VTMBH Article: Body
Last week, as more than 200 Haitian boat people ran aground in Miami, activists quickly framed the story as one of Haitian vs. Cuban treatment. It is a good story and one that needs to be told. It is unfair that Haitians are sent back and Cubans are allowed to stay here. The reality is that this is not new. The reality is that Cubans are rich and powerful in Miami while Haitians are poor and powerless.
But there is a little bit of hypocrisy in shaping up the story that way. Activists could not say too loudly that Haiti is a political hot bed because many of these Haitian-American activists and their allies long supported the government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and fought tooth and nail to have him returned to power after he was ousted in a coup in September 1991.
The reality is that these refugees are escaping economic hardships brought on by an ever-worsening political climate. It has been that way for a very long time in Haiti and unless some serious compromises are made from the political classes, we don't expect things to improve too much. We are more likely to see more Haitians attempting to come by boat, even if their escape ashore wont be as dramatic as we witnessed last week on national television.
Until Haitian Americans have economic and political power, Haitian boat people will be sent back to their homeland without any Democrat or Republican feeling any remorse. To fight for equality we need to have federal legislators whose elections hinge on our vote and whose political campaigns depend on our money. Until we have that power, Haitian refugees will be sent back and Haitians in the United States will take to the streets to denounce the unfair treatment. Its time to attack this problem at its roots. Lets organize ourselves economically and politically.
But there is a little bit of hypocrisy in shaping up the story that way. Activists could not say too loudly that Haiti is a political hot bed because many of these Haitian-American activists and their allies long supported the government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and fought tooth and nail to have him returned to power after he was ousted in a coup in September 1991.
The reality is that these refugees are escaping economic hardships brought on by an ever-worsening political climate. It has been that way for a very long time in Haiti and unless some serious compromises are made from the political classes, we don't expect things to improve too much. We are more likely to see more Haitians attempting to come by boat, even if their escape ashore wont be as dramatic as we witnessed last week on national television.
Until Haitian Americans have economic and political power, Haitian boat people will be sent back to their homeland without any Democrat or Republican feeling any remorse. To fight for equality we need to have federal legislators whose elections hinge on our vote and whose political campaigns depend on our money. Until we have that power, Haitian refugees will be sent back and Haitians in the United States will take to the streets to denounce the unfair treatment. Its time to attack this problem at its roots. Lets organize ourselves economically and politically.