#2709: Dorce replies to Bellegarde-Smith

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:LAKAT47@aol.com

In a message dated 03/05/2000 12:16:37 PM Pacific Standard Time, P D 
Bellegarde-Smith <pbs@csd.uwm.edu> writes:

<< Why do Haitians 
 hold on so tenaciously to their national religion? To their national
 language? What is the meaning of "civilized" and "primitive?" And who
 defines? How and why? So many questions most people have never entertained
 (and never will want to think about beyond this post)! Why do some of you
 feel anger reading these lines?   >>
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I feel here is the essence of why Haiti is so attractive to many of us 
non-Haitians who have adopted this country as their own or at least Haiti 
holds a special place in their hearts.  What has so called progress gotten us 
here in the US??  With technology designed to save time and energy, instead 
of having more time for our families and ourselves, we simply do more things. 
 The more money we make, the more we spend and the more we acquire and the 
further away from our spirituality we go.  We know in our hearts that none of 
it makes us happy and so we look to Haiti to see what in the world do they 
have to be laughing about.  They hold on to their religion and their language 
because it's THEIRS, two of the few things they can say that about.  It is 
their identity.....whether they consciously hold on to them for that reason 
or not I do not know.  But I know that I hope Kreyol always lives and I know 
Vodou always will.  It is what defines that country regardless of what the 
petit Francais say.  Without those two things it is just another Caribbean 
stop for either a cruise ship or a plane load of beach lovers.  Haiti's 
spirit is what got ahold of me and won't let go.  Believe me, if everyone in 
Haiti were like the elite families, there would be no Corbett list or people 
with a Haiti jones that won't quit.  Even those of you I am disparaging (for 
that forgive me, I am indelicate) will agree with that assessment after 
really thinking on it.  Vive la primitif!  

Kathy Dorcé