonald's?"
        "Do you go to ball games, bars, etc."
     The answers were invariably, "Yes."
        The judges answer was always the same.  "Then  you can afford to
     pay.  Use the money you spend on smoking, drinking, eating out and
     partying to pay your bills."
        That's good advice for anyone, especially a country such as Haiti.
     Policy decisions and enforcement of laws and regulations would go far
     toward solving problems in Haiti.
        I hear much rhetoric about the Haitian constitution by Lavalas,
     Convergence and others--but I see little respect and loyalty toward
     it.  Things will not change much until those who take an oath to
     support and defend Haiti in an official capacity, judges, police,
     officials of EDH and CAMEP, legislators etc. do so without respect to
     their political party, friends or themselves.  Their loyalty must be
     solely to the constitution of Haiti and thus to the good of the
     present and future Haiti--not the one of the past.
        That will be the beginning point for real reform and economic and
     social progress.

     Richard Wilson