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Will We Still Love Haiti Tomorrow? By Blanche Africa Reilly Dark
Blanche Reilly Africa Dark, Clark Dark’s mother, and the matriarch to us all at YouThinkWhat, speaks about the tragedy in the Caribbean island nation of Haiti.
I’m having trouble understanding how until last week’s powerful earthquake struck in Haiti, most of us in the Western hemisphere thought it was no big deal for the people there to live as they have all these years in heartrending poverty and squalor. In fact many Americans did not know such a place exists. I am confident when I say many can not point to it on a world map. Of course considering many Americans do not know where they are, it is not surprising to know they can not identify the location of the object of this outpouring of human concern.I believe Mother Earth rebels against the way she is treated with a display of natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, hurricanes, and tidal waves. Earthquakes are not the least of these rebellious displays.
When such natural events occur all of us become re-connected with our humanity. We help because but for grace it could be us. It is a great outpouring of love for our fellow humans following a major disaster.
For years the Haitian part of the island of Hispaniola has suffered nearly every economic and social calamity known to man wrought by man. Few if any cared to help stem the rising mortality rates, levels of hunger and sickness.; except to vacation and purchase native art and return to the U.S. to tell of the weather, the scenery and the devastating poverty.
Some return to talk of the bargains in jewelry, fragrances, liquor and slaves. Yes, for a small tidy sum one can purchase a personal slave. It’s not well known in the U.S. that Haiti is one of many nations where criminals are dealing in human trafficking.
Now in the new year 2010 as a result of the powerful earthquake that struck the country last week, we have two former American presidents raising money for Haiti. During both their administrations they did little to help change the destiny for the good of hundreds of thousands of inhabitants of the island nation. One of these presidents two did whatever he darn well pleased during his stolen presidency. I am very confident he could have provided more financial aid to the people of Haiti B.E (Before the Earthquake).
We have numerous celebrities rallying for the moment to help Haitians who survived the disaster. This will enhance their tax status deductibles and provide the all important public exposure for something other than public drunkenness or sex scandal.
All of our co-workers and associates who are of Haitian descent with current family connections to the island are now in the spotlight. Some of them are people who have been all but ignored by the same folk who are rushing to give, give, give to Haitian relief.
While the majority of the countries in other hemispheres are sending large sums of money, medical supplies, fresh water, and food, the United States government officially is sending a pittance of financial support and plenty of military personnel to maintain the peace; because after all “when a disaster of this kind occurs there will be looters and those who will wish to take advantage of the situation”; malingerers, and thieves such as the ones we saw in New Orleans in the aftermath of the hurricane Katrina. You know people looting food and diapers and water to help their families survive. You know people being shot because they are in the way of the military personnel who want to do what soldiers do.
In July of 2010, six months after this tragic event will we still be consumed by concern for the people of Haiti? When all the scam artists have squeezed as much money from the public as possible will we still want to pray for and send help to Haiti?
I know many of us will continue to express our compassion and our love by collecting food, clothing, money and insuring it is distributed to the proper channels. Many will do all they can to be certain the resources go where they will do the most good.
Every ad I see or news story I hear further publicizing the need for donations to the Haitian survivors of the earthquake, causes me to wonder “Will we still love them tomorrow?”
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