And again here we are seeing the suffering of millions of blacks on worldwide TV due to a natural disaster. A week after the event, already the media and other outlets are making this tragedy seem like another Katrina all over again. All the key factors are in place: large predominantly black poor population, a massive natural disaster of epic proportions, a lackluster relief effort from the U.S. government and a history of unfair economic policies from one toward the other.
Of course, all of this is passed off as "routine" and nothing to write home about. Really? When was the last time a hurricane killed almost 200,000 people on any part of the planet? And given that the numbers have been over 100,000 since the event first occurred, why isn't there a massive relief campaign equal to the scale of the tragedy? As I speak only one functioning field hospital has been set up in the country, by Israel, from thousands of miles away. Where are the U.S. field hospitals?
By now if anyone believes in America being a savior to or helpful to blacks in any sense of the term, they must be retarded. Of course, mass media won't say that the U.S. could care less that the victims of one of the largest natural disasters in recent history are continuing to die because of U.S. racism. Of course not. Nope, they will wait until the people get desperate because there is no food and water and especially after they begin to really realize that NOBODY gives a f*ck about them. However, that anger and desperation will be portrayed as simply blacks being violent and looting when in reality that isn't the case. Again, Katrina becomes an all too similar. And just like Katrina, the U.S. will wait until things cannot get more desperate and people are at wits end and things get really out of hand, to make a big show of coming in and "saving the day". Well if Katrina is any example then, "saving the day" could mean thousands more Haitians disappearing on top of the thousands already lost....
The most tragic part of all of this is that now the U.S. has a black president, which goes to show just how meaningless that is.
And the biggest question black folks should be asking is not white folks won't do more to help, because given the history of white folks, such a question is only obvious. Nope, the question is why black folks don't have the doctors, medicine, tents, clothing, food needed for this type of calamity nor the ships, helicopters and planes to send it there. To say that blacks still depend wholly and fully on the niceness of white folks as opposed to the millions of blacks in the diaspora, to survive in this day and age in the face of tragedy is an even bigger travesty.
But somehow the image we get of Haiti is of "god fearing" Africans worshiping and faithful to the white Jesus, even though the white folks that gave them Jesus have never been good to them.
quote: Surviving the massive quake that rocked Haiti was just the beginning. Experts say the new dangers -- among them, deaths from untreated wounds and disease outbreak -- may be compounded by Haiti's old problem: poverty.
"That creates a lot of challenges," said David Gazashvili, emergency team leader in Haiti for the humanitarian group CARE, "because Haiti is a country that's in a chronic emergency in terms of food insecurity, in terms of access to clean water, in terms of income."
Giuseppe Annunziata, the World Health Organization's emergency coordinator for Haiti, says the "big earthquake, right in the capital of a very poor and fragile state," created a humanitarian nightmare because basic health care services have "completely collapsed."
iReport: Looking for loved ones?
"It's compounded by the fact that the state structure is so severely hit and the existing humanitarian structure has also been severely hit," Annunziata said. "And we have to deal with that."
Many victims could die from wounds that under normal circumstances would be easily treatable; a lack of food and clean water raises concerns over disease outbreaks. And people who were getting treatment for HIV and other chronic diseases no longer have access to care. Video: Infections 'out of control' Video: U.S. lawmaker on baby's rescue Gallery: Devastation from Haiti earthquake 10 biggest quakes since 1900 RELATED TOPICS
* Haiti * Earthquakes * Port-au-Prince
"People suffering from cancer, people who need dialysis and even moms who need to deliver their kids -- all these things are being affected by this emergency," said Paul Garwood, a spokesman for the WHO's Health Action in Crises team.
So is that why the U.S. as of today still does not have a functioning field hospital in Haiti? I mean if a small island country is rocked by an earthquake how can you speak of infrastructure? Isn't devastation to be expected? Even though Haiti is poor, that has nothing to do with the lack luster response from the U.S. and other Western Countries and the U.N. who was more concerned about pulling out people who could help than helping victims and leaving them to die.
In fact, my distrust of the Red Cross and other agencies is why I haven't donated any money yet. I don't believe it will actually go to the people who need it, because I know how rotten white folks in power can get.
Posted by Grumman (Member # 14051) on :
While aid is starting to pick up considerably the lack of a substantial number of field hospitals should be a concern to everyone. Other countries are aggravated at the U.S. military for not allowing planes to land at the only airport in Haiti; the military spokesman in todays local newspaper (wire services) says they just don't want anybody landing there. Like who, other counties with aid? Furthermore if the only airport is a concern and fuel on the island is lacking then why aren't provisions made within the U.S. Government to give these planes refueling stops on its soil, presumably Florida, so as to make the countries offering aid more easily expedited. Other countries have complained as noted above yet I haven't seen an explanation as to what is really going on here. Here it is a week after and people are still basically seeing to themselves.
''In fact, my distrust of the Red Cross and other agencies is why I haven't donated any money yet. I don't believe it will actually go to the people who need it, because I know how rotten white folks in power can get.''
I have to agree on the Red Cross and other agencies not being the only way simply because during the Katrina debacle there was a big article in the local paper about how money was handled and spent; the Red Cross ranked low on the list in my estimation simply because there were too many middle people with big salaries. My wife and I settled on the Salvation Army as that outfit seemd to have the least need to spend on big salaries and therefore most of the mmoney they received actually did the most good. I suppose that holds true today.
I haven't donated yet because of those concerns but will keep an eye open to local avenues.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
But seriously do these donations even work? The most praised nations such a China and India were those who were able to borrow capital to develop core infrastructure in order to attract foreign investment.
Those even more prosperous such as Italy and Spain had a long history of receiving grants from European states. That has led to these nations developing into first world nations. Black communities in US or their Haitian counterpart haven't seen this kind of capital. The Katrina situation is rather ironic.
US provided billions in grants to European states to develop after WWII (Marshal Plan), yet they cannot do the same in African and Native Americans communities. That was after both wee not able to access the New Deal or the prior G.I. Bills. The privatization of the secondary mortgage institution, Fannie Mae, led to profits being prioritized over development.
Those two groups become the most over represented in the sub-prime crisis with the losses incurred in the Black and Hispanic community being the largest in the history of US. Am I in the minority for viewing this rather odd? As for Haiti, if the state wasn't hijacked every ten years and pinned down with economic sanctions, this nation would've been much more prosperous.
Posted by Grumman (Member # 14051) on :
Whaever the political reasons are and were Bob_01 the people need help now, not analysis.
Posted by xyyman (Member # 13597) on :
From what I read - The US has run interference many times in Haiti. . . .
Posted by Mike111 (Member # 9361) on :
Doug M - I understand your reluctance to give money to the American Red Cross, I don't trust them either.
I gave to Wyclef Jeans Yele Haiti Foundation, but there are now innuendo swirling about that charity - which he denies. (You can never tell if it's just White people trying to bring down a Black man, or simply a crooked Black man - there is plenty of both).
If you don't like Yele, there is always UNICEF.
Posted by Brada-Anansi (Member # 16371) on :
I am doing a collection drive to the UN Habitat for Humanity,I did before with the Tsunami some yrs ago,But really I don't want it to go to cover over head..but how do you get it to the front lines other than going there yourself?
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
quote:Originally posted by Grumman: Whaever the political reasons are and were Bob_01 the people need help now, not analysis.
People didn't need help prior to the earthquakes? That nation had one of the lowest life expectancy rate in the world. The nation saw its essential infrastructure destroyed by foreign powers and now we hear that people are actually going to be "assisted".
Sounds too dubious. Let's see if the marginal pledged aid figures (no choice for the nation considering it's foreign-controlled) are going to be met. Building roads, water sanitation, expanding medical facilities are not going to be possible with that money.
I wonder if Cuba is going to be involved in the humanitarian effort. The nation has superb medical facilities and is playing a huge role providing physicians and low-cost solutions to third world nation. It's a leader in this regard and should be used.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
Seems like Cuba is involved:
Haiti Students Home from Cuba to Help
HAVANA TIMES, Jan. 20 — Some 50 Haitian fifth year medical students studying at Cuba’s Latina American Medical School (ELAM) arrived in Port au Prince on Tuesday to join the relief effort to a large extent organized by the Cuban physicians and specialists.
The Cuban brigade over 400 strong —a permanent fixture in Haiti for most of the last decade—, is also reinforced by a similar number of Haitians graduates from ELAM, founded in 1998.
The Cuban News Agency reported that the med students arrived in Haiti along with a tent hospital and other materials to work at several points in the capital and outlying areas.
Emergency Earthquake Appeal: Support Cuban-Trained Haitian Doctors
January 17, 2010--The effects of the disastrous earthquake in Haiti will be long term. That's why MEDICC and Global Links (Pittsburgh, PA) are sending material aid to the Cuban-trained Haitian doctors on the front lines in Haiti's public hospitals and clinics. Now 400-strong, they were already on the ground when disaster struck, serving in 120 communities throughout the country, including the hard-hit capital of Port-au-Prince.
Graduates of the Latin American Medical School in Cuba, these doctors come from some of Haiti's poorest regions, and will stay long after the initial disaster response is over. Like the 370 Cuban medical personnel who work with them, they are committed for the long-term to improving health and health care in Haiti.
And so are Global Links and MEDICC: together, we are organizing a recovery and long-term medical assistance program relying on decades of experience in regional material aid cooperation, and with Cuba and Haiti in particular. We will be working with representatives of the Haitian graduates of the Latin American Medical School to identify needs for medicines, medical supplies and equipment. And we will get these supplies directly to them.
While US law does not allow Cuban doctors in Haiti to receive these essential medical materials--the US embargo taking its toll post-disaster--the MEDICC and Global Links team will help ensure distribution to the young Haitian physicians working in public hospitals and clinics alongside the Cuban team, seeing hundreds of patients daily.
For health's sake...
We need your help to raise the funds for this joint effort--and to raise the policy bar by replacing hostility towards Cuba with cooperation when it comes to the health of the hemisphere--Haiti deserves nothing less. And Haiti's young doctors need your support now.
Therefore, to depend on the sympathy and organization and institutions of white society to care for and provide for the interests of black folks is a sad case of misunderstanding the reality of the need for nationhood and what nationhood really means.
Posted by Recovering Afro-holic (Member # 17311) on :
Haitians chanting "Viva USA" during the relief effort.
So you see, while some certified aholes kick dirt on western countries who are actually helping (US), the Haitians don't seem to mind.
Actually they are cheering the US on! In a situation like this, I think the Haitians have more say than some ahole from the comfort of his >>>western home<<<, on a computer typing up some post lambasting the west.
Posted by Grumman (Member # 14051) on :
Bob_01 asks:
''People didn't need help prior to the earthquakes?''
Stop the bullsh.t talk. They need help now regardless of your faulty line of thinking. When this situation is stabilized then continue your prattle.
''That nation had one of the lowest life expectancy rate in the world. The nation saw its essential infrastructure destroyed by foreign powers and now we hear that people are actually going to be "assisted".
So I take it you don't want to donate one red cent to the effort because you fear some mismanaging by foreign powers? Don't do it then. And shut...up.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
quote:Originally posted by Grumman: Bob_01 asks:
''People didn't need help prior to the earthquakes?''
Stop the bullsh.t talk. They need help now regardless of your faulty line of thinking. When this situation is stabilized then continue your prattle.
''That nation had one of the lowest life expectancy rate in the world. The nation saw its essential infrastructure destroyed by foreign powers and now we hear that people are actually going to be "assisted".
So I take it you don't want to donate one red cent to the effort because you fear some mismanaging by foreign powers? Don't do it then. And shut...up.
Moron, do you even care about the people in the nation? I doubt you do. These deaths are just Haitians temporarily "famous"
Pathetic.
PS: I'll donate to organizations that work with Cuban physicians, who represent the clinical base in that nation.
Posted by Grumman (Member # 14051) on :
''Moron, do you even care about the people in the nation?''
I care enough to ask you to cease your nonstop and pointless and wasteful analyzing .
''These deaths are just Haitians temporarily "famous".''
See what I mean. I don't see how you can stand up straight with the load of bullshit you carry around in your head on this issue.
Posted by Doug M (Member # 7650) on :
The facts speak for themselves:
quote: PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Workers are carving out mass graves on a hillside north of Haiti's capital, using earth-movers to bury 10,000 earthquake victims in a single day while relief workers warn the death toll could increase.
Medical clinics have 12-day patient backlogs, untreated injuries are festering and makeshift camps housing thousands of survivors could foster disease, experts said.
"The next health risk could include outbreaks of diarrhea, respiratory tract infections and other diseases among hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in overcrowded camps with poor or nonexistent sanitation," said Dr. Greg Elder, deputy operations manager for Doctors Without Borders in Haiti.
Hoping to assess the scope of the crisis, World Food Program chief Josette Sheeran planned to visit Haiti on Thursday, as did European Union aid chief Karel De Gucht.
There is a massive amount of death from the earthquake in Haiti, which will only get worse in the coming days. And much of the actual scale of loss may be in the hundreds of thousands.
Meanwhile, record donations have poured in to the Red Cross, but little has started moving yet.
quote: Donations to earthquake-ravaged Haiti have hit records as people and companies contribute to the relief effort.
Americans donated $150 million in the first four days after the Haiti earthquake, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. That's more than four times the amount raised in the three days after the tsunamis struck Asia in 2004.
Donations to Hurricane Katrina efforts in 2005 totaled $108 million in the first four days after that disaster, the chronicle said.
It's "remarkable for that to have even happened at all," said Stacy Palmer, editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy, "considering that we're in a bad economy and the disaster occurred outside the United States."
As of 6 p.m. ET yesterday, donations exceeded $210 million in the six days after the earthquake, a slower pace than the $457 million for Katrina relief efforts in the six days after that disaster.
But the Haiti effort topped the $163 million raised by U.S. relief groups in the nine days after the Asian tsunamis, the chronicle said.
Text messaging has become a huge contributor to donations. The American Red Cross has received more than $22 million through its campaign to encourage $10 donations via text message, a record.
In comparison, the Red Cross raised $200,000 from text messages during the 2008 hurricane season.
"I think once people saw the pictures of so much dramatic suffering, it was hard not to give. Images were coming back so quickly that really were so horrifying," Palmer said. "People had a way to respond really quickly. The real question is how are people going to give for the recovery, how do you keep the momentum going."
The Red Cross had raised $112 million through Monday night, which shows that people are spreading their donations across a variety of organizations, Palmer noted. The numbers will continue to be updated several times a day, she added.
Other efforts have also raised millions. Catholic Relief Services had secured $13.1 million in charitable gifts and pledges as of Monday, with $8.5 million donated online.
quote: PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - More than a week after their nursing home collapsed, dozens of elderly Haitians are still begging for food and medicine in a downtown Port-au-Prince slum barely a mile from the international airport where tons of aid are pouring in.
"It's as if everybody has forgotten us, nobody cares," said Phileas Julien, 78, a sometimes delirious blind man in a wheelchair who has appointed himself spokesman for the 84 surviving residents. "Or maybe they really do just want us to starve to death."
The Jan. 12 earthquake killed six residents and two more have since died of hunger and exhaustion. Several more were barely clinging to life Wednesday evening. They struggle to survive in the midst of a squalid camp that was created in the hospice's garden by people who fled the quake's destruction.
Life for the residents has improved a bit since Sunday, when some of their new neighbors pulled beds out of the home and into the open so the elderly didn't have to sleep on the ground with rats scampering by.
Some relatives and volunteers have made small food offerings and helped wash and medicate the worse-off patients. An Associated Press reporter has brought a case of bottles of water every day since discovering their plight Sunday.
On Monday, the Brazilian aid group Viva Rio brought in a large tanker of drinking water, the first large-scale aid for the 59 women and 25 men left from the nursing home.
'So, so hungry' John Lebrun, one of the nursing home's cleaners, also brought a 110-pound bag of rice that was cooked the same day.
"I found it in a storage house nearby," he said. He wouldn't elaborate on how he secured such a costly item: that much rice now costs $60 amid shortages. Lebrun grinned and said evasively that it came from a "broken" store — one damaged in the quake.
The plain, boiled rice Monday was the pensioners' first meal since the earthquake. They have not eaten since.
quote: American military helicopters landed on Tuesday at Haiti’s wrecked National Palace, and troops began rolling through the capital’s battered streets, signs of the growing international relief operation here. But the troops’ presence underscored the rising complaints that the Haitian government had all but disappeared in the week since a huge earthquake struck.
Haiti’s long history of foreign intervention, including an American occupation, normally makes the influx of foreigners a delicate issue.
But with the government of President René Préval largely out of public view and the needs so huge, many Haitians are shunting aside their concerns about sovereignty and welcoming anybody willing to help — in camouflage or not.
"It is not ideal to have a foreign army here, but look at the situation," said Énide Edoword, 24, a waitress who was standing in a camp of displaced people. "We are living amid filth and hunger and thirst after a catastrophe."
When Mr. Préval asked religious and business leaders at a meeting on Saturday whether they supported the intervention of the United States Marines, the response came with a caveat.
"They said, ‘Yes — as long as it’s temporary,’" said Bishop Jean-Zache Duracin of Haiti’s Episcopal Church, who attended the meeting. "We have no choice because the government has collapsed."
quote: PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Last week, the price of a small bag of rice cost $2, today it costs $3.50; the gallon of cooking oil fetched $10 only days ago and now it goes for $20. What will they cost tomorrow, no one knows.
The price of most basic goods such as beans, flour and pasta have mushroomed rapidly since the earthquake devastated Haiti, leaving millions homeless and hungry. Those are the lucky ones, because so far, government officials have put the number of people they've buried at 70,000, not counting familial burials that take place daily.
For the living, life here has become extremely difficult and uncertain. As the prices of goods continue to rise, tons of food aid are stuck at the airport, victim of the Haitian government's ineptness. Almost a week after the earthquake most of the population in dire need of food and water have not received any.
As they await the distribution, prices skyrocket. On a visit to several vending stands, merchants were hesitant about telling prices of goods a couple of days ago. Most of them would do so only if this reporter agreed to buy something from them.
"Who are you C.I.A," said an irate vendor. "Why do you want to know theses things."
Then he became somewhat defensive saying that they were only passing down the prices that they had to pay to buy the goods. The dollar has lost at least 20 percent of its value.
Most gasoline stations are closed, selling their reserve with precaution. So as soon as words spread that a station is open, a line almost a mile long is created, blocking traffic.
Some 800 Marines moved ashore Tuesday in Haiti, ferrying supplies on helicopters and Humvees as the U.S. military force there swelled to as many as 11,000.
The influx of troops comes as the military struggles to distribute aid throughout the country without setting off street riots. Defense officials last week ruled out air drops directly into unsecured populated areas because of the fear of street rioting.
But in some cases, large swarms of people have kept helicopters from landing and troops were forced to drop water bottles into the populated areas instead of distributing them on the ground.
"If you're trying to do it like this, you're going to create chaos," said Himler Rebu, a former Haitian army colonel, who ran unsuccessfully for president four years ago. "They have to establish a location and set up distribution network."
Still, many in Haiti fear that if the aid is not forthcoming and people can't afford to buy the limited food available in the market that the population will become restless and violence will ensue.
The economic landscape is dire. There is no electricity, no running water and no functioning business in and out of the capital. It is not known when banks and other businesses will reopen.
Like where are they going to get money from after an earthquake where almost everything is destroyed?
And again, like Katrina, they are turning this into a myopic military operation that goes beyond all common sense. What is the point of thousands of soldiers in a country full of people dying from wounds and hunger unless to declare war on the victims of a natural disaster?
I mean the military has been shown to be holding up the flow of critical relief supplies because of "security concerns"? Security concerns of what?
quote: The care they can get is enormously variable. The U.S. has several hospitals running emergency response units which were set up by the Department of Health and Human Services. It took days getting those hospitals in place, before the 82 Airborne determined the facilities were secure.
On Monday, I went into an illegal slum on the hillside, which probably housed 10,000 people. I was the first person to go there from the outside – they had not seen anybody from the government; they hadn’t seen a journalist or rescue worker. The people in the slums were on their own.
There were dead bodies everywhere. Some people had tried to continue living in their collapsed structures, but because of aftershocks they had moved out and they were either sleeping on the streets or on any space or lot they could find. The people were stunned and many were angry that nobody had come yet.
On the ground in Port-au-Prince there were some very sad sights, like a child’s school work, from a child who was doing his or her history or French homework when the earthquake struck, splattered with blood. It’s a place of enormous sadness.
quote: PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A strong aftershock rattled Haiti once again on Wednesday, causing even more physical damage and further traumatizing the jittery population. But the authorities said the biggest dangers now facing survivors of last week’s major earthquake were untreated wounds and rising disease, not falling debris.
Because of untreated injuries, infectious diseases and dismal sanitary conditions, health workers said that the natural disaster that struck Haiti more than a week ago remained a major medical crisis and that, unless quickly controlled, it would continue to take large numbers of lives in the days and weeks ahead.
"There are still thousands of patients with major fractures, major wounds, that have not been treated yet," said Dr. Eduardo de Marchena, a University of Miami cardiologist who oversaw a tent hospital near the airport where hundreds of severely injured people were being tended. "There are people, many people, who are going to die unless they’re treated." ... Another grievance among some health professionals was that the American military was not giving enough of a priority to humanitarian aid. Doctors Without Borders has complained that more than one of its planes carrying vital medical equipment has been kept from landing at the airport here, costing lives.
quote:Originally posted by Grumman: ''Moron, do you even care about the people in the nation?''
I care enough to ask you to cease your nonstop and pointless and wasteful analyzing .
''These deaths are just Haitians temporarily "famous".''
See what I mean. I don't see how you can stand up straight with the load of bullshit you carry around in your head on this issue.
I can see through your bullshit act. This is why white males end up killing themselves at rapid rate. You want to relieve that white guilt and it really shows in this thread. You may be secure in that battleship, but you're trash when we enter back into the real world.
Saying that, there is nothing wrong about analyzing the history of Haiti during a time when coverage of the region is at its peak. There are many ways where donkeys, I meant, white people, can help Haiti. That is by opening immigration borders so that Haitians can migrate and work in the US.
That would ensure a consistent supply of aid even after the West forgets about Haiti. That is what played a role in the growth in many Caribbean and North African nations. Expatriates bring significant funds to their home nations and the Haitians would do the same. This petty donations (except from Cuban or MSF sources) would have limited benefits.
However, questioning whether this aid is just part of some pathetic PR stunt isn't wasteful. It is these associated industries, and white guilt that is wasteful. Fact is, aid being projected as being "helpful" is not humanitarian aid. However, isn't that Northrop Grumman's forte? Providing defective trash to an incompetent armed force.
To make matters worse, that agency's troops are the main force involved in this "humanitarian" effort. There is more sensitivity to the possibility of the corrupt regime falling and Haitians liberating themselves than saving scores of dead people.
I don't see behavior that resembles an actual rehabilitation campaign, as Doug M suggested. Outside of the shiny guns, health care and civil engineering (including associated) personnel seem extremely limited. Why do I state construction crew?
Well, the largest risk at the moment arises from the poor infrastructure. You need actual professionals (not paid killers) to plan and organize the construction of housing and other associated infrastructure. You got manpower within the nation and many locals would be able enough to help out. I don't even hear of this sort of development on the news.
Keep in mind, my suggestion isn't impossible. It has been done in the past when billions in aid was sent to European nations right after the second world war. A war that is a lot shorter than the current war that took place within the Haitian theater. The suggestions that I make are a hell lot more required than some, petty, fake ass, crying.
PS: Afrocentric moron, I don't remember a youtube video being a controlled poll. Regardless, I am speaking to white (mule) America's child and can't really expect anything too spectacular. I certify you as a first-grade moron.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
Before some white person starts talking trash. That nation isn't yours and most entered well after sealing the land. Africans, Hispanics and Natives lived in these lands a lot longer than most Europeans.
Regardless, these groups shouldn't oppose such measures either. The United States played a huge role in the nation's destruction and benefits greatly out of it. This marginal
Now, before some dumb broad, lawyer or aircraft technician opens his mouth, do understand the jobs these individuals will be "taking" are not middle class ones. In addition, any job shortage in the United States has very little to do with poor migrants. It has a lot more to do with the administration and lack of investment in science and technology.
Bail outs to banks, which is a sector where most don't even do real work, was always bound to result to failure. If that trillion went into infrastructure (public transport, especially), science and technology, the United States would've been out of this recession.
As for wages, that is an issue of collective bargaining which has a lot to do with the dual (il/legal) work status system. Removing immigration barriers would no longer allow businesses to underpay migrants who work without documentations. The current system is making it easier for corporations to cut costs.
Qualified Haitian immigrants in U.S. can get protected status after earthquake By The Associated Press January 21, 2010, 2:24PM
NEWARK -- Today marks the start of a program that offers qualifying Haitian immigrants already in the United States the chance to legally remain here and get work permits.
Haitian immigrants hope the temporary protected status program will help them send a badly needed infusion of U.S. dollars to struggling family members in Haiti.
Immigrant rights groups, community centers and churches in Haitian communities across the U.S. have been fielding inquiries about the program, helping people with paperwork and spreading the word.
Immigration officials say only those who were in the U.S. on the day of the earthquake or before it struck, and who meet additional criteria, are eligible to apply for the 18-month reprieve.
quote:This is why white males end up killing themselves at rapid rate [because of guilt].
Well I suppose they do according to you. I have no clue if they do or not. And I won't be interested in your sources on it if you have any. You've dug yourself a hole and can't get out of it. And this is why you stray so far from what I've been saying to you. You still can't relieve yourself of your useless analyzing. Those people in Haiti don't need your (by now self-inflicted) poppycock. They need donations, they need those authorities on the island, all of them, whatever nationality they are, to get off their asses and stop the bullshit so people who are right now needlessly dying because of the bullshit can live; they are putting up with bullshit, just like your relentless analyzing. Now I know why you do what you do. If that picture you posted on that link the other day is truthful then your age of 22 gives meaning why: no one else on this planet is aware of white people's dealings except you; you just found this stuff out recently didn't you.
quote:However, questioning whether this aid is just part of some pathetic PR stunt isn't wasteful.
Well I'm sure some of the white people actually want to see the Haitians relieved of their suffering instead of trying to use them for ulterior purposes. And those people will be the ones who probably have no clue what their brethren have done to Haiti over the years. Yet you know they know don't you.
quote:Fact is, aid being projected as being "helpful" is not humanitarian aid.
You're serious about that comment aren't you.
quote:However, isn't that Northrop Grumman's forte? Providing defective trash to an incompetent armed force.
You evidently know more than I care to know about Northrop Grumman, other than he is white boy. So to give you perspective I use that name simply because of an aircraft in WWII. I like aircraft plain and simple; I have no interest whatsoever in what the outfit's personal doings are, then and now; I don't care nor do I intend to find out what it is you know about him. I came on this site a couple of years ago and noted 99% percent of the people here adopt names to suit some wishful type of existence. Well yes, I gave in to it too. So there you have it. Now what. Oh yeah, I know, more of your pointless analyzing.
Finally, you seem to think I'm white, then I'm an afrocentric. You can't keep up with your own bullshit can you. lol
Posted by Brada-Anansi (Member # 16371) on :
OK!! about U.S military involvement there is a need for security as there are bad boys ready to take advantage of the situation such as stealing supplies and selling it on the black market at inflated prices causing even more chaos plus they tend to be more organized than their civilian counter parts look at Fema..The U.N snail paced approach to everything I don't think so..lets face it the Gov. was berely existant before this now they are camping out at the Airport. If the U.S did not send in the right security and things goes down hill even more then they would be blaimed for not caring or just sitting on their hands..Ruwanda revisited?? no one wants that but they should get out when the situation stablized and the U.N gets it's act together.
Posted by Doug M (Member # 7650) on :
In case anyone misunderstands my concern, I will make it clear. The sending of U.S. troops with guns only means that it will be easier to violate the civil rights of innocents under the pretext of "maintaining order". And it becomes a distraction and diversion from the most important issue: food, water and medical supplies. Focusing on "maintaining order" when there is no large scaled violence or looting of any sort is simply a callous way of ignoring the actual needs of such a disaster. Over 10,000 troops are now in Haiti and the arrival of all those troops only STOPPED and hindered the arrival of relief supplies. So again, this idea that "maintaining order" is helping is nonsense. It is just an excuse to keep black people at the end of a gun or under threat of some sort of draconian system of marshal law, which is what the U.S. has been supporting all along in Haiti. This isn't about the benefit of the Haitian people, it is about the elite and their Western backers using the crisis as an opportunity to further their own interests at the expense of the Haitian people.
quote: Haitian police shot and killed a man they suspected of stealing rice in earthquake-ravaged Port-au-Prince on Thursday, leaving his body on the sidewalk for hours as his family mourned.
The dead man's mother identified him as Gentile Cherie, a 20-year-old carpenter. A companion with him was wounded, and a third man nearby was hit by what he said was a stray bullet.
Witnesses said no one was looting at the time. Josef Josnain, the owner of a shop near the city's airport, said the five bags of rice the men were found with fell from a truck and passers-by picked them up. And Cherie's wounded companion, who did not give his name, said a truck driver gave them the rice.
"A truck stopped and we jumped on, and the driver gave us the rice as a gift," he said. "But the cops shot us."
A CNN crew spotted police stopping the two men Thursday afternoon. They stopped to film the arrests, but while they were getting out of the car, they heard four gunshots and saw the men on the ground. Both had been shot in the back.
So I am concerned that all this "need for security" is only going to justify the interests of foreigners who will then be able to proceed with impunity because of the presence of so much "armed force". It will also mean the continuing suffering of Haitian people as relief supplies get less of a priority than "security forces" (which is retarded). And it also means that it is less likely the money pledged to help (upwards of 500 million so far) will actually make it to the Haitian people.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
quote:Originally posted by Grumman:
quote:This is why white males end up killing themselves at rapid rate [because of guilt].
Well I suppose they do according to you. I have no clue if they do or not. And I won't be interested in your sources on it if you have any. You've dug yourself a hole and can't get out of it. And this is why you stray so far from what I've been saying to you. You still can't relieve yourself of your useless analyzing. Those people in Haiti don't need your (by now self-inflicted) poppycock. They need donations, they need those authorities on the island, all of them, whatever nationality they are, to get off their asses and stop the bullshit so people who are right now needlessly dying because of the bullshit can live; they are putting up with bullshit, just like your relentless analyzing. Now I know why you do what you do. If that picture you posted on that link the other day is truthful then your age of 22 gives meaning why: no one else on this planet is aware of white people's dealings except you; you just found this stuff out recently didn't you.
My comment is well known in the psychiatric realm. It doesn't change the fact that you're guilt is pathetic. We've seen events like this go through and it has resulted to more-or-less the same reality afterwards.
quote:
quote:However, questioning whether this aid is just part of some pathetic PR stunt isn't wasteful.
Well I'm sure some of the white people actually want to see the Haitians relieved of their suffering instead of trying to use them for ulterior purposes. And those people will be the ones who probably have no clue what their brethren have done to Haiti over the years. Yet you know they know don't you.
I would not be surprised. However the guilt hits a very large section of the population. Usually during big events like these, it becomes quite significant. Since US is hardly a race-equal society internally, I doubt Haitians (who arguably are even more darker) would fit in a more appealing socio-economic position within the nation.
Also, the type of aid that is entering is drastically different from the aid that the much healthier Europeans received after the second world war.
quote:
quote:Fact is, aid being projected as being "helpful" is not humanitarian aid.
You're serious about that comment aren't you.
It isn't, when the nations involved have consistently destroyed the nation's economy, placed it into virulent debt and invaded it several times.
quote:Finally, you seem to think I'm white, then I'm an afrocentric. You can't keep up with your own bullshit can you. lol
When did I suggest that you're Afrocentric? I thought I that I belonged to that category. The term, in my opinion, is quite useless. You belong to the "white race" that was made possible due to your ancestor's work (i.e. selling out).
Doug M
quote:In case anyone misunderstands my concern, I will make it clear. The sending of U.S. troops with guns only means that it will be easier to violate the civil rights of innocents under the pretext of "maintaining order". And it becomes a distraction and diversion from the most important issue: food, water and medical supplies. Focusing on "maintaining order" when there is no large scaled violence or looting of any sort is simply a callous way of ignoring the actual needs of such a disaster. Over 10,000 troops are now in Haiti and the arrival of all those troops only STOPPED and hindered the arrival of relief supplies. So again, this idea that "maintaining order" is helping is nonsense. It is just an excuse to keep black people at the end of a gun or under threat of some sort of draconian system of marshal law, which is what the U.S. has been supporting all along in Haiti. This isn't about the benefit of the Haitian people, it is about the elite and their Western backers using the crisis as an opportunity to further their own interests at the expense of the Haitian people.
Well said. That is especially when transportation infrastructure is extremely limited. Looting and what not is occurring, because of risk of starvation.
Goods being shipped would actually reduce that from occurring. As stressed earlier this is designed to secure the power structure that US forced onto the population. The nature of this exercise, with arm troops seems to suggest that.
Brada-Anansi
Rwanda wouldn't have occurred. That disaster was due to the power of the Hamitic Race theory amongst the populations. That led to the Hutus killing who Europeans classed as superior, the Tutsis.
I think we're exaggerating if you think the population are so rowdy. Cuban medical teams are in the nation in the hundreds. I've never read that personnel were being robbed. The equipment and medication brought could be resold, but has not occurred. Theft is more likely to occur amongst the higher socio-economic classes, who are criminal and are being secured by the US security forces.
Posted by Recovering Afro-holic (Member # 17311) on :
Haitian police force shoots two Haitian men in the back caught stealing bags of rice.
Now try and pull US military culpability out of that one!
quote:Originally posted by Doug M:
In case anyone misunderstands my concern, I will make it clear. The sending of U.S. troops with guns only means that it will be easier to violate the civil rights of innocents under the pretext of "maintaining order". And it becomes a distraction and diversion from the most important issue: food, water and medical supplies. Focusing on "maintaining order" when there is no large scaled violence or looting of any sort is simply a callous way of ignoring the actual needs of such a disaster. Over 10,000 troops are now in Haiti and the arrival of all those troops only STOPPED and hindered the arrival of relief supplies. So again, this idea that "maintaining order" is helping is nonsense. It is just an excuse to keep black people at the end of a gun or under threat of some sort of draconian system of marshal law, which is what the U.S. has been supporting all along in Haiti. This isn't about the benefit of the Haitian people, it is about the elite and their Western backers using the crisis as an opportunity to further their own interests at the expense of the Haitian people.
Posted by Grumman (Member # 14051) on :
Bob_01:
''PS: Afrocentric moron, I don't remember a youtube video being a controlled poll. Regardless, I am speaking to white (mule) America's child and can't really expect anything too spectacular. I certify you as a first-grade moron.''
I see to whom you were talking to now.
That said, I can be considered afrocentric.
''You belong to the "white race" that was made possible due to your ancestor's work (i.e. selling out).''
So how did these people ''sell out''? So as to not off topic explain as succinctly as you can how they did that.
Posted by Doug M (Member # 7650) on :
Already the think tanks and other institutions of US imperialist interests are floating "blueprints" for what happens in Haiti. And from the way it sounds it certainly promises nothing but more bloodshed, suffering and imperialist domination of the Haitian people.
quote: The mobilization inside the United States—among the military, aid groups, the public—to help Haiti has been quick and generous. Hopefully, alongside peacekeepers and other international partners, we can help the Haitians stabilize their country and reduce human suffering. But then the work of rebuilding will begin, as the U.S. helps them to reconstruct their shattered capital and economy. And it will probably not go well. Not because the destruction was so massive (that is a surmountable problem), but because Washington policymakers unfamiliar with development practice still don't understand how to help the Haitians erect a functioning civil society, private economy, and competent government. It's not about reconstruction and humanitarian aid; it's about institutions. And without them, Haiti will remain a failed state.
A National Academy of Public Administration report of 2006 on why foreign aid has failed in Haiti summarized general donor opinion, which has "variously characterized Haiti as a nightmare, predator, collapsed, failed, failing, parasitic, kleptocratic, phantom, virtual or pariah state." One World Bank study of Haitian governance reports that "30% of civil service were phantom employees…One ministry had 10,000 employees, only about half of whom were ever at work." A USAID evaluation of the Haitian government institutions reported they are "characterized by lack of trained personnel; no performance based personnel system, no accepted hiring, firing, and promotion procedures; heavy top down management; and a decided lack of direction." In a word, Haiti was a failed state before the earthquake. The country needs more than rebuilding.
But the crucial idea in Violence and Social Orders—that once basic human needs are met, institutions are more important for a functioning country—is not driving Western aid. Increasingly, the groups who purvey it have focused on the delivery of services, not the building of institutions. For its part, Washington takes reconstruction literally (bricks and mortar alone). It's a truism that ports, roads, sewage, schools, health clinics, bridges, and clean water are preconditions to a stable country and expanding economy. But if that's all we do, Haiti will simply revert to dysfunction, and whatever is reconstructed will begin to crumble over time without institutions to ensure maintenance. (Even before the quake, Haiti's public services, where they existed at all, were perilously close to collapse.)
Unfortunately, institution building is much harder than reconstruction. Political pressure from Washington since the end of the Cold War, has demanded speed, visibility, and measurable results in state-building exercises. But functional institutions will take a decade or more, their successes will be undramatic, and many will be difficult to quantify. Aid efforts in Haiti in the past have focused too much on delivering public services through nongovernmental organizations and international groups instead of the trying to reform the Haitian institutions that should be delivering these services. But simply providing aid funds through Haitian government ministries, however—the newest international-aid fad—will strengthen the predatory forces that control them. Paul Collier, in his book the Bottom Billion says this kind of aid in a failed state will have the same affect oil revenues do in poor countries—it encourages looting of the treasury. Only a massive shift of personnel, power, and resources within Haitian society will break the stranglehold of predators. How do we do this?
Building new institutions will require competent and honest Haitian leadership. Haitian President René Préval has shown technical skill in improving governance during the last two years, but he has been invisible in the post-quake humanitarian-aid effort, which has damaged him politically. He will need help, and one of the best ways of generating that help in a country that has had a chronic leadership deficit is to bring prosperous, educated Haitians on a large scale back from the diaspora to help him build new Haitian institutions. Haitians in America and Canada are well known as upwardly mobile, entrepreneurial, and hardworking. They could be the vanguard of a new Haitian governing leadership to reform the corrupt and dysfunctional system.
At the same time, the Unites States should bring emerging Haitian leaders to American universities and colleges. The most successful institution-building program ever used by USAID, the U.S. government's main foreign development arm, was its scholarship program, which brought 18,000 students a year to American colleges and universities. Those scholarships have been phased out over time because Washington regulators demanded rapid and visible results, which education does not produce. But scholarships engender long-term transformation, because graduates usually return to their home countries from the United States as reformers. Bringing promising Haitians to the U.S. for graduate programs (with safeguards to ensure they return to Haiti afterward) can complement the return of the Haitian diaspora in building new institutions.
Another imperative is security, without which the exodus of educated professionals will continue. Criminal gangs linked to the drug trade have grown more powerful over the past few years and are behind the growing violence in Haitian society. Unless this trend is arrested, any effort to build new institutions will fail. This means that a large U.N. peacekeeping and police presence with a more aggressive mandate will be needed to keep order for at least a decade before this institution-building effort can show results. It will take U.N. and aid agencies a decade to help the Haitians build the local military and police forces necessary for a functioning criminal-justice system.
Once those programs are in place, Haiti can begin to lure investment. Beyond the terrible loss of human life from the earthquake, the greatest invisible devastation is the destruction of jobs, businesses, and economic activity. International business and capital markets do not invest money in failed states, and, without that investment, job creation, and economic growth (on the scale necessary to transform Haitian society) are impossible. And without economic growth, new Haitian institutions will be unsustainable, lacking the local tax revenue to fund them when aid ends. So even if reconstruction goes well, Haiti's failed-state status offers the twin economic challenges of mass unemployment and a poor business climate. And private capital must flow to new institutions in the private sector; it cannot all be focused on the Haitian state. USAID ran successful economic-growth programs for just that purpose in Indonesia, Bosnia, Kosovo, and El Salvador.
If Western countries want to end the dysfunctional cycle of crisis and failed Band-Aid development in Haiti, tractors and concrete will not be enough. Only an institution-based model of reconstruction will succeed.
In other words, the US needs to expand efforts to indoctrinate the middle and upper classes into being agents who further U.S. policy and use the crisis as cover to arrange a political order beholden to US interests. In other words "manage and control" the crisis and the people in order to suit their own interests.
Wow.
Not only these articles but much of the media focus belies the agenda. Why so much focus on orphanages all of a sudden and swiftly moving babies out of Haiti? Of course they claim all these orphans were already there, but how do we know they aren't grabbing up babies recently orphaned, without the proper concern for families and other relatives? Are we sure they aren't just snapping up babies and distributing them who knows where for who knows what? It sure isn't like this wouldn't be anything new for that stretch between Caribbean and the Bayou States.
That is the nature of the way such good sounding ideas can hide ulterior motives.
All that said, I firmly believe that the goal should be nothing less than a system that upholds freedom and dignity of the Haitian people first and foremost and reflects their strength and will to persevere.
Posted by The Explorer (Member # 14778) on :
Get this: The hollyweird troop is out in force again -- bringing to viewers a new version of "we are the world"-style feast, to remind viewers of what good "saviors" of the hapless they are. The media extravaganza! This tragic event has become about how to make attention-whores & celebrities alike and other American figures into the "heroes" and "heroines" out of all this. Forget about the real victims and what's actually going on on the ground in Haiti; this is about how to make America look artificially benevolent, using show productions to fill in the void -- i.e. to make up for its shortcomings in the lead up to and in the relief effort. Quite a spectacle, considering that the U.S. is the MAIN obstructant in relief effort as we speak! Where the U.S. world image transparently breaks down, U.S. media blitz can be counted on to come up with theatrical shows to mend the broken. It has been done around Vietnam -- where the local insurgents cease being the defenders of their land and turned into blood-thirsty predators while the invasive U.S. military becomes their victimized "saviors", and now it's being done around Iraq. Classic of hollyweird and co. (U.S. media)!
Posted by markellion (Member # 14131) on :
quote:Originally posted by Grumman: Whaever the political reasons are and were Bob_01 the people need help now, not analysis.
Colonialism was done in the name of philanthropy and saving people. It was a humanitarian effort, or at least pretended to be. It might sound like a completely different situation but the Leopold's Congo 'Free State' was presented to the public as being a kind of non-profit effort to help the poor natives. Also remember that the slave trade was already raging in this land it was seen as a rescue effort.
The situation is different I'm just saying it is similar in that at the time it would be considered improper to question if it was genuine philanthropy. The Belgian Congo was a rescue effort
Edit: Also notice how it was a world wide effort including Muslim countries to save Africa
quote:Seventy years later (1884=85) anxiety to promote the welfare of the Negro was announced as one of the motives for the Berlin conference. Europe and America undertook to employ every means to end the inland slave= trade. Muhammadan states for the first time in history participated with Christian powers in an enterprise of philanthropy. Their presence recalls the homely rhyme that "when the devil was sick, the devil a monk would be", for the sincere endeavors of Egyptian and Zanzibari rulers of Islamry were inspired by European influences. Though Christendom succeeded between 1817 and 1877 in ending the export of slaves to America and in hampering that to the orient, the inland traffic grew worse. From 1875 to 1890 Africa lost sometimes five hundred thousand, sometimes one million inhabitants annually. In 1890 America, Europe, Persia and Zanzibar "in the name of God" confessed that the European powers were morally accountable for the devastation, and resolved at Brussels to secure peace for Africa, to complete such slight results as they had already obtained since 1885 and to guarantee the extermination of the traffic. Belgium has since accomplished something, Britain a little, the others less toward the redemption of their pledges for their respective realms.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
quote:Originally posted by Grumman: Bob_01:
''PS: Afrocentric moron, I don't remember a youtube video being a controlled poll. Regardless, I am speaking to white (mule) America's child and can't really expect anything too spectacular. I certify you as a first-grade moron.''
I see to whom you were talking to now.
That said, I can be considered afrocentric.
''You belong to the "white race" that was made possible due to your ancestor's work (i.e. selling out).''
So how did these people ''sell out''? So as to not off topic explain as succinctly as you can how they did that.
Refer to "How the Irish Became White?". This piece is well cited and is based on centuries of research. It is part of international history.
The nature of assimilating was a violent one. It had one, arguably flexible, prerequisite: fair skin. That wasn't just a pre-requisite in for itself, but required siding against the common marginalized classes and supporting the interest of the wealthy. That is detail in this interview and, by the way, everyone ties to sell out.
This association that whites have with the US state is what makes humanitarian efforts virtually useless. Most whites, even the most passionate, seems to romanticize the state system. That's a reason why the media operates the way it does.
Posted by markellion (Member # 14131) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Explorer: Get this: The hollyweird troop is out in force again -- bringing to viewers a new version of "we are the world"-style feast, to remind viewers of what good "saviors" of the hapless they are. The media extravaganza! This tragic event has become about how to make attention-whores & celebrities alike and other American figures into the "heroes" and "heroines" out of all this.
quote:It has been said with literal truth that one cannot put one's finger on a spot of uncultivated soil in Belgium, and there are inevitable limits to manufacturing extension. Little scope, therefore, exists at home for the employment of accumulating capital or the absorption of the constantly increasing surplus labour. As statesman even more than king, Leopold II perceived at an early stage that his small but compict country, advancing in wealth and population, was permanently restricted; and that an outlet was needed for the employment of spare capital, and particularly for the enterprise of young men otherwise without profitable occupation. He had been chosen President of the African International Association, which was courageously entering on its philanthropic mission. Taking counsel with Stanley and other explorers, he secured, only some ten or twelve years ago, the territory of the Congo, staked an enormous fortune on it, became the absolute ruler with the consent of the Great Powers, and made legal provision through his own government—avoiding even the suggestion of ultimate personal gain—that within a stipulated number of years Belgium should have the option of taking over the Congo Free State and making it in name, as it is in effect, a Belgian Colony...
....Conversing lately with the writer of this all too inadequate sketch, His Majesty said, "My aim throughout life has been to find the truth and make the truth known to others. I have often been misunderstood and misrepresented, but we must not be discouraged; let us ever go forward in the path of duty, striving to let the light shine forth." In these memorable words the King has struck a lofty keynote for his own people, and for other peoples.
Posted by Brada-Anansi (Member # 16371) on :
Grumman and others I understand the hoopla and golly gee attitude we are here to save Haiti,but at the same time what should the Haitian on the ground do tell them to do.. fuc!k-off? Ok!! if not the U.S then somebody will have to stepup,and I know the history of what caused Ruwanda..but at that critical juncture when all the warning signs were there and through the whole mess no one lifted a finger the result hundreds of thousands dead a region shattered..then came the soul searching..oh if only I knew..well we brought it to the attention of the U.N...the U.N pointed finger at somebody else all this at a time when the U.N was under the leadership of Africans...yes Hollweird and others will cash in on the devastation like they always do..can't wait to see who is going to star in the movie. But my Imo Sea-Bee units can both help rebuild and provide security better than some civilian contractor..but that's just me.
Posted by The Explorer (Member # 14778) on :
I think you are overlooking the repeated point that the U.S. military is actively OBSTRUCTING the relief effort to the victims. Medical and food supplies are either left stranded in their drop-off locations or turned back. The Haitian victims surely want those things to be within their reach, but if they aren't getting them in the first place, then they are clearly not in a position to tell someone to '****-off'.
Posted by Doug M (Member # 7650) on :
quote:Originally posted by markellion:
quote:Originally posted by The Explorer: Get this: The hollyweird troop is out in force again -- bringing to viewers a new version of "we are the world"-style feast, to remind viewers of what good "saviors" of the hapless they are. The media extravaganza! This tragic event has become about how to make attention-whores & celebrities alike and other American figures into the "heroes" and "heroines" out of all this.
quote:It has been said with literal truth that one cannot put one's finger on a spot of uncultivated soil in Belgium, and there are inevitable limits to manufacturing extension. Little scope, therefore, exists at home for the employment of accumulating capital or the absorption of the constantly increasing surplus labour. As statesman even more than king, Leopold II perceived at an early stage that his small but compict country, advancing in wealth and population, was permanently restricted; and that an outlet was needed for the employment of spare capital, and particularly for the enterprise of young men otherwise without profitable occupation. He had been chosen President of the African International Association, which was courageously entering on its philanthropic mission. Taking counsel with Stanley and other explorers, he secured, only some ten or twelve years ago, the territory of the Congo, staked an enormous fortune on it, became the absolute ruler with the consent of the Great Powers, and made legal provision through his own government—avoiding even the suggestion of ultimate personal gain—that within a stipulated number of years Belgium should have the option of taking over the Congo Free State and making it in name, as it is in effect, a Belgian Colony...
....Conversing lately with the writer of this all too inadequate sketch, His Majesty said, "My aim throughout life has been to find the truth and make the truth known to others. I have often been misunderstood and misrepresented, but we must not be discouraged; let us ever go forward in the path of duty, striving to let the light shine forth." In these memorable words the King has struck a lofty keynote for his own people, and for other peoples.
King Leopold is a perfect example of the evil devil worshiping rulers of elite masonry. The trick they use is to hide their intent behind the use of a duality. So as above, so below reflects the dual nature of their actions and speech. On one hand they make speeches and doctrine that sounds good and paints a good image of "noble" aims, but on the other hand their actions speak of debauchery, deception and greed. Having the media at their disposition makes it easier to maintain the illusion. The question becomes is it about good or is it about evil? Are they stealing babies or are they helping orphans? Are they giving help or are they using funds to further domination? Are they providing aid or are they blocking it? Are they giving solace or are they turning souls into mindless worshipers of empty idols? From the founding of America, to the "exploration" of Africa to the "discovery" of new lands, they always put their darkest intentions behind a facade of good sounding ideals and propaganda. It is always left for the masses to determine the truth, by decoding the message, reading between the lines and going directly to the source and getting the facts. Africa has been called the heart of darkness since the time of Leopold, not because of any darkness, but because of the black hole that was created surrounding the actual activities of the Belgian King in Congo. The heart of darkness refers to a time when most people got their information 2 - 3 weeks after the fact via news paper or wire, making it very easy to hide the truth of what is going on. The exact same thing exists today, as the media is hardly covering what is really going on in Africa. Everything that is suggested as an ulterior motive behind the relief effort in Haiti is EVEN MORE obvious in Africa, because it is the same players at work.
They have perfected this art over the years and every aspect of its dark mysticism is based around feeding on the body of the black god. Make no mistake, the black god is the body of the black community, ancient and immortal that they wish to suck of every aspect of its many essences. It is the nature of their propaganda to win you over with their voodoo that makes you believe what they are doing is somehow going to benefit "everybody". But in fact the only "everybody" that they are trying to benefit is the white elite. They use the hearts and brains of the people to perform the ritual of dark alchemy that twists the people into supporting their agenda. They and their hell knights, minions, fiends, and other unsavory and unscrupulous characters are always ready to rip even more flesh off the corpse of the black masses any way they can. This fraternity of blood has never ever had anything but contempt for true progress and the peace and sanctity of non white people.
Only by understanding the true history of these people and the facts of what they have done does the "fantasy" that they portray as "reality" become obvious.
quote: French Groups Criticize Handling of Relief Flights
By DOREEN CARVAJAL Published: January 22, 2010
PARIS — Far from Haiti’s battered international airport, relief groups are growing more strident in their complaints about how coveted landing spots are doled out among charity groups and prominent visitors by the U.S. Air Force.
Médecins Sans Frontières, the international emergency medical relief group that was founded in France, has seen eight of its planes from Europe diverted, the most recent on Wednesday.
“It’s a very confusing situation and difficult to understand,” said Marie-Noëlle Rodrigue, deputy director for operations for Médecins Sans Frontières in Paris.
She acknowledged the severe damage to the Port-au-Prince airport, where the control tower was destroyed by the earthquake on Jan. 12 and traffic is directed by the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron of the U.S. Air Force. “What is unacceptable to us is the priorities,” Ms. Rodrigue said in an interview.
She and the group’s director of operations, Thierry Durand, called it “shocking” and “crazy” that planes with lifesaving equipment were diverted while, for instance, Edward G. Rendell, the governor of Pennsylvania, was able to land in a private plane in Port-au-Prince on a mission to help transport Haitian orphans to the United States.
“We are not playing favorites — it couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Maj. Nathan Miller, an officer with the squadron in Haiti.
Major Miller, speaking by telephone from Haiti, noted that traffic had swelled from about 15 flights daily to 150, with military planes now arriving during off-peak night hours to make more room for international aid flights.
Again they are sure focused on orphans? Seems odd that in the first few days after the disaster they would be MORE worried about evacuating orphans over relief supplies.......
quote: Letters: Too much attitude in Haiti relief effort
Philadelphia Daily News THE NEWS coming out of Haiti reminds me of Katrina, but so much worse. Maybe more than 200,000 dead.
But don't the survivors deserve some humane treatment?
The U.S. has chosen to occupy the airport, hoard supplies and turn away planes carrying lifesaving cargo from reputable organizations. Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross had to land in the Dominican Republic, and are losing precious time crossing overland.
The Marines will begin a military occupation as the media pump up propaganda that Haiti's people are turning violent in their desperation. But people being helped don't react violently, and Haitians have more patience with adversity than any of us can imagine.
Potential survival-related violence is no excuse to withhold supplies, with the excuse that there may be grabbing or rioting. Once the Marines arrive, turning guns on the population is not acceptable, no matter how desperate, thirsty, wounded, hungry and grieving these human beings have become due to the inadequate response to the disaster.
The U.S. has to stop blocking relief supply planes from landing at the Port-au-Prince airport. To allow relief materials to leave the airport and be delivered. To allow Haitians into their own airport.
Once the Marines arrive, the U.S. should evacuate those in totally destroyed zones to a safe, clean environment outside the city, instead of leaving victims to languish and die from lack of attention. These camps should be decent and temporary, with adequate shelter, food, water, medical care and education for children.
The U.S. should not criminalize Haitian refugees fleeing this disaster in hastily built little boats. The U.S. should not throw these survivors into jails and detention centers in Miami and Guantanamo, and traumatize them further.
The U.S. should allow these shaken civilians to land in peace, give them shelter, medical attention and grief counseling! Haitians are human beings, but so far, the U.S. is treating them as expendable farm stock, inhumanely.
quote:Originally posted by The Explorer: I think you are overlooking the repeated point that the U.S. military is actively OBSTRUCTING the relief effort to the victims. Medical and food supplies are either left stranded in their drop-off locations or turned back. The Haitian victims surely want those things to be within their reach, but if they aren't getting them in the first place, then they are clearly not in a position to tell someone to '****-off'.
Has been kindly affirmed by MSF as well.
quote: Avril: Just to give you the precise figures as well, in terms of international staff inside Haiti right now, MSF has 165. As you may recall, we already had 30 working in the country from a whole contingent of 800 that were already present managing projects before, when the earthquake struck that is. In terms of international staff that are on their way to Haiti, at the moment there are 48 en route, and for Haitian staff, we have at the moment working 550.
12:15 WSJ: A question about the aid not getting in, the 5 planes that were diverted. How did the cluster system work in this case – did that work smoothly – that was put into place after the tsunami to get the aid on the planes, and the problem being at the airport that the United States military has put a priority in order over getting aid in? Is that the reason planes were diverted? And did the cluster system work well in this case?
Benoit: Well, obviously as the plane did not land and inside was some really vital equipment, like surgical equipment and a hospital, and also some surgical teams. The cluster system did not work with these planes, and we are 48 hours delayed in this operation. On our side we have been trying through all our contacts, which is at the UN, or people in the United States, or here in Haiti--everywhere--we have tried all the possible channels for these planes to land. We have been given assurances that they could land, and they ended up (circling) over Port-au-Prince, and eventually diverted to Santo Domingo.
WSJ: So was the blame the US military not giving you the clearance to land, they control the aiport, or was it the cluster system that the UN put in place?
Benoit: Between the 2 systems I don’t think there is a smooth liaison in who decides what. It’s not clear to us, as I said before. Then yesterday we clearly had 2 planes diverted with cargo inside. People had been informed, I think the US were on the ground at the airport. The airspace, maybe I think it’s the Haitians but please confirm, because I think it’s changing all the time who is controlling. The planes didn’t land, and this was yesterday afternoon.
Avril: We have had 4 cargo flights that successfully have flown to Port-au-Prince, with a total tonnage of 135. We have 2 cargo flights that flew to Dominican Republic with their total tonnage being 65. At the moment we have 6 cargo flights planned for the rest of this week, with a total tonnage of 195. 14:50
15:21 TV NOVA: I would like to know more about the security issue and about the security situation on the ground. Could you describe it, is it dangerous, for example, more during night, what happened in this field please.
Benoit: I know there have been very localized incidents. People are very tense, and people are shocked. So it’s more reasons for them to get frustrated when they see that the aid and the food for example, or the care is not fully implemented, only at the very ad hoc and very [indecipherable] distribution stage. So there have been several problems, people running, and I think Loris can give the details of what happened maybe this morning at the airport. But we know that some of the distribution has ended up in, I don’t want to exaggerate my words, but maybe very small riots. People are shocked, people are tense, people are desperate, they’re in the street now for 6 days, so this adds to the tension. And there are sporadic reports of either shootouts or incidents, security incidents, more things happening throughout the town. Link
I won't even highlight the excerpt. It is clear that the US military presence, whatever their motive is, doesn't have a progressive impact. This is being suggested by Western-based, relief agencies as well. The so called "riots" that the Alcoholic try to suggest is totally exaggerated.
That is expected when dealing with white supremacist outlets like CNN. Lootings, i they are occurring, are at rather manageable rate. Remember, the relief teams, especially the +400 physicians from that nation, are not going on a suicide mission. If we were dealing with a Basra-level danger zones, that may be argued if comprehensive economic packages and democratization are considered treasonous.
Posted by Doug M (Member # 7650) on :
quote: US military operations block relief efforts in Haiti By Alex Lantier 21 January 2010
The US military intervention in Haiti, after the January 12 earthquake that killed an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people, continues to block arrival of critical supplies to the devastated country. Quake victims—including hundreds of thousands of wounded and an estimated three million Haitians made homeless—lack access to food, water, and life-saving medical equipment.
At 6 AM yesterday a strong aftershock, centered 60 km west of Port-au-Prince and measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, again shook Haiti. There were reports of widespread building collapses, notably by buildings already weakened by the main quake, but there were no estimates on casualties from the aftershock. John Bellini of the US Geological Survey said there would be more such aftershocks in the coming weeks.
US forces who have taken over the Port-au-Prince airport are denying humanitarian flights permission to land. US helicopters also landed troops yesterday, who took over the ruins of Haiti’s Presidential Palace. Roughly 10,000 US troops will be in place in Haiti in the coming days.
In response to protests by Doctors Without Borders that “hundreds of lives were lost” because one of its flights was denied landing rights at Port-au-Prince, US military spokesman Captain John Kirby said: It’s a question of physics. The airport is the only way in, it has only one runway, and there are literally hundreds of flights trying to make it in.
Publicly, US officials are taking the absurd position that they do not know the contents of humanitarian aid flights and cannot decide whether they deserve priority to land. Citing discussions with US General Ken Keen, commanding operations in Haiti, the Washington Post wrote, if an air traffic controller doesn’t know what’s on an incoming plane, then he doesn’t know what priority to give it. Apparently, priority goes to US military flights. Keen said: If the young airman [controlling air traffic] has three planes coming in and he knows what’s on one of them, he’s going to land that one.
Doctors Without Borders issued a statement yesterday protesting the US military’s continuing refusal to allow its planes to land at the Port-au-Prince airport. It quoted Loris De Filippi, the coordinator at Choscal hospital in the Cité Soleil neighborhood of Port-au-Prince: they are begging us there in front of the hospital. It’s a very unacceptable situation. What we are trying to do is to expand our capacity to answer these calls. But we need supplies to get to the airport—and we don’t know why the planes are being redirected.
Joint UN-US efforts to deliver food and water to the millions of homeless Haitians are grossly insufficient. Nancy Exilos, of the UN’s World Food Program, said: We go to a site, where the first assessment is there are 100 people [in need of help]. We bring enough [supplies] for 100 people but when we arrive we find there are 2,000 people. The UN was hoping to provide water and food for 200,000 people in Haiti yesterday.
Reporters in Port-au-Prince said signs are sprouting everywhere across the city, asking for food and water. US Corporal Clifford Sajous, a Haitian-American who was serving as translator in the group of 125 Marines sent by helicopter to Léogâne, said: we’re going to hand out some water and food and not everyone is going to get some.
The US build-up is proceeding, citing as justification fears of possible looting by Haitians desperate for food and water—with the New York Times writing that the threat of mass looting seems to increase by the day. However, there have been no reports of violence against aid personnel. In fact, General Keen commented, The level of violence we see now is below pre-earthquake levels.
Teams of Cuban doctors have traveled to Haiti and are treating earthquake victims without armed guards.
US forces nonetheless refuse to move shipments out of the airport without massive guards, further delaying rescue attempts. Gilberto Castro, emergency response director of transport company Deutsche Post DHL, told the Wall Street Journal: Twenty containers go out, but you have to have about 100 heavily armed soldiers to escort them.
The most tragic costs of US military interference with relief efforts will be borne by the Haitian masses. Debarati Guha-Sapir, professor of epidemiology at the University of Louvain in Belgium, said that normally most earthquake deaths take place in the 2 days after an earthquake. However, she added: Haiti, I think, is going to be different. They will not die simply because there is no care. ... They will die of lack of surgical care. They will die of simple trauma that in almost any other country would not lead to death.
Primarily everyone involves sees the U.S. as declaring war on the Haitian people versus being interested in providing aid. It is obvious. Everything about this operation smacks of the same nonsensical racist view of blacks as inherently violent and inhuman and not deserving sympathy in a time of need. And it is not just the military but it is also the private security agencies like blackwater that are queuing up to line their pockets with relief money. The reason for all of this security is that, like Katrina, the U.S. plans to use strictly in house contracts for their connected white buddies to do reconstruction, provide aid, water, food and ultimately reconstruction. They will suck up most of the relief money and the Haitian people will still be where they were (minus thousands of unfortunate victims) or even worse off, given the nature of the destruction and the fact that the money is not going to go to the average Haitian on the street. It will go to the well connected multinational contractors, connected government officials, the crooked creole elite, their wealthy patrons in the U.S. and what is left will be almost nothing. And they know full well that the Haitian people will see through the B.S. hence the need for "security" to allow them to proceed with impunity. In fact I wouldn't be shocked if the U.S. turns some of the areas they occupy into semi-permanent bases.
quote: Haitians dying by the thousands as US escalates military intervention By Bill Van Auken 22 January 2010
Thousands of Haitians are dying every day for lack of medical care and supplies, according to a leading humanitarian aid group. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has announced that it is expanding the US military presence in the country, maintaining Washington’s priority of troops over humanitarian aid.
The US-based medical aid group Partners in Health has warned that as many as 20,000 Haitians may be dying daily due to infections such as gangrene and sepsis that have set in, as the majority of the injured receive no medical care or are treated in facilities that lack the most basic supplies.
Tens of thousands of earthquake victims need emergency surgical care now!!!," the organization said in a statement posted on its web site. "The death toll and the incidence of gangrene and other deadly infections will continue to rise unless a massive effort is made to open and staff more operating rooms and to deliver essential equipment and supplies."
Partners in Health has worked in Haiti for more than 20 years. Its co-founder, Dr. Paul Farmer, is the deputy United Nations envoy to Haiti and a senior professor of public health at Harvard University.
While Haitian officials and other organizations have claimed the Partners in Health figure is too high, it is indisputable that Haiti confronts a disaster that could equal or even eclipse that of the quake itself because of the delays in the provision of health care to hundreds of thousands of sick and injured people.
The New York Times Thursday quoted Dr. Eduardo de Marchena, a University of Miami cardiologist overseeing one field hospital in Haiti, who provided a similarly grim prognosis. "There are still thousands of patients with major fractures, major wounds, that have not been treated yet," he said. "There are people, many people, who are going to die unless they’re treated."
As the Times reported, "In the squatter camps now scattered across this capital, there are still people writhing in pain, their injuries bound up by relatives but not yet seen by a doctor eight days after the quake struck. On top of that, the many bodies still in the wreckage increase the risk of diseases spreading, especially, experts say, if there is rain."
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Port-au-Prince General Hospital is continuously besieged by more than 1,000 patients waiting for surgery. "Armed guards in tanks kept out mobs," the newspaper reported. It added, "At any given moment, thousands of injured, some grievously, wait outside virtually any hospital or clinic, pleading for treatment."
CNN’s Karl Penhaul reported from Port-au-Prince General Hospital, where US paratroopers have taken up positions. He said that Haitians questioned why so many US troops were pouring into the country. "They say they need more food and water and fewer guys with guns," he reported.
He also indicated that American doctors at the hospital seemed mystified by the military presence. "They say there has never been a security problem here at the hospital, but there is a problem of getting supplies in." He added, "They can get nine helicopters of troops in, but some of the doctors here say if they can do that, then why can’t they also bring with them IV fluids and other much needed supplies."
The Spanish daily El País quoted one of these American doctors, Jim Warsinguer: "We lack a lot of things, too many for so much time having passed since the earthquake: betadine, bandages, gloves. And, above all, morphine. We have to do amputations without anesthesia. You see them suffer, and it is terrible. The Haitians are very brave, but they are suffering a lot."
The desperate conditions and lack of sanitation for the estimated 2 million Haitians left homeless by the earthquake threaten to trigger a public health disaster. "The next health risk could include outbreaks of diarrhea, respiratory tract infections and other diseases among hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in overcrowded camps with poor or non-existent sanitation," said Doctors Without Borders deputy operations manager Greg Elder.
While media reports claim that ever-growing amounts of material aid are coming into the country, reporters on the ground have said that there is still no sign that it is getting into the hands of the overwhelming majority of those who need it.
The British Broadcasting Corporation reported Thursday, "Correspondents say the aid that has thus far arrived at the port is being driven for 45 minutes across the city to the airport, where it is piling up and not being distributed to those who need it."
The BBC continued, "The US and UN World Food Programme insist the distribution of food and water is well under way, but the BBC’s Adam Mynott in Port-au-Prince says many people have still seen no international relief at all."
Aid organizations have charged that since establishing its unilateral control over the Port-au-Prince airport and the city’s port facilities, and assuming essential governmental powers in Haiti, the US military has given the beefing up of its presence in the country priority over the provision of aid. Doctors Without Borders, for example, has protested that military air traffic controllers have since January 14 refused permission to land to five of its planes carrying 85 tons of medical supplies.
With the Haitian catastrophe now in its 10th day, it is becoming increasingly clear that the response of the Obama administration and the Pentagon, which have made military occupation of the Caribbean nation its first objective, has deepened the immense suffering of millions of injured, homeless and hungry people.
The Pentagon has announced that it is sending 4,000 more troops to Haiti, which will boost the US military occupation force to 16,000. For the first time, a unit that had been slated for deployment by the US Central Command, which oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is being diverted to the Caribbean nation.
Meanwhile, a naval encirclement of Haiti’s coastline is growing. The Miami Herald reported Thursday that the US military has also prepared a detention camp at the Guantánamo Bay Navy Base in Cuba—site of the infamous prison where detainees were tortured—to hold up to 1,000 Haitians should they manage to elude the US warships.
By using Guantánamo as a holding pen for refugees fleeing the horrific conditions of Haiti, the US government will insist that they have no legal rights and cannot appeal their deportation back to their homeland. This same procedure was used in 1991, when thousands of Haitians fled the country following a violent military coup.
The claim that this military "surge" into Haiti is an indispensable prerequisite for delivering aid to the Haitian people is a lie. Relief agencies operating in the country insist that they have not been threatened by the Haitian people, but rather hindered by the attempt to impose war zone-style security over their efforts.
The US media never so much as hints that there could be anything but the sincerest humanitarian motives behind Washington’s assertion of control over Haiti. It makes no reference to the country’s history, which includes a two-decade US occupation at the beginning of the twentieth century, the deployment of US troops twice in the last 20 years, and Washington’s orchestration of a 2004 coup that ousted and exiled Haiti’s elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
In publications reflecting the views of the military-intelligence apparatus, however, there are franker assessments of Washington’s objectives and the real mission. The American Enterprise Institute’s Center for Defense Studies issued a "crisis update" on Haiti, warning: "Conducting a ‘humanitarian relief’ mission in a poor country stricken by a natural disaster can quickly embroil the United States in local politics. And desperate people can easily become violent people."
The statement continued by affirming, "Beyond delivering relief, US soldiers and Marines will inevitably find themselves securing the peace." Part of this mission, it added, would be "to ensure that Haiti’s gangs—particularly those loyal to ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide—are suppressed."
Similarly, William Kristol and Thomas Donnelly, writing in the Weekly Standard, argued that beyond the humanitarian pretext for intervening in Haiti, "the strategic case is also compelling."
"With a transition looming in Cuba and challenges in Central America among others, there is a political reason to be—and to be seen to be—a good and strong neighbor."
In other words, Washington is exploiting the tragedy that has been inflicted upon the people of Haiti to assert colonial-style control over the country. Its aim is to reaffirm US imperialist hegemony in the broader region and to suppress any social revolt by the Haitian masses.
It is only a matter of time before the horrendous death toll caused by the January 12 earthquake will be augmented by victims shot to death by US occupation forces.
Obviously America is willing to sacrifice dying Haitians and steal babies as part of their macabre cult of self gratification based on the domination of African people.
Posted by Brada-Anansi (Member # 16371) on :
Ok I adjust my position,all the above info makes it clear that they are in the way,I am in no way in favor of security before food and medicine,and they could have been deployed in other ways..like transport ships.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
quote:Originally posted by Brada-Anansi: Ok I adjust my position,all the above info makes it clear that they are in the way,I am in no way in favor of security before food and medicine,and they could have been deployed in other ways..like transport ships.
If doctors are willing to go in, the situation shouldn't be so bad. I doubt these men and women are going to be armed to the teeth. According to MSF, the situation isn't that bad when it comes to security.
The problem is lack of accessibility to the Haitian populace. US military presene is making it very difficult to move relief materials and personnel into disaster zones. Talk about a major disappointment.
[Added Later]
US should've been sending in agricultural engineers and carpenters if they are having trouble brining in physicians. The Cubans, by far, maintain a monopoly in proving medical expertise throughout the world.
Western nations are doing a very poor job, despite having bailed out European states several times. Greece is probably going to get bailed out again for hyper-spending and sheer corruption. It is clear that Europeans see very little humanity in others.
People are becoming famous due to this event. Such a joke.
Posted by Doug M (Member # 7650) on :
quote: PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Thousands of children unaccounted for since Haiti’s earthquake are at risk of falling prey to child traffickers, aid agencies have learned, as fears were raised over at least 15 children who have vanished from hospitals within the past few days.
Unicef, the U.N. children’s agency, warned that "traffickers fish in pools of vulnerability. We know from past experience that trafficking happens in the chaos that usually follows emergencies." A Unicef adviser, Jean Luc Legrand, said he knew of at least 15 cases of children disappearing from hospitals.
Save the Children, World Vision and the British Red Cross have called for an immediate halt to adoptions of Haitian children not approved before the earthquake, warning that child traffickers could exploit the lack of regulation. There has been a surge in offers from well-meaning foreigners.
Rupert Colville, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that child enslavement and trafficking was "an existing problem and could easily emerge as a serious issue over the coming weeks and months."
Nearly 30 agencies helped by the UN peacekeeping mission and the Haitian government are urgently pooling information and resources to counter the threat. They are are touring hospitals and orphanages, broadcasting radio messages, and increasing surveillance of road traffic, the airport and the border with the Dominican Republic.
The scale of the problem is potentially enormous. Haiti is awash with children, with 45 percent of its population younger than 15. One U.N. official estimated that between 40,000 and 60,000 children were killed, orphaned or separated from their families by the earthquake, which struck while most were still in school, and anecdotal evidence suggests many have been left to fend for themselves.
One small orphanage visited by The Times yesterday said it had turned away ten children because its buildings were badly damaged. A World Vision official in Jimani, a town just across the border in the Dominican Republic, said eight orphans and 25 unaccompanied children — many injured — had turned up there by Tuesday. A UN official spoke of people driving to the airport in expensive cars and putting children on outgoing flights without any documentation.
The alarm is particularly acute given Haiti’s dire record of child abuse. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported in 2008 that 29 per cent of children under 14 were already working, and roughly 300,000 were ‘restaveks’ (a creole corruption of ‘rester avec’) whose impoverished parents send them to work for wealthier families in the hope they will receive food and shelter.
Some were cared for and educated, but others were "sexually exploited and physically abused; and are unpaid, undocumented, and unprotected". When they turn 15, and must by law be paid, many are turned on to the streets to join as many as 3,000 other children who survive on the streets of Port-au-Prince as vendors, beggars or prostitutes.
Even before the earthquake, Haitian children were regularly sent to the Dominican Republic to work in sex tourism, or recruited by armed gangs. A Haitian women’s organisation documented 140 rapes of girls younger than 18 years in the 18 months to June 2008. Haiti’s many orphanages — there are said to be 200 in Port-au-Prince alone — are poorly regulated, and some are mere fronts for international child traffickers.
Standing orders: shoot to kill and lynch for Haitians picking through the trash heap that is Port Au Prince. Just think about it, what of any use is food that was in a store now stacked like pancakes? What are they worried about? Do you actually believe that any of this trash that will be eventually scooped up by bucket loaders has any real value or is sellable? Not that business owners shouldn't care about their property, but obviously much of what is now in Port Au Prince is trash. Spoiled food, dead bodies, broken goods and thats about it. Not to mention the people going in to retrieve what is rightfully theirs from their own homes and businesses. But shoot to kill on sight for taking trash. Please.
Of course it is the black Haitian government doing this, which shows what lawlessness really means. Lawlessness means ABSENCE of the rule of law, not so much in terms of the everyday people, but the government reaction to it. Shooting a girl in the head for taking a painting out of the trash that is Port Au Prince is certainly lawless. And this is exactly the reason for my concern about such a big "security" effort in Haiti. WTF are Haitians criminals for being the victims of an earthquake? Don't they get the benefit of the doubt over whether the trash in the floors of collapsed buildings is "stealing" in such circumstances?
quote: The horrifying aftermath of Haiti's earthquake has claimed another victim in the form of a 15-year-old girl, an apparent looter, shot dead by police.
Fabienne Cherisma was killed with a bullet to the head after taking paintings from a wrecked shop in downtown Port-au-Prince on Tuesday.
Pictures of the teenager show her slumped face down over one of the paintings and a trail of blood seeping from the wound. Witnesses said it was unclear if she was deliberately targeted or accidentally hit while police fired in the air to disperse a crowd which was carrying goods from Rue Grand Rice.
A conflicting account gave her name as Fabienne Geismar and said she was killed in Rue Marthely Seiee.
Police armed with rifles shot over the heads of the people and kicked a man, part of a delayed effort to regain control of a capital which has been lawless – but largely calm – since the 12 January earthquake.
The crowd was carrying grime-covered chairs while Fabienne, who was on a roof, clutched paintings, including one of two flowers in a vase.
Photographs show her father Osam finding her body, then lifting it into a cart. Fabienne's mother, Armante, is shown weeping and close to collapse. Osam told AFP news agency that police intentionally shot his daughter. Police were not available for comment.
In a separate incident a mob lynched an alleged looter. In some parts of the city the practice goes without sanction. Scavengers mine the ruins of a supermarket in Petionville without comment from passersby.
Police were criticised for their absence from the streets in the first few days after the quake, compounding a sense that the Haitian state had ceased to function. Since Monday they have become more visible. UN peacekeepers and US troops have also materialised but have largely left looting control to local police.
Given the scale of devastation and lack of basic supplies many observers say looting and insecurity could have been worse, and that isolated cases had been magnified by the media.
Truckers with aid supplies coming from the neighbouring Dominican Republic have expressed fears of ambush, and discussed the need to arm themselves.
"The Haitian police, due to their own significant losses, are degraded," said Kenneth Merten, the US ambassador. "This is not a perfect law-and-order situation here, even in the best of times. We're concerned about it and we're monitoring it closely, but I don't think it's anything that's unmanageable."
And certainly if the black police of haiti are seen having shoot to kill orders for 15 year old children, what do you think that says for anyone else who thinks they need to "grab a gun" to help blacks?
BTW, bodies on the street dead or tied up is part of the backdrop of what has been going on in Haiti for quite a while now. This certainly didn't start with the earthquake.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
^ Sounds like good humanitarianism to me. Let the largely useless relief organizations "help" the region as they failed to do, worldwide. You would imagine that people from the first world would shut up when talking to someone who originates from the third world on this matter.
This entire relief effort is a farce, and that's explanable when the population base behind it religiously endorse imperialism. They've joined the club and make almost useless members in reconciliation. People understand this throughout Africa and the Middle East, and yet many (if not most) African-Americans don't.
No one should expect reconciliation with whites nor should be united on affiars such as Cuba, Iran and what not. African-Americans need to use the lobby infrastructure and start calling for UN sanctions to be removed on Cuba, streamline relations with Iran, oppose racist immigration measures, and develop solidarity with people of the third world.
We see this half-assed antics outside of Haiti and within Africa, for instance:
quote: While the United Nations and various organisations such as the Global Fund were still busy setting up the Millennium Fund, Cde Castro communicated to the then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that Cuba would like to lend its assistance to the cause.
He told Annan that because Cuba was under a decades-old blockade, the country could not give monetary aid but there was still a way in which he could give help.
Cde Castro said Cuba was willing to send 4 000 -- that's right, 4 000, of Cuba's best HIV and Aids doctors and specialists directly to Africa and that they would remain on the continent until the pandemic was defeated.
That offer, unfortunately was not taken up because the UN apparently feared the reaction from the United States -- Cuba's age-old enemy -- if it emerged that the Communist country was doing far more than anyone else in combating HIV and Aids.
So, sadly, nothing came out of the most generous offer. Link
Posted by Recovering Afro-holic (Member # 17311) on :
quote:Originally posted by Bob_01: No one should expect reconciliation with whites
Oh my! The racist is now manifesting. Wait!! Which whites are you referring to? White Chinese? White Asian? White Mexican? (RFLOL)
You guys are simply amazing. When it is convenient for you, you'll use the terms in their proper context. But when it is inconvenient, you will resort to your Afrocentric gobbledeegook.
quote: African-Americans need to use the lobby infrastructure
RFLOL!
quote: solidarity with people of the third world.
BINGO!!! This is what it [Afrocentrism] is all about ; racial politics. The Afrocentrists use their trojan horse (Black) to dupe people of color and voila!! amassing a large number of non-whites to counter what they deem is racism white supremacy, a fight Afronuts would not have a chance in hell winning on their own. YOU ARE A LOSER.
Posted by Jari-Ankhamun (Member # 14451) on :
quote:Originally posted by Doug M: And again here we are seeing the suffering of millions of blacks on worldwide TV due to a natural disaster. A week after the event, already the media and other outlets are making this tragedy seem like another Katrina all over again. All the key factors are in place: large predominantly black poor population, a massive natural disaster of epic proportions, a lackluster relief effort from the U.S. government and a history of unfair economic policies from one toward the other.
Of course, all of this is passed off as "routine" and nothing to write home about. Really? When was the last time a hurricane killed almost 200,000 people on any part of the planet? And given that the numbers have been over 100,000 since the event first occurred, why isn't there a massive relief campaign equal to the scale of the tragedy? As I speak only one functioning field hospital has been set up in the country, by Israel, from thousands of miles away. Where are the U.S. field hospitals?
By now if anyone believes in America being a savior to or helpful to blacks in any sense of the term, they must be retarded. Of course, mass media won't say that the U.S. could care less that the victims of one of the largest natural disasters in recent history are continuing to die because of U.S. racism. Of course not. Nope, they will wait until the people get desperate because there is no food and water and especially after they begin to really realize that NOBODY gives a f*ck about them. However, that anger and desperation will be portrayed as simply blacks being violent and looting when in reality that isn't the case. Again, Katrina becomes an all too similar. And just like Katrina, the U.S. will wait until things cannot get more desperate and people are at wits end and things get really out of hand, to make a big show of coming in and "saving the day". Well if Katrina is any example then, "saving the day" could mean thousands more Haitians disappearing on top of the thousands already lost....
The most tragic part of all of this is that now the U.S. has a black president, which goes to show just how meaningless that is.
And the biggest question black folks should be asking is not white folks won't do more to help, because given the history of white folks, such a question is only obvious. Nope, the question is why black folks don't have the doctors, medicine, tents, clothing, food needed for this type of calamity nor the ships, helicopters and planes to send it there. To say that blacks still depend wholly and fully on the niceness of white folks as opposed to the millions of blacks in the diaspora, to survive in this day and age in the face of tragedy is an even bigger travesty.
But somehow the image we get of Haiti is of "god fearing" Africans worshiping and faithful to the white Jesus, even though the white folks that gave them Jesus have never been good to them.
quote: Surviving the massive quake that rocked Haiti was just the beginning. Experts say the new dangers -- among them, deaths from untreated wounds and disease outbreak -- may be compounded by Haiti's old problem: poverty.
"That creates a lot of challenges," said David Gazashvili, emergency team leader in Haiti for the humanitarian group CARE, "because Haiti is a country that's in a chronic emergency in terms of food insecurity, in terms of access to clean water, in terms of income."
Giuseppe Annunziata, the World Health Organization's emergency coordinator for Haiti, says the "big earthquake, right in the capital of a very poor and fragile state," created a humanitarian nightmare because basic health care services have "completely collapsed."
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"It's compounded by the fact that the state structure is so severely hit and the existing humanitarian structure has also been severely hit," Annunziata said. "And we have to deal with that."
Many victims could die from wounds that under normal circumstances would be easily treatable; a lack of food and clean water raises concerns over disease outbreaks. And people who were getting treatment for HIV and other chronic diseases no longer have access to care. Video: Infections 'out of control' Video: U.S. lawmaker on baby's rescue Gallery: Devastation from Haiti earthquake 10 biggest quakes since 1900 RELATED TOPICS
* Haiti * Earthquakes * Port-au-Prince
"People suffering from cancer, people who need dialysis and even moms who need to deliver their kids -- all these things are being affected by this emergency," said Paul Garwood, a spokesman for the WHO's Health Action in Crises team.
So is that why the U.S. as of today still does not have a functioning field hospital in Haiti? I mean if a small island country is rocked by an earthquake how can you speak of infrastructure? Isn't devastation to be expected? Even though Haiti is poor, that has nothing to do with the lack luster response from the U.S. and other Western Countries and the U.N. who was more concerned about pulling out people who could help than helping victims and leaving them to die.
In fact, my distrust of the Red Cross and other agencies is why I haven't donated any money yet. I don't believe it will actually go to the people who need it, because I know how rotten white folks in power can get.
LOL What is funny is how the Catholic Papacy...The Whore that Sits on many Waters...Is taking advantage of this with the Depictions of White Jesus and His White Catholic Lakeys Saving the poor Devil worshipping black Haitians. The Papacy The Mother of Harlots and abominations of the Earth, Where the Satanic Demonic Vaticanus That Sits on Seven Hills and the Devil worshipping, Child Molesting, Nazi affiliated Sith Lord, The Pope taking advanntage of this. Nothing but Pure Propaganda...I mean Like The Pope, Who Blasphemes The Moshiach every time he opens his stinking mouth Parading his WHORE Catholic Molesting lackeys like they are some sort of saviors.
This whole escapade is nothing but the same ole rehash of White Supremist, White Savior, Vatican Supported propaganda. Now the American Negro will see their low, slave posiition in America as good and will Thank White Jesus they are in America. Pathetic, When Haiti's problems are due to Western American Dominance in the first place makes it even more Ironic..
I bet H.A.A.R.P was behind Haiti's hell
Posted by Recovering Afro-holic (Member # 17311) on :
okay lemme see my calendar here.......... it took 11 days before the Afronuts here started blaiming the eq on America, which by implication is an indictment against Whites in America. I actually thought it would have taken longer.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
quote:Originally posted by Recovering Afro-holic: okay lemme see my calendar here.......... it took 11 days before the Afronuts here started blaiming the eq on America, which by implication is an indictment against Whites in America. I actually thought it would have taken longer.
Yawn. The idea that Western imperialism behind Haiti is well acknowledged. The concept of white privilege, whiteness and its interconnectedness is well discussed in US academic within critical race theory or "whiteness" studies.
Go read "White man burden", refer to historical literature on US intervention, hell search for Congressional measures, and no one with a brain would be able to divorce what's being suggested here with reality. I swear, the relief teams, the EUROPEAN ones, are suggesting that US military presence is downright obstructive. What next, white American and European physician, are anti-white "racists?
Posted by Jari-Ankhamun (Member # 14451) on :
quote:Originally posted by Recovering Afro-holic: okay lemme see my calendar here.......... it took 11 days before the Afronuts here started blaiming the eq on America, which by implication is an indictment against Whites in America. I actually thought it would have taken longer.
Get off the White man's Dick. No one is saying White did that to Haiti(Although good evidence shows that H.A.A.R.P. Could have been behind it). What we are exposing is America and in my Opinion the Catholic Church Papacy, The Whore that Sits on many Waters, The Mother of HArlots, shameless actions to portray them as saviors to Haiti as if no other Religious people are donating and willing to help Haiti. Also the white supremist Media's prorayal of Haiti as Little Africa with Blacks living like Jungle Animals falling over etc. Prove us wrong that this is not the case..
Posted by Jari-Ankhamun (Member # 14451) on :
Exactly Bob, The U.S is behind Haiti's problems and the U.S is taking advantage of the quake to booster its image which STINKS due to its INVASIONS and MASS MURDER of Iraqi and Afgan Civilians and citizens who are trying to rid the land and homes of occupied American Impearlism and the War against their Muslim culture to degrade it to the Papacy worshipping, deluded, Subverted Morally corrupt Western Culture that promotes Homosexuals, Whores, White Supremacy, Abortion(Contraception), Population control, and the Ultimate form of Slavery...Consumerism. Im not a Muslim nor to I advocate Islam
Posted by Recovering Afro-holic (Member # 17311) on :
quote:Originally posted by Bob_01: Yawn. The idea that Western imperialism behind Haiti is well acknowledged.
Yea of course! I mean You go Yugo Chavez! who else? Oh yea! we can't forget Fidel Castro! Perhaps North Korean prez mr. Ill threw his hat in too! (LOL) Sir, it is not well acknowledged. Imperialism ended a LONG time ago. The Haitian tragedy is a result of a NATURAL DISASTER and poor management by their gov'.
quote: The concept of white privilege, whiteness and its interconnectedness is well discussed in US academic within critical race theory or "whiteness" studies.
Haiti is a Black island nation. How does white privilege fit into that?
quote: Oh? explain to me discussed? do you mean like some Afrocentric
Go read "White man burden", refer to historical literature on US intervention, hell search for Congressional measures, and no one with a brain would be able to divorce what's being suggested here with reality.
You do not know Haitian history. If you did, you'd know who the real culprits are behind their suffering. I speak from first hand experience and account. I would be considered "Primary source."
quote: I swear, the relief teams, the EUROPEAN ones, are suggesting that US military presence is downright obstructive.
Are you aware it was Preval who gave America control over the Airport and Airspace? Why didn't he give that authority over to the French? You know, the french who complained about the US "occupation" of the island.
Posted by Recovering Afro-holic (Member # 17311) on :
Wait a sec! you are agreeing w/dudes who are claiming the US is there to further inflict suffering upon Haitians. How are they going to "booster" their image if they do not have Haiti's best interest at heart? Better yet! don't answer that. You guys are really fvcking confused.
quote:Originally posted by Jari-Ankhamun: Exactly Bob, The U.S is behind Haiti's problems and the U.S is taking advantage of the quake to booster its image
Posted by Jari-Ankhamun (Member # 14451) on :
quote:Originally posted by Recovering Afro-holic: Wait a sec! you are agreeing w/dudes who are claiming the US is there to further inflict suffering upon Haitians. How are they going to "booster" their image if they do not have Haiti's best interest at heart? Better yet! don't answer that. You guys are really fvcking confused.
quote:Originally posted by Jari-Ankhamun: Exactly Bob, The U.S is behind Haiti's problems and the U.S is taking advantage of the quake to booster its image
Dumb Fool, Let be unbiased both of us for a minute. You know as well as me that the U.S Image due to its Invasions, corruption, lies, and torture has a bad reputation and bad image to the world. The First attempt to slavage this Image was to put a black Face and a great orator in the white House, the second is to make the U.S look like a savor rather than invader. The U.S could careless about Haiti this is just P.R campaign to booster The Image of the U.S..The U.S is dominating the Relif Aid and trying to make it seem like the U.S is the biggest contributor and savior of the Haitians.
Posted by Recovering Afro-holic (Member # 17311) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jari-Ankhamun: Dumb Fool, Let be unbiased both of us for a minute.
Ok Yuck-mouth (although 99 percent of the time i'm unbiased. Not quite sure why u r asking me this).
quote: You know as well as me that the U.S Image due to its Invasions, corruption, lies, and torture has a bad reputation and bad image to the world.
what world are you talking about? Developing, sh1thole or industrialized.
quote: The First attempt to slavage this Image was to put a black Face
I disagree. Are you saying the US election was rigged? Are you saying White people in America are some monolithic entity (they're the ones who elected him into office)?
quote: and a great orator in the white House, the second is to make the U.S look like a savor rather than invader.
Are you saying Obama was put in office because it was foreseen that we would be going into Haiti? Explain yourself please.
quote: The U.S could careless about Haiti
The US constitution directs ALL PRESIDENTS to look out for the US, its citizens and over-seas interests FIRST. Do you see something wrong w/this principle?
quote: this is just P.R campaign to booster The Image of the U.S..
Is there something wrong w/a country exploiting a situation for the sake of national interest?
quote: The U.S is dominating the Relif Aid and trying to make it seem like the U.S is the biggest contributor and savior of the Haitians.
Dude, they are. I had put up a video of Haitians chanting "Viva USA" (did you view it?) Do you think they're too dumb to see what you are saying? BTW... the US has the most relief operations on the ground over there. The numbers speak for themselves.
Posted by Jari-Ankhamun (Member # 14451) on :
You know as well as me that the U.S Image due to its Invasions, corruption, lies, and torture has a bad reputation and bad image to the world.[/QUOTE]what world are you talking about? Developing, sh1thole or industrialized. The Image of the U.S is bad in Europe, worse in the Middle East, Latin America etc...
The First attempt to slavage this Image was to put a black Face[/QUOTE]I disagree. Are you saying the US election was rigged? Are you saying White people in America are some monolithic entity (they're the ones who elected him into office)? [b] This is exactly what I am Saying...?? I mean seriously, honestly DID YOU THINK McCain HAD A CHANCE...LOOL..After He CHOOSE Sarah Palin as his V.P Nom...LOL..Afronut do you really believe in the Electorial Process?? Do you actually THINK its fair and unbiased..LOLOLOll....Obama won that election becuase he got mor Endorment money and More Media time/exposure...Democracy is an illusion.
[b]and a great orator in the white House, the second is to make the U.S look like a savor rather than invader.re you saying Obama was put in office because it was foreseen that we would be going into Haiti? Explain yourself please. Im not Saying Obama was put there for Haiti(Even thought there is evidence that HAARP could be behind this then) Im saying he is nothing but a Black Face put ther to give the illusion that The Same B.S Bush put US through was OVER rather than being continued under Obama...Obama is nothing but an Orator and Black Face to calm Americans down..Nothing more.
quote: The U.S could careless about Haiti
The US constitution directs ALL PRESIDENTS to look out for the US, its citizens and foreign interests FIRST. Do you see something wrong w/this principle?
this is just P.R campaign to booster The Image of the U.S..[/QUOTE]Is there something wrong w/a country exploiting a situation for the sake of national interest? So you agree that the U.S reasons for helping Hait is for its own Image.
The U.S is dominating the Relif Aid and trying to make it seem like the U.S is the biggest contributor and savior of the Haitians. [/QUOTE]Dude, they are. I had put up a video of Haitians chanting "Viva USA" (did you view it?) Do you think they're too dumb to see what you are saying? BTW... the US has the most relief operations on the ground over there. The numbers speak for themselves. [/QB][/QUOTE] LOL..SO YOU DO AGREE THE US is trying to make its Savior Image Known...LOL. The U.S is taking over Haiti's Suppy and relief to Dominate Media coverage and make it seem as if the only people there are Americans??? I mean where are the Chinese, Indians, Australians, Brits, Swedes, etc in the Biased Media coverage??? Hell Where are the Dominicans??
Posted by Recovering Afro-holic (Member # 17311) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jari-Ankhamun: The Image of the U.S is bad in Europe
so explain why they align themselves with the US in international policy, case in pt. IRAQ?
quote: worse in the Middle East,
name the countries for me please. The US has friends and partnerships in the middle east. I want to see if the list you have are the totalitarian regimes that aint worth sh1t
quote: Latin America etc...
Again, name the countries for me.
quote: This is exactly what I am Saying...?? I mean seriously, honestly DID YOU THINK McCain HAD A CHANCE...LOOL..After He CHOOSE Sarah Palin as his V.P Nom...LOL..Afronut do you really believe in the Electorial Process?? Do you actually THINK its fair and unbiased..LOLOLOll....Obama won that election becuase he got mor Endorment money and More Media time/exposure...Democracy is an illusion.
please answer me directly. Are you saying the election is rigged. If you say yes, then the conversation ends right here.
quote: Im not Saying Obama was put there for Haiti(Even thought there is evidence that HAARP could be behind this then
If you cannot prove the existence of HAARP, the conversation ends. And I ain't talking about the scientific research HAARP. I'm talking about the weather making machine HAARP. Prove its existence or else I am finished with this discussion.
quote: So you agree that the U.S reasons for helping Hait is for its own Image.
What I am saying is the US motivation to go to Haiti is not purely altruistic. But that does not surprise me. The US is not a charity nation.
quote: LOL..SO YOU DO AGREE THE US is trying to make its Savior Image Known...LOL.
Dude, the US toots itself as the leader of the free world. Like Duhh. Do you think something is wrong w/that?
quote: The U.S is taking over Haiti's Suppy and relief to Dominate Media coverage and make it seem as if the only people there are Americans??? I mean where are the Chinese, Indians, Australians, Brits, Swedes, etc in the Biased Media coverage???
Dude, you are seriously misled. I can be the first to tell you, the majority of relief workers there are UN and RED CROSS. They receive coverage. As for the chinese, indians, etc... LOL! If you think they have significant numbers on the ground.
Find me a video of Haitians chanting "Viva Australia" or "Viva China" (LOL). You have no idea what is going on do you?
quote: Hell Where are the Dominicans??
RFLOL!! Oh the naivety of the people on the board. Do you really want me to answer this?
Posted by Jari-Ankhamun (Member # 14451) on :
[QB]
quote:Originally posted by Jari-Ankhamun: The Image of the U.S is bad in Europe
so explain why they align themselves with the US in international policy, case in pt. IRAQ?Do you really think the average European supports the U.S Invasions??? Most Europeans blamed Americans for the war and see the U.S citizens as brain washed lackeys that watch Fox news and follow anything the Media puts forth..LOL. I will assure you that most Europeans are more aware of U.S lies and corruption than Americans and will tell you to your face. I mean do you think its O.K to Kill Iraqis and Afgans looking for an non existant Al-Qeida and Bin Laden Terrorist Boogeyman..??? LMAO..If you do then you are as morally eroded and delusional than I thought..I mean can you even explain just what a terrorist IS?? LMAO??
worse in the Middle East,[/QUOTE]name the countries for me please. The US has friends and partnerships in the middle east. I want to see if the list you have are the totalitarian regimes that aint worth sh1t How can you say for sure who Is totalitarian and who is not. What is your Source..THE AMERICAN MEDIA?? Most Countries you claim are Totalitrian are portrayed that way becuase they refuse to cooperate with Private/World Banking Systems..Every NAtions has its Corruption..The so Called "War on Drugs" in the U.S is an example of Corruption.
Latin America etc...[/QUOTE]Again, name the countries for me. Why all you will do is dismiss them as totalitarian ignoring U.S corruption Again why waste Time??
This is exactly what I am Saying...?? I mean seriously, honestly DID YOU THINK McCain HAD A CHANCE...LOOL..After He CHOOSE Sarah Palin as his V.P Nom...LOL..Afronut do you really believe in the Electorial Process?? Do you actually THINK its fair and unbiased..LOLOLOll....Obama won that election becuase he got mor Endorment money and More Media time/exposure...Democracy is an illusion.[/QUOTE]please answer me directly. Are you saying the election is rigged. If you say yes, then the conversation ends right here. What do you mean by RIGGED...By RIGGED I mean Obama Got the Most Endorments and Media coverage and support. Don't act like you thought McCain had a chance or that Obama did not get treated more favorably by the Media and he was on the Media a hell lot more than McCain...Like I said Democracy is an illusion..
Im not Saying Obama was put there for Haiti(Even thought there is evidence that HAARP could be behind this then[/QUOTE]If you cannot prove the existence of HAARP, the conversation ends. And I ain't talking about the scientific research HAARP. I'm talking about the weather making machine HAARP. Prove its existence or else I am finished with this discussion. LOL..I said MAYBE HAARP was Used and you know the only way to know for sure is to be an Disinformation agent WORKING FOR HAARP which I am not. Now DO YOU HAVE PROOF HAARP was not APART OF THIS disaster.??
Although off topic I Do plan on trying to get into the Vatican by pretending to be part of the team...LOL. I just HAVE to see what they are hiding on those 7 hills.
So you agree that the U.S reasons for helping Hait is for its own Image.[/QUOTE]What I am saying is the US motivation to go to Haiti is not purely altruistic. But that does not surprise me. The US is not a charity nation. Exactly, so you DO ADMIT the U.S is expoiting the situation for its own reasons??? which should make you wonder why it is taking such drastic measure and why the Media is pouring Image after Image into Millions of peoples minds..What are their reasons??
LOL..SO YOU DO AGREE THE US is trying to make its Savior Image Known...LOL.[/QUOTE]Dude, the US toots itself as the leader of the free world. Like Duhh. Do you think something is wrong w/that? You don't Think anything is wrong with that. Suprising considering the fact you claim to be Haitian. I would cringe at the Image of the U.S that could care less about Haiti any given sunday Trying to used the Death and Tragedy of my people To Booster its Image. Hell At elast Bush made it clear how he felt about The Katrina victims. This is nothing but a P.R campaign and a expoitation of Haitians and a degradtion and mockery of Haitian people.
The U.S is taking over Haiti's Suppy and relief to Dominate Media coverage and make it seem as if the only people there are Americans??? I mean where are the Chinese, Indians, Australians, Brits, Swedes, etc in the Biased Media coverage??? [/QUOTE]Dude, you are seriously misled. I can be the first to tell you, the majority of relief workers there are UN and RED CROSS. They receive coverage. As for the chinese, indians, etc... LOL! If you think they have significant numbers on the ground.
Find me a video of Haitians chanting "Viva Australia" or "Viva China" (LOL). You have no idea what is going on do you?
The U.N..LOL Lets not eve GO INT Expoitation and THE Satanic Organization of the U.S...OF COURSE they will get coverage..LOL. Like I said the The U.S is getting the Most Coverage and I know for a fact many other countries have sent people to help...WHERE ARE THESE PEOPLE..??
Hell Where are the Dominicans?? [/QUOTE]RFLOL!! Oh the naivety of the people on the board. Do you really want me to answer this? I am aware of the situation between Haitians and Dominicans but are you saying that Domincans are not willing to HElp the Haitians..Proof???
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
quote:Originally posted by Recovering Afro-holic: [QB]
quote:Originally posted by Bob_01: Yawn. The idea that Western imperialism behind Haiti is well acknowledged.
Yea of course! I mean You go Yugo Chavez! who else? Oh yea! we can't forget Fidel Castro! Perhaps North Korean prez mr. Ill threw his hat in too! (LOL) Sir, it is not well acknowledged. Imperialism ended a LONG time ago.
Oh yes, no wonder Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro are doing more to Cuba than when under the US domain.
Your views below are worthless. Go debate with your mother. I swear, my mother's, literate, great grandmother understood the dynamics of imperialism, but she was an uncle tom and only saw order through the Europeans. Regardless, you got to be inane to ignore the US invasions, forced regime changes, and the failure that arose out of it despite it being regulated by the superpower.
quote:The Haitian tragedy is a result of a NATURAL DISASTER and poor management by their gov'.
The Haitians do NOT have a government. I swear, American intellectual height only touches a minority:
quote: "[After] early 1994 . . . Washington’s negotiators made one demand that Aristide could not accept: the immediate selloff of Haiti’s state-owned enterprises, including phones and electricity. Aristide argued that unregulated privatization would transform state monopolies into private oligarchies, increasing the riches of Haiti’s elite and stripping the poor of their national wealth."[1]Link The US introduced a prime minster who was actually pampered in the United States. The prime minister installed was ruthless as Amnesty International suggests as well.
That Presidential in 2006 is full of controversies and if even by using google, it is mainstream knowledge that:
[QUOTE]The elections took place as Haiti was under the occupation of MINUSTAH, a multi-national U.N. force established by the Security Council which started operations in June 2004.Link
It was managed by the United Nations, or to be more honest, the United States. The nation was involved in all stages and is the reason why the "rebellion" took place. Aristide opposed privatization measures, which wouldn't even work in the United States.
I wonder if the United States would privatize Tennessee Valley Authority? If that were to happen, much of the failed rural white areas in the US would be cut off. That agency occured huge loses and is heavily protected as well. Speaing of protection, why doesn't the Americans allow Gulf corporations (those based in allied states) purchase US ports? Why must US media be 100% American-owned?
Millions of questions question American hypocriscy, but not one answer. Regardless, the entire "management" front involved the West. The officials from Western nations were heavily involed in Haiti prior to the Earthquake and a number of these fucks died. Good riddance, but yes, it does tell us that Haitians, weren't managing their own affairs for a while.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
quote:
Find me a video of Haitians chanting "Viva Australia" or "Viva China" (LOL). You have no idea what is going on do you?
Those who use "LOL" tend to be intellectual bankrupt. Remember, I am laughing at your whoorish mother.
Answering that question, does media exposure even matter? The Haitian population are desperate and many would want refugee status to the US. I could understand that, because US, for most parts, wouldn't attack their own population.
This inability to reason must be a unifying trait found in arguewithidiots. Media exposure is hardly subjective, but based on revenue. The nation has the most comprehensive propaganda network in the known universe. I don't see how Australia and what not could compete.
Regardless, there are +400 Cuban physicians within the nation prior to the Earthquakes. How many American ones were present? Why is Cuba and not United States training hundreds of Haitian physicians?
Let's look at the Katrina incident:
quote:Twenty-four hours after the hurricane struck, Cde Castro contacted the US State Department in Washington and offered to send 500 environmental disaster specialists to the Gulf region within the next day.
That was not all. A further 1 500 would be dispatched over the next 48 hours.
The personnel would remain in place, assisting victims of the disaster until health infrastructure was resurrected and the people were adequately catered for.
In the next 48 hours, the US Health and Human Services Department declared a public health emergency in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
The emergency was then extended to nine other states where survivors were evacuated to but still the US would not accept Cde Castro's offer.Link
Is the United States a joke or what? We're not going to run with your media-indoctrinated nonsense pushed into you by your incompetant mother. It's pretty obvious that US measures are FAILING and white Physicians based in the West are suggesting that as well.
You would think that physicians have a better understanding of medical affairs, than lowly BA journalists, who largely are prostitutes of money. I am suggesting that off all journalists, but a good number are undeniably pathetic. You can include US's television journalism establishment onto that category.
Posted by Jari-Ankhamun (Member # 14451) on :
LOL, the poor Soul is under the impression the America is the God fearing, Savior and Police of the World Lie and the other Lies the U.N, World Bank puts forth...Poor Soul.
He opposed the U.N and World Bank so the U.S ousted him.
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
^ Nah, that Haitian uncle tom's whore of a mother is the one who introduced these policies. She wanted to see to be placed in a masochistic economic environment that even millionaire American farmers can handle.
I mean, could you imagine if US didn't ridiculously overprotect the auto industry? That is, place high tarrifs, forcing foreign manufacturers to set up assembly lines in the nation. If such methods, popularly used by Stalin, weren't employed, their automobile industry would collapse.
American performance in STEM subjects are amongst the lowest in the OECD. The average performance is quite low vs. the world as well. Who the hell would want to hire the lazy, largely overweight and under-educated Americans? Haitians are "inferior", much poorer as well, and don't need hyper protectionism unlike, the grand and obese, Americans. Posted by Doug M (Member # 7650) on :
quote: Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Dr. Roberto Feliz and Dr. Hiba Georges were quickly jolted from the most modern of medical care in Boston, Massachusetts, to the most rudimentary of care when they flew to Haiti last week to work at a hospital housed in two tents run by the University of Miami.
The doctors, who worked at the Boston Medical Center, quickly learned that when you have no technology -- not even the simplest blood test -- you have to make medical decisions in an entirely different way.
The first death they witnessed taught them a valuable lesson.
The patient was a boy who needed his leg amputated or else he would die of either an infection or rhabdomyolysis, a kidney disease that follows injuries where muscles are crushed.
Feliz, Georges and the other doctors had nowhere to take the boy. Their own hospital had yet to open its operating room, so they spent hours trying to find a hospital that could do surgeries. Their search was in vain.
Finally, the doctors decided to do the surgery themselves that night by the moonlight under a mango tree.
"We just sawed his foot off. We didn't have to use anesthesia because he was already unconscious and wasn't feeling a thing," Feliz says.
But they'd waited too long. The boy took his last breath during the surgery.
"Some of the doctors cried," Feliz says. "I told them, 'There is no crying in medicine.'"
As a direct result of the boy's death, a few hours later, at 3 in the morning, the surgeons at the University of Miami hospital decided to build their own operating room. They had no surgical lights, no oxygen, no blood, no ventilators and no monitors. For a tourniquet they used one of the doctor's belts.
"We'd been waiting to build the operating room until we received better equipment, but after that boy's death we became more aggressive. We said let's do it, because they're going to die anyway," Feliz says.
The doctors continued to learn lessons about what one had called "civil war medicine" after the operating room went up.
At one point, a 16-year-old boy needed an amputation, but the surgeons asked Feliz and Georges to make sure the boy's kidneys were working before they put him through surgery. Without any blood tests to assess kidney function, the only thing they could look for was urine as a sign that his kidneys were working.
"We tried to see if we could get some urine going, but there was not a drop. We filled him with fluids and gave him Lasix, a diuretic, to get him to pee, but nothing," Feliz says.
The boy died as the doctors were treating him.
"I saw a lot of deaths there, but this one hit me the hardest," he says. "I texted my wife back at home, 'I've had a bad day.'"
After that boy's death, surgeons were quicker to give permission to amputate, Feliz says.
Feliz says if there's any silver lining to practicing such rudimentary medicine, it's that it made him a more humble doctor.
"Back in Boston, I'm a hot shot. The nurses have to respect me," Feliz says. "Here, I'm just a worker bee. I cleaned the OR floor after surgery. I carried dead bodies down the street. I was in traffic carrying dead bodies. That makes you human. I came here a very fancy doctor, and I'm leaving here as a humble man."
quote: Editor's note: Dr. Dean G. Lorich is the associate director of the Orthopaedic Trauma Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery and New York Presbyterian Hospital and teaches orthopedic surgery at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Dr. Soumitra Eachempati is a medical researcher with a clinical surgical practice and teaches at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. David L. Helfet is professor of orthopedic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and director of the Orthopaedic Trauma Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery and New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
New York City (CNN) -- Four years ago, the devastating Hurricane Katrina affected millions in the United States. The initial medical response was ill-equipped, understaffed, poorly coordinated and delayed. Criticism was fierce.
The response to Haiti has been the same. The point no one seems to remember is this: Medical response to these situations cannot be delayed. Immediate access to emergency equipment is also crucial.
Within 24 hours of the earthquake, Dr. David Helfet put together a 13-member team of surgeons, anesthesiologists and operating room nurses, with a massive amount of orthopedic operating room equipment, ready to be flown directly to Port-au-Prince on a private plane.
We also had a plan to replace physicians and equipment -- within 24 hours, we could bring in whatever was necessary on a private jet. We believe we had a reasonably comprehensive orthopedic trauma service; as trauma surgeons, we planned to provide acute care in the midst of an orthopedic disaster.
We expected many amputations. But we thought we could save limbs that were salvageable, particularly those of children. We recognized that in an underdeveloped country, a limb amputation may be a death sentence. It does not have to be so.
We thought our plan was a good one, but we soon learned we were incredibly naive. Disaster management in Haiti was nonexistent.
The difficulties in getting in -- despite the intelligence we had from people on the ground and Dr. Helfet's connections with Partners in Health and Bill and Hillary Clinton -- only hinted at the difficulties we would have once we arrived.
We started out Friday morning and got a slot to get into Port-au-Prince on Friday. That was canceled when we were on the runway and was rescheduled for the next day. We were diverted to the Dominican Republic and planned on arriving in Port-au-Prince on Saturday.
That Saturday morning slot also was canceled and postponed until the afternoon. The airport had one runway and hundreds of planes trying to land. But nobody was prioritizing the flights.
Once we finally landed, we were taken to the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince with our medical supplies. We had been told that this hospital was up and running with two functioning operating rooms.
Once we arrived, we saw a severely damaged hospital with no running water and only limited electrical power, supplied by a generator. Surgeries were being performed in the equivalent of a large storage closet, where amputations were performed with hacksaws.
This facility could not nearly accommodate our equipment nor our expertise to treat the volume of injuries we saw.
We quickly took our second option: Community Hospital of Haiti, about two miles away. There, we found about 750 patients lying on the floor. But the facility had running water, electricity and two functional operating rooms.
We found scores of patients with pus dripping out of open extremity fractures and crush injuries. Some wounds were already ridden with maggots. That truck, loaded with life-saving equipment, was hijacked somewhere between the airport and the hospital. --Drs. Dean Lorich, Soumitra Eachempati and David L. Helfet
About a third of these victims were children. The entire hospital smelled of infected, rotting limbs and death. Later on, we would judge our surgical progress by the diminishment of the stench.
In our naïveté, we didn't expect that the two anesthesia machines would not work; that there would be only one cautery available in the entire hospital to stop bleeding; that an operating room sterilizer fit only instruments the size of a cigar box; that there would be no sterile saline, no functioning fluoroscopy machine, no blood for transfusions, no ability to do lab work; and the only local staff was a ragtag group of voluntary health providers who, like us, had made it there on their own.
As we got up and running and organized the patients for surgery, we told our contacts in the United States what we needed. More supplies were loaded for a second trip. Those included a battery-operated pulse lavage, a huge supply of sterile saline and the soft goods we needed desperately in the operating room.
The plane landed as planned Sunday night, and the new equipment was loaded onto a truck. Then that truck, loaded with life-saving equipment, was hijacked somewhere between the airport and the hospital.
We had planned to run a marathon round-the-clock operation and leave at 11 p.m. Tuesday. We worked for 60-plus hours without stopping. The plane that would take us home would bring with it not only a new medical staff, but also equipment that was nonexistent in the hospital, or even the country.
These pieces of equipment, two of each, were urgently needed: portable anesthesiology machines; electrocautery machines to stop bleeding after amputations; portable monitors for the recovery room; autoclaves to sterilize equipment; and a lot of orthopedic equipment, which we were quickly using up. The other items were those that were on the previous flight and had been hijacked.
Officials at the Port-au-Prince airport canceled that plane's 6 a.m. Tuesday slot, and the plane never made it to us on time.
We had started to see daylight Monday night, having performed about 100 surgeries, which were mainly amputations, fixing broken limbs and soft tissue debridements. Many of the patients were children and babies.
But on Tuesday morning, a huge number of new patients arrived. The Haitians had heard we were trying to save limbs, and families were bringing their injured loved ones to us.
The hospital was forced to lock down, closing its gates to the angry and frustrated crowd outside. On Tuesday morning, we saw that many of the patients we had operated on were becoming septic and would require additional surgeries.
We finished operating at noon Tuesday, our last surgery assisting an obstetrician on a Caesarean section and helping to resuscitate a newborn who was not breathing.
We decided the situation was untenable. Our supplies were running out, our team was past exhaustion, safety was rapidly becoming a concern, and we had no firm plan to leave or resupply.
A hospital benefactor helped us get to the airport. First, Jamaican soldiers with M-16s escorted us out of the building as the crowd outside saw us abandoning the hospital. We made it to the airport on the back of a pickup, got onto the tarmac, hailed a commercial plane that had carried cargo to Haiti and was returning to Montreal, Canada, and had a private jet pick us up from there.
We were unprepared for what we saw in Haiti -- the vast amount of human devastation, the complete lack of medical infrastructure, the lack of support from the Haitian medical community, the lack of organization on the ground.
No one was in charge. We had the first hospital in the Port-au-Prince area with functioning operating rooms, yet no one came to the hospital to assess how we did it or offer help.
The fact that the military could not or would not protect the critical resupply medical equipment on Sunday, or allow the Tuesday flight to come in, is devastating and merits intense investigation.
There was no security at the hospital. We needed a much higher level of security with strong and clear support of the military from the very beginning.
The lack of support for our operation by the United States is shocking and embarrassing and shows how woefully unprepared we are for the realities of disasters. We came to understand that our isolated operation may work in a mission, but not in a disaster.
We first thought we would support those at the helm but soon realized we were almost the only early responders with the critical expertise and equipment to treat an orthopedic disaster such as this.
Still, nobody with a clear plan is in charge, and care is chaotic at best. Doctors are coming into the country with no plan of what they are going to do, and nobody directing them how to do it.
Surgeons who expect to show up and operate will be mistaken. Without a complement of support staff and supplies, they are of limited to no value.
We left feeling as if we abandoned these patients, the country and its people, and we feel terrible.
Our role back in New York is to expose the inadequacies of the system in the hopes of effecting change immediately. Patients who are alive and still have their arms and legs remain in jeopardy unless an urgent response is implemented.
The quickest and most efficient way to really help now and support the medical staff on the ground is to assess needs, provide equipment and personnel in necessary quantities, and bring them safely and expeditiously into the country and to the hospital units caring for patients.
Upon our departure, we witnessed pallets of Cheerios and dry goods sitting on the tarmac helping nobody. Yet our flight of critical medical equipment and personnel had been canceled, and the equipment that did get through was hijacked.
We implore an official organization to step up and take charge of the massive ongoing medical effort that will be necessary to care for the people of Haiti and their children. And to do it now.
quote: By the time her work brought her back to the United States, Nancy Scheper-Hughes had spent more than a decade tracking the illegal sale of human organs across the globe. Posing as a medical doctor in some places and a would-be kidney buyer in others, she had linked gangsters, clergymen and surgeons in a trail that led from South Africa, Brazil and other developing nations all the way back to some of her own country's best medical facilities. So it was that on an icy February afternoon in 2003, the anthropologist from the University of California, Berkeley, found herself sitting across from a group of transplant surgeons in a small conference room at a big Philadelphia hospital.
By accident or by design, she believed, surgeons in their unit had been transplanting black-market kidneys from residents of the world's most impoverished slums into the failing bodies of wealthy dialysis patients from Israel, Europe and the United States. According to Scheper-Hughes, the arrangements were being negotiated by an elaborate network of criminals who kept most of the money themselves. For about $150,000 per transplant, these organ brokers would reach across continents to connect buyers and sellers, whom they then guided to "broker-friendly" hospitals here in the United States (places where Scheper-Hughes says surgeons were either complicit in the scheme or willing to turn a blind eye). The brokers themselves often posed as or hired clergy to accompany their clients into the hospital and ensure that the process went smoothly. The organ sellers typically got a few thousand dollars for their troubles, plus the chance to see an American city.
quote: (CNN) -- Trafficking of children and human organs is occurring in the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated parts of Haiti, killed more than 150,000 people, and left many children orphans, Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said Wednesday.
"There is organ trafficking for children and other persons also, because they need all types of organs," Bellerive said in an exclusive interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour.
He did not give specifics, but asked by Amanpour if there is trafficking of children, Bellerive said, "The reports I received say yes."
Haiti is trying to locate displaced children and register them so they can either be reunited with other family members or put up for adoption, Bellerive said.
But, he said, illegal child trafficking is "one of the biggest problems that we have."
Many groups appear to be legitimate, "but a lot of organizations -- they come and they say there were children on the streets. They're going to bring them to the [United] States," he said.
Bellerive said he's trying to work with embassies in Port-au-Prince to protect Haiti's children from traffickers.
Any child that is leaving the country has to be validated by the embassy under a list that they give me, with all the reports," he said.
Speaking at his temporary headquarters in a police station near the Port-au-Prince Airport, Bellerive said the first thing Haitian officials seek to confirm is whether the children have adoption papers before they leave the country.
In Washington, the State Department said Wednesday it is moving cautiously on the issue of adoptions from Haiti.
"We want to be sure that when a child has been identified, that due diligence has been done to make sure that this is truly an orphan child and not a child that actually has family," said State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley. "Sometimes if you push too hard, too fast there can be unintended consequences. So we are being very, very careful."
"We respect the sovereignty of Haiti and their right to control the departure of Haitian children. So we think the system that has been established is working effectively. I know there is a perception out there of 'cut through the red tape.' But there are very good reasons we want to make sure this process works well," Crowley said.
On the broader issue of Haitian children, Bellerive told Amanpour the government will reopen schools Monday in most of the country.
He said there were particular problems in Port-au-Prince.
"We cannot open one school and not the other. But some of the schools want to operate right now. They say if there are tents -- if there are facilities and we can help them -- they are willing to open very rapidly."
Bellerive also highlighted the critical importance of getting enough tents and shelters to Haiti before the rainy season begins in May. He said he didn't know where all the tents promised by aid agencies and governments are.
"We have reports that they've already sent 20,000 tents maybe, and 20,000 more are on the way. But yesterday, when we didn't see the tents and we didn't see any action to organize the shelters, the president himself asked to see the storage place and we only counted 3,500 tents."
Bellerive said President Rene Preval asked for 200,000 tents to house between 400,000 and 500,000 people. "We are very preoccupied about the consequences of all those people on the street, if it starts to rain."
The prime minister also rejected criticism from within Haiti and overseas that his government needs to be more visible to the Haitian people.
"We are in charge. Frankly I don't understand what that position is that we are not visible," he said. "I almost feel that I spend more time talking to radio, television, than I am working."
"I know it's part of my job and I have to communicate. But I really feel that I have spent too much time doing that."
Bellerive also said he does not believe it's necessary to relocate the capital to another part of Haiti.
"I have to wait for technical and scientific evaluation, but from what I've heard until now, Port-au-Prince will stay there."
"Tokyo is still there, Los Angeles is still there. We just have to prepare a better constructed Port-au-Prince, a safer Port-au-Prince," he said.
He also acknowledged the need for more transparency and new procedures to prevent corruption in Haiti. But he said 70 to 80 percent of the aid coming to the country right now does not go through the Haitian government.
Bellerive said about 90 percent of American aid, for example, goes through non-governmental organizations. "They are accountable to the American government, but not to the Haitian government," he said.
The prime minister told Amanpour that he does not believe people overseas are helping Haiti out of a moral obligation.
"I believe it's a more pragmatic responsibility," he said. "I believe Haiti could be an interesting market in the midterm. We are 10 million [people] here and it's a market."
quote: When the 7.0-magnitude quake struck Port-au-Prince that fateful Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Lieut. General Ken Keen was far from poised for battle. The No. 2 in charge of Southern Command, which controls U.S. hemispheric interests out of Miami, Keen was enjoying a rare quiet moment (and a Diet Coke) back at the U.S. ambassador's residence after spending the day touring Haiti. He'd gone to the country for two days from Santo Domingo on a tour of the Caribbean, and he planned to shower and shave before attending a 6 p.m. reception in his honor.
But the 40 seconds that the tremors lasted were more than enough to thrust Keen into action — and soon enough, into being the de facto king of Haiti. He and Ambassador Ken Merten fought to get out the front door and then prayed the house wouldn't come down around their friends, colleagues and family within. When it finally stopped, Keen suspected — but wouldn't truly know until dawn the next day — that they had just survived the worst natural disaster in the western hemisphere's history. The city lay in a shroud of dust below the hill upon which the residence sits. Buildings were invisible in the haze, but their groaning collapses were heard throughout the night. So were the prayers and screams of the trapped and mourning, the frantic and shell-shocked.
Though some critics have complained that aid has been too slow to permeate this ravaged land, there is no question that it would have taken a lot longer if Keen hadn't just happened to have been there. By midnight he'd pledged to the Haiti government — the remnants of which had snatched motorcycles and picked their way through the ruins up to the residence long after nightfall to ask for help — the full support of the U.S. military. Keen immediately set up teams to evaluate Haiti's airport and port; he even explored parachuting soldiers and aid in if it turned out the airport was unusable. As the top U.S. military official on the ground, Keen wouldn't sleep again for three days. He wouldn't speak to his wife for nearly a week. There was no doubt in his or anyone else's mind: the U.S., with the help of the U.N., Canada, France and dozens of other countries, would have to act quickly if tens of thousands of lives were to be saved.
The morning after the earthquake, Keen and his team made their way in rental cars across the city, horrified at the scope of the damage. By noon the airport runway had been assessed and four American staff evacuated, including one of Keen's aides who had crawled out of his hotel after his fifth-floor room ended up in the basement. "There was no question in my mind and I never asked about staying here; it was clear to me in the first hours that I was here to stay," Keen says. ... Dressed in tan fatigues, Keen then returned to the embassy to meet with USAID's Shah. The two discussed the other humanitarian challenge facing the hemisphere's poorest nation: lack of food and water. The water distribution run by the Haitian government the past week, they agreed, was going as smoothly as one could hope for. Food, on the other hand, was going to be a problem. In the short term, C-17s are dropping tons of food across Haiti that is distributed by U.S. troops. NGOs are also working with the World Food Program to feed as many as 2 million people five-day rations of nutrient-rich cookies by the end of the month.
But everyone agrees that this is not nearly enough. So Keen is going about picking 15 distribution points within a 26-kilometer (16 mile) radius of the earthquake. Starting with what he calls an "initial surge" of 5 million meals ready to eat, or MREs, the U.S. in tandem with the U.N. and other countries hopes to eventually feed 5 million people a day. The food will be given out in one-week or two-week allotments to women only — to prevent men from using the meals for barter — to feed a family of five. Keen hopes to have the program up and running in the next couple of weeks. "It's like building an airplane in flight — that's what it feels like being in the middle of this crisis," he says. "We're doing everything we can to keep the Haitian people aloft."
And for those who understand anything about the blood fraternity, here is the story Americas "pioneer" in Gynecology and the science of the woman's womb:
quote: J. Marion Sims has become an icon of medicine because of his accomplishments, which are truly too numerous to mention in a short paper. His keen intellect was always open to innovation. He overcame an unpromising background and the opprobrium arising from his Southern origin to make a name for himself not just in the quintessential American city of culture and knowledge, New York, but also in London and Paris. Monuments bear his likeness in New York City and the capitals of Alabama and South Carolina.
He reflected the heroic ideal in medicine, which became prominent in the 19th century. Famous practitioners such as Jean-Martin Charcot and Francois Broussais (a strong advocate of bloodletting) in Paris; Robert Liston, James Syme and James Young Simpson in Britain; Theodor Billroth in Vienna; and William Halstead at Johns Hopkins in the United States, tried ever more radical cures for challenging conditions. They refused to let Nature merely take its course, but boldly went against the grain of received medical wisdom.
So, Sims fit in with these iconoclasts in his search for new therapies. And yet, the ethical dilemma remains: was it proper for Sims to carry out his experimental surgeries as he did?
The question is bound up in issues of race and class. Sims' neglect of anesthesia illustrates this point. He considered his vaginal surgeries to be minor procedures and did not use anesthesia with either his African-American or Irish-American patients, for the most part. However, he found that upper-class white women could not tolerate surgery without ether. As McGregor states, Throughout his medical career Sims maintained a classbound prescription for the use of anesthesia with an unspoken premise that those women in the wealthy tier were by far the most vulnerable to pain.[12] To be fair, this was not untypical of practitioners in the latter 1800s. Use of ether during surgery and childbirth had been reported in 1846 and 1847, respectively, but only after the Civil War did the surgical use of anesthesia become widespread, and even then cultural values intervened in its acceptance.[8(p50)]
Sims was also of his time with regards to race relations. He owned slaves in Alabama, and in fact actually purchased one or more of the slave women he experimented on.[12(p62)] After the end of the Civil War he defended the system of slavery in his letters.[8(p57)] His writings are littered with uses of pejorative terms for African-Americans. However, he was not a virulent racist, and by all accounts treated black patients politely, if in a patriarchal fashion. In the early postwar period he urged the South to accept the 15th Amendment freeing the slaves, and move on.[2(p421)]
While Sims did not disguise the facts of his cases, he did not trumpet them, either. It is implied that he was particularly keen to avoid the details of the women and their situation when he was trying to get established in New York.[8(pp59-60)] His 1852 paper on the successful vesicovaginal repair[3] and his 1857 Silver Sutures lecture[9(p52)] referred to his patients as healthy young negro women, failing to mention that they were slaves. Early illustrations from his writings show the women as white.[8(p60)]
Some critics have suggested that the reason Sims left his native South had more to do with gossip about his immoral slave experiments than with his physical health.[13] In fact, he found himself in a similar situation in New York, as his Woman's Hospital catered to destitute Irish immigrant women, whose inferior social status did not allow them to decline questionable treatments.[8(p195-201)] He was criticized directly for unethical experimentation by his colleagues and the hospital administration during the acrimonious debates of the 1870s: The Lady Managers began to be convinced that the lives of all the patients in the institution were being threatened by these mysterious experiments.[5(p296)]
In the end, the critical questions are not whether Sims was biased regarding race and class, or whether he was embarrassed by how others would perceive his past actions. They revolve around standard ethical principles of beneficence and autonomy, judged both by the standards of his times, as well as through the filter of history.
Regarding beneficence, ample evidence exists that Sims wished the best for his patients and for the broader community of female patients.[14] He undertook the experimental treatments on his patients with the understanding that no operation would endanger life, or render their condition any worse.[9(p52)] As he wrote mellifluously 12 years after he saw his first case of vesicovaginal fistula, I thought only of relieving the loveliest of God's creation of one of the most loathsome maladies that can possibly befall poor human nature.[9(p52)]
However, one inescapable conclusion is that Sims' optimism, tinged with messianic fervor, blinded him to the suffering of his patients and any associated ethical implications. His brother-in-law Dr. B.R. Jones implored him to give up his surgeries, but Sims avowed, I felt that I had a mission . . . of divine origin . . . I could not have ceased my labors if I had tried.[9(p54)] With the hindsight of history and a more mature ethical framework, we may ask if Sims' ends justified his means, or, more accurately, if the subjects were merely means to Sims' ends. It is quite clear that Sims falls short of modern Kantian ethical principles: To treat persons merely as means, strictly speaking, is to disregard their personhood by exploiting them . . . without regard to their own thoughts, interests, and needs.[15] In that vein he sketches only the briefest of details of the effect of his surgeries on the health of his patients, and never records the ultimate outcomes. (In fact, arch-nemesis Bozeman scathingly questioned Sims' results after his death.[8(pp64-5)])
The concept of autonomy is a similar ethical morass where Sims is concerned. Obviously, slaves had no autonomy, by definition. The Irish patients of Woman's Hospital had little autonomy. Can we judge Sims not by the standards of our times, but by those of his?[16] Critics point out that many contemporaries made medical advances without the use of uninformed captive patients. Kentucky's Ephraim McDowell in 1809 performed perhaps the first successful abdominal operation, and in 1842 Georgia's Crawford Long used ether as an anesthetic for the first time, in both cases on informed, free, white patients.[13(pp28-31)] James Simpson of Edinburgh, a fierce rival of Sims, was critical of Sims' early work and made the following barbed observation in 1863: I took occasion to make an extensive series of experiments . . . upon the relative qualities of different metallic threads . . . [on] a number of unfortunate pigs, which were always, of course, first indulged with a good dose of chloroform.[17]
The blood of life which closes the circle of blood in death, which dumb white folks have been mystifying over more than any voodoo priestess or vodun priest in any part of Africa ever did. All part of the sordid history of the U.S. and its relations with their slave property across the Bayou and Caribbean.
quote: Women with vesicovaginal fistulas - usually the result of traumatic labor - were, in those days, social outcasts. No cure was available. In Montgomery, Alabama, Sims treated three Alabamian slave women - Anarcha, Betsy, and Lucy - all of whom may have been suffering from fistula problems, to develop new techniques to repair this condition.[2] From 1845 to 1849 he experimented on them, operating on one of them 30 times (it remains unclear if this was necessary due to stitching failure, or if Sims did it deliberately). Although anesthesia had recently become available it was rarely used as yet; whatever the reason, we know he did not use it on the slave women.[1][2] After the extensive experiments and difficulties, Sims finally perfected his technique and repaired the fistulas successfully in Anarcha. He then repaired several other slave women.[3]. It was only after the success of the early experiments on the slaves that Sims attempted the procedure on Caucasian women with fistulas, this time with anesthesia.
These experiments set the stage for modern vaginal surgery. Sims devised instruments including the Sims' speculum to gain proper exposure.[1] A rectal examination position where a patient is on the left side with the right knee flexed against the abdomen and the left knee slightly flexed is also named after him as Sim's position. He insisted on cleanliness. His technique using silver-wire sutures led to successful repair of a fistula, and this was reported in 1852.
quote: This sign, called tit by the Egyptians, was interpreted from the New Kingdom on as a symbol of Isis in particular, but also Nephthys. The Isis knot is similar in shape and use to the ankh sign, the symbol of life, and is also often found in association with the djed-pillar and the was-sceptre. Its interpretation is uncertain; it has been linked to menstruation and seen as a depiction of the vagina and uterus. Its original purpose was perhaps as a means of protection, knotted by Re-Atum and placed in the pregnant Isis's womb to prevent Seth harming the unborn child or causing a miscarriage. Chapter 156 of the Book of the Dead confirms that the fertility of Isis, linked with blood, is intact. Thus the Isis knot is sometimes called Isis blood, and pregnant women used the magic spells linked with it to prevent undesired bleeding and miscarriages. During excavations, the Isis knot has been found tucked between the legs of pregnant women. According to Bonnet, it is by no means certain that there is any link between the blood of Isis and the tit-knot, which resembles the gordellus used to depict gods. He points out that the expectations linked to the tit as an amulet were very general, and that tit-amulets have also been found with shabti spells written on them. The red colour that the tit usually has, however, does suggest a connection with the blood of Isis. A different interpretation is proposed by Lurker, who suggests that the djed-pillar and Isis blood together indicate a unification of polarity and thus the victoriousness of the life force.
Obviously the symbolism of blood and life and childbirth is old as hell, along with Europeans and their depraved cults derived from it.
Posted by The Explorer (Member # 14778) on :
BTW, no public figure has come forward yet to denounce the description of homeless earthquake victims as "refugees" in U.S. media, as was the case in the aftermath of Katrina. Recall the "evacuee" deal. Rev. Jackson,...anyone?
Posted by Bob_01 (Member # 15687) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Explorer: BTW, no public figure has come forward yet to denounce the description of homeless earthquake victims as "refugees" in U.S. media, as was the case in the aftermath of Katrina. Recall the "evacuee" deal. Rev. Jackson,...anyone?
An uncle tom is always an uncle tom. Those so called "Black" public figures are some of the largest investors of US foreign policy. None would do so unless the white mainstream feels the same, i.e. Iraq.
Posted by Doug M (Member # 7650) on :
quote: Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- In a modest office in the neighborhood of Petionville, Haiti, engineers, architects, aid workers and government officials are working on the earthquake-ravaged country's future. They call it Haiti 2.0.
They gathered Friday to discuss logistics and planning of the reconstruction operation, which will likely to take years.
The first step is to reduce the population of the congested capital, said Leslie Voltaire, special envoy for the United Nation's Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and head of the government's reconstruction commission.
Voltaire said the population of Port-au-Prince, which is about 3 million people, should ideally be reduced to 1.5 million to 2 million people in order to facilitate reconstruction.
The government has already proposed a plan to resettle about 400,000 homeless earthquake victims, which has drawn mixed reactions. Some Haitians have voiced objections to moving to a place that is unknown to them.
Voltaire said he is confident that Haitians will move to where there are economic opportunities.
"They will go because there will be jobs -- the watershed project, housing construction, reforestation, green jobs," he said.
The most vulnerable people -- amputees, orphans and pregnant women -- will be resettled first, said Charles Clemont, head of the temporary settlements for the reconstruction commission.
Full coverage
When the resettlements will take place remains uncertain. In recent days, workmen have leveled out the ground for what is to be the first transitional camp at Croix des Bouquets, about 9 miles east of Port-au-Prince.
In addition, the Ministry of Finance is working out plans to buy property in downtown Port-au-Prince and convert part of it into a maritime park, Voltaire said. International aid money will not be used to buy land.
"This whole area will be bulldozed," Voltaire said unfolding a map of the city and pointing to a downtown area shaded red to show the most significant damage.
"Then we will assign a function to each area like a football field because people tend to respect stadiums and they won't invade it," he said.
More than $1 billion in international aid has been pledged for Haiti and major aid organizations like USAID and International Organization for Migration are putting more than their two cents into the reconstruction plans.
"We're here to help them," says Mark Merritt, project manager for USAID. "We don't want to build the Haiti of yesterday."
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