I was right in the middle of doing a comedy editorial for this web site, when the earthquake hit Haiti. At first, I thought about making a quick statement about Haiti and continuing on with my humor post. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the Haitian people.
First; our hearts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti. I have never seen a poor country who has been hit with MORE political strife, and natural disasters.
I am not sure what is God’s plan for these poor people. Having just suffered a political revolution in 2004, followed by 4 hurricanes in 2008, now this 7.0 magnitude earthquake, I feel really bad for these people.
It doesn’t look like Haitians will ever be able to improve their standard of living. They just do not have the resources. The Haitian government is too unstable to ever help conditions. And Haiti sits on an earthquake fault line, which is located in a hurricane filled ocean...
It should be the goal of every Haitian (about 9 million) to get the hell out of Haiti.
Yes, I know that it sounds easy for me to say that, sitting here in the United States.
However, I am a guy who traveled across the country with only $20 bucks to my name. You can do anything, if you put your mind to it. However, you cannot FORCE people to help you. But if you are sincere, people will WANT to help you.
If science is correct, there isn’t a person alive today who lives where his ancestors lived 200,000 years ago. We all migrated from somewhere. (Including the Native Americans.)
It is time for the Haitians to migrate. Your forefathers picked a VERY bad place to call home.
Some Haitians seek refuge in Jamaica, some in the Dominican Republic, and some in Cuba.
America has about half a million Haitians. Most Haitians do not know that if they claim political fear (of death) from the Haiti government, they can seek asylum (court) in the US. This would give them a chance of having asylum in the US.
(NOTE) Unless President Obama has changed this policy (??) As of 2004 and President Bush, Haitians could claim political asylum in the US.
However, most Haitians do not know this. They enter a boat and head for America. They do not speak English and when picked up by the Coast Guard, they are returned to Haiti. (Or placed in a detention center, to be returned to Haiti.)
Yes, I know...
Conservatives are supposed to be cold hearted bastards who would NEVER help people like this. Every liberal and progressive will tell you this.
The progressive has never taken the time to understand us. They twist our words to mean something else.
I have never been against immigration.
I am against illegal immigration.
The progressive doesn’t understand that I personally knew the man in my family that took that boat ride from Italy, and started a new life in America.
My Grandfather never asked for anything free, except for freedom- itself.
He worked for every penny, fought in WW1, and was a proud American. And I am very grateful that he came to America- legally.
Today, unless President Obama has changed the law, Haitians can claim political asylum in the US. But, it isn’t easy.
It never is.
However, that is the point of this editorial.
In the past, America has sent troops into Haiti to try and control the government. We have sent millions in aid. But none of this seems to help in the long run.
“..OK, Mister BIG SHOT Angry Republican guy, what would you do if you were a poor Haitian Big talker, but where is the action..??”
Simple...
Forget about everything else. Focus on survival. Survival of yourself and family.
Pray. Pray for strength. Pray for wisdom.
Take advantage of the millions in aid money that will arrive in Haiti and enter the construction field. It doesn’t matter if you ARE a house painter, you go ahead call yourself a painter. (I have done that many times in my life.)
They might find out later that you are NOT really a painter, however, if you are at work on time, ready to work, and you learn from others; they will keep you working and teach you the trade.
Instead of feeling sorry for myself and drinking booze every night, I would save every penny I earned working. If I had to sleep in an abandoned car, I would. (Done that before.) If I had to get up early to head to the Red Cross emergency center to take showers, I would do that. Or I would bath in the creek with a bar of soap.
Everyday after work, I would head to the foreign embassies in Haiti (including the American Embassy), until I knew each person who works in these embassies by name. I would tell them jokes and funny stories. I would bring them coffee. These embassy workers would be happy to see me because I would NEVER be a nuisance. And yet, I would plead with them to find refuge in another country.
It might take weeks, it could take months, it might be years...
But I know that sooner or later, one embassy worker would say to me: “Well, I cannot get you into the US. However, I might be able to get you into Canada on a work permit.”
There...
I would have my “person WILLING to help me.” And I would have the dollar amount need for the trip. I would work two jobs, if needed, to save the money for the trip to Canada.
I would find a way to get myself out of Haiti.
There is no government on earth who will load up ships full of Haitians and take them to a better life.
The Haitian government, in it’s present form, will never become stable enough to support it’s people.
Each Haitian MUST search for a better life.
Whether that means throwing out the current leaders: by gun or by fist; or leaving Haiti for a better life.
And I pray that they will find the strength to do what must be done.
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
