On the Disaster in Haiti, and the Coverage
The footage from Haiti is absolutely heartbreaking.
If you’ve got a loved one in Haiti, my thoughts are with you. I can only imagine the anguish you must feel today.
Every person there is precious. Every injured person and every fatality represents a disaster for a family. I can only hope that rescuers arrive swiftly to save all those who can be saved, and that relief arrives promptly with food, clean water, and hospital supplies.
I’m donating, as I’m hoping you’ll do, too. Every little bit helps.
And I don’t want to fixate on the casualty figures, as Wolf Blitzer is doing. He acts like he’ll be sorely disappointed if it doesn’t exceed 100,000. He’s turning himself into a pornographer of disaster, a carnival barker of death.
And I don’t want to hear, as I did on the Weather Channel, of all places, about how pathetic Haiti is, and always was. Nor do any of us need to hear the rantings of Pat Robertson blaming yet another calamity on the victims.
I had to turn to BET to hear some welcome insight about how Haiti has a rich history of fighting for freedom and how its art, music, religious practices, and literature add tremendously to the world’s cultural stockpile.
What I want to hear, now, is how the people in Haiti themselves are fighting heroically to save lives.
And I want to know, now, is that our government is doing all it can in this regard, too.
We are not Americans. They are not Haitians. We are all human beings.
Matthew Rothschild is the editor of The Progressive magazine. To subscribe for just $14.97 a year, just click here.
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Comments
Go back and thoroughly read the History of Haiti
then get back with me.
As usual, you are right about many things, while not seeing the big picture.
These people have been raped by all the majors powers, the US included, as well as their Dictators installed by the same.
Hell, whenever Britain, the US, Germany, or France, were needing some extra cash, they have been known to, actually and physically, loot the Haitian Treasury.
And, as I said, under the tender loving care of the UN and IMF, these people have been allowed to starve.
Yes, we should send in men and other aide to assist.
Looting, murder, and mayhem, must be stopped.
But how about requesting and allowing volunteers
to head down there and assist.
Anyone but the Military, as they are designed and trained to screw stuff up, which is their mission, ultimately, if you stop and think about it.
I mean, they didn't exactly help very much with Katrina, down in New Orleans, but granted that they were very good at going to the High Ground Neighborhoods and seizing Firearms from Law Abiding citizens.
Also, they were very good at blocking escape routes out of the city, making sure suffering continued for those trapped in the city.
My guess is the people in Haiti will be disarmed, indiscriminately and permanently, as a result.
But I also temper my statement, with the knowledge, that in recent years, we have wanted to move back into Haiti, on general purposes, but have been persuaded not to, until this convenient crisis.
On thing for sure, in all our historical occupations
and interventions in that Country, we have never accomplished anything but mischief.
And all the millions and billions spent, have never went to the Haitian people, which is the usual M.O.
in these cases, should you care to examine them.
It always goes to the Baby Docs, or whatever War Lord
and President for life, who uses the money however
he has been told to, and often it is earmarked for population control and reduction -- hence you have people eating mud, out of hunger.
If all the money, the US alone has spent in aide, was used for the purpose sold to us, I believe the World at large, would already be well fed and prosperous.
Still, my question -- are we to be leaving?
But, let me add, better to have our military there than over here.