People whose house is of glass must not throw stones (Posted 1/26/2010 12:39 pm)
In spite of recent outpouring of concern for Haiti earthquake victims, I have heard critical remarks about Haiti because it is such an impoverished nation and has a government which is basically a dictatorship.

One person commented, “Isn’t that where voodoo was invented?”

I find these remarks hypocritical, because in many ways Haiti is not tremendously different from the United States.

It’s capitol, Port-au-Prince, has a population greater than two million people, much like many of America’s large cities.

Many areas of Haiti — particularly the mountains and coast — are exotic tourists attractions. America has beautiful locations as well.

America is primarily a Christian nation, with Roman Catholic edging out the other organized religions with 23 percent. Haiti is also primarily a Christian nation - mostly Roman Catholic.

Many of Haiti’s citizens are unemployed and lack health insurance. Ditto and ditto for America.

We have rich people and slums and Haiti has rich people and more slums.

Haiti has had a corrupt government for generations. Millions of dollars from the U.S. and other countries are given to the Haitian government each year and much of it is not accounted for and is not used for the people. That sounds a little like our tax money here at home.

Haiti had a president - Jean-Bertrand Aristide - so unpopular that he was run out of the country during a 1994 military coup and exiled to South Africa where he lives in an upscale guarded community. In the U.S., an unpopular president was not run out by a coup, but he did exile himself in an upscale guarded community in Texas. Both former presidents have not spoken publicly since their exodus until the Haiti earth quake.

Many people in Haiti looted businesses after five days without food. Many Oakland Raiders fans looted businesses, set fire to buildings and overturned a reported 12 vehicles when their team lost the 2003 Super Bowl.

So, you see, although Haiti is a much poorer country than ours, we have a lot in common.



Christopher Amos is the editor of The Alvarado Star.  He can be reached at alvaradostar@thestargroup.com.