While many are opening their hearts and purses to Haiti’s suffering, it’s important to note the corporate media’s high profile exceptions. Televangelist Pat Robertson, carried on Disney‘s Family Channel, suggested Haiti invited the disaster by making a deal with the devil 200 years ago (FAIR Blog, 1/14/09). Radio big Rush Limbaugh discouraged donating to Haiti disaster relief on his January 13 show, saying: “We’ve already donated to Haiti. It’s called the U.S. income tax…. You just can’t keep throwing money at it.” Meanwhile, Fox‘s Bill O’Reilly and New York Times columnist David Brooks each presented nauseatingly patronizing prescriptions for Haiti’s rehabilitation.
On his January 13 show, O’Reilly said the way to cure Haiti’s economic and social problems was to impose discipline on Haitians:
My travels there have been illuminating. Only half the population can read and write. Unemployment’s more than 50 percent. Most Haitians live on less than $2 a day. No matter how much charity is given, no matter how many good intentions there are, Haiti will remain chaotic until discipline is imposed.
In his January 15 Times column, David Brooks offered his prescription: To “fix” their “progress-resistant culture,” Haiti needs to develop “No Excuses countercultures,” and turn to paternalism:
It’s time to promote locally led paternalism. In this country, we first tried to tackle poverty by throwing money at it, just as we did abroad. Then we tried microcommunity efforts, just as we did abroad. But the programs that really work involve intrusive paternalism.
But according to the human rights group MADRE, the U.S. has already tried that:
Ironically, Brooks’ prescription of “intrusive paternalism” to “fix the culture,” aptly sums up U.S. policy towards Haiti for the past 100 years: a brutal military occupation from 1915 to 1934; support for dictatorship from 1957 to 1986; and, more recently, the imposition of trade policies that have further impoverished people. What the outside world needs to “fix” is not Haitian culture, but its own self-serving policies that have left thousands of Haitians literally buried alive.
Bill Fletcher, executive editor of Black Commentator, had more to say on this subject on the latest edition of FAIR’s radio show CounterSpin (1/15/10).
So glad you called out David Brooks. It should also be noted he blamed Haitian poverty on the voodoo religion.
I VISITED HAITI WITH A GROUP OF WHITE MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS. SO MUCH HAD BEEN SAID ABOUT THE COUNTRY BEING THE POOREST IN THE AMERICA’S—-WE HAD TO SEE FOR OURSELVES—THIS WAS BACK IN THE LATE 1960’s. LITTLE “DOC” DUVALIER WAS IN CHARGE, THE DREADED POLICE, THE TON TON MACOU’S (question the spelling) HAD THE TOTAL POPULATION SCARED TO DEATH. AND SEEING THE DESPERATION TODAY, OTHER THAN THE AIRPORT’S NAME, NOTHING APPEARS TO HAVE CHANGED. I’M TALKING OF A PASSAGE OF 40 YEARS——WE HAD TROOPS DOWN THERE, THE DUVALLIERS ARE LONG GONE, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT THERE BY THE WORLD’S NATIONS, AGAIN, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. WE ARE TRYING AT THIS VERY MOMENT TO MAKE DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES RE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN——WERE WE INVITED TO DO SO? I SUPPOSE IT HAS SOMETHING WITH SELF-GOVERNMENT
DEFTERMINED BY THE PEOPLE OF THAT COUNTRY BUT DO THE PEOPLE OF HAITI HAVE MUCH OF A VOICE?
SO THE WORLD COMES TOGETHER TODAY TO HELP HAITI AND THE SAME OLD STORY WILL CONTINUE TO
PREVAIL. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED?
In addition to the soulless rantings of these bastards, don’t you find it almost pornographic how the corpress keeps airing these horrific images from Haiti? Do you think we’d see this had this been an earthquake in Italy, with masses of dead white folks – or in a more mixed location, like here in the San Francisco Bay Area?
Somehow it’s fine to gawk at such tragedies when they befall nations of color. After all, these are “lesser peoples”.
I’m not arguing for filtering these horrible images. I’m condemning the racist mentality behind showing them ad nauseum. If it were a sincere attempt to make clear the devastation and inspire our better angels, that would be commendable.
But we know goddamn good and well it isn’t, don’t we?
Democracy Now aired a speech by Naomi Klein about how the right-wingers are jumping at the chance to take advantage of the tragedy. Pat Robertson aside, the editorial by mainstream conservatives like David Brooks paves the way for what will undoubtedly be the latest attempt to subvert Haitian democracy and put in neoliberal policies
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/1/14/naomi_klein_issues_haiti_disaster_capitalism
Attitude is very important. Years ago, before the civil rights movement, I would say that the average American citizen, black and white included was basically naive when it came to other people outside of their culture. There was a lot of suspicion, ignorance, and an inability to learn about others outside of their or culture. I applaud the average American for being mature and sensible adults recording this issue.
On the other hand the latest catastrophy in Haiti, I can’t hope but notice that most of the ignorance, bias, illed timed statements have come from the media (Limbaugh, O’reilly, and just a general negative airing). Then you have the rantings of Pat Robertson.
Politicians like Bill Clinton and George Bush, whose policies are responsible for the mess Haiti fines itself are so caught up with their greatness, that all they can do is make the situation worst. where are the Ganhdi’s, Kings, Carter’s, Tutu’s, and Mandela’s of the world.
In response to the SHOUT from Mr Rider: That’s the thing about poverty; people need to eat every day.
Does anyone need more proof that Republican ideology is morally and ethically bankrupt? Their paradigm is from a different time and place, unsuitable for the challenges of today. We must continue to chip away at the corrosive US policies of the past, that are still being employed today, such as dumping subsidized ag products on Haiti, denying aid for political gain, and destabilizing their government by forcibly removing the popularly-elected President, through greater cooperation and respect of all developing nations. It’s about more than simply throwing aid money at them and letting it fall into the hands of people who already have more than enough. What’s the fear about?
I haven’t much knowledge about Haiti. From what I have been reading in the past few days is discouraging. I have to ask myself am I living in the 21st century? If it is true that perhaps billions of dollars have been invested into this country and there is still no infrustructure then one must come to the conclusion that the has been corruption on every level with heads turned for a century at least. The United States has some responsibility in that including Presidents Carter,both Bush and Clinton. My guess this country has been ignored because they have nothing worth of value to be taken from the ground. We must help this people to help themselves and to treat them with dignity.
Rita, let’s not skip past St. Ronnie in the list of irresponsible former presidents.
Regarding this website: What a great page !!!!
So much spot-on criticism…. ranging from a broad brush history lesson to an incoherent assertion that we should not be showing pictures of the damage because (?) Haitians are predominantly black, and that if Rome or San Francisco were in similar straits the press wouldn’t show images because people there are white. Absolutely brilliant. Great company on this site … so many knee jerks they could rival the Rockettes!
I was especially moved by the wealth of constructive suggestions and solutions that were offered. What’s that ? You don’t see any ? Sorry, my error. I thought there must be at least one attempt to offer sympathy or a long term fix for Haiti, but I guess there is actually no more blood left in those bleeding hearts.. just vitriol.
Is this a Republican Party site? it certainly seems to represent a perfect Party of No !! Fairness in Reporting my ASS ! Sounds way too familiar… oh yeah… like that other self-congratulatory Fox News Slogan.
Regarding Brooks’ Column : You obviously didn’t read it. The first part was at least an attempt to accurately describe the culture and history. You may have honest disagreement with his Paternal cure, However Brooks points out that despite the highest per capita array of social missions in the world, Haiti is still a mess. My family pledges and provides monthly support for Doctors Without Borders, and it is heartbreaking to realize that giving medical aid is not nearly enough to cure the soul of a broken country.
I am ever astounded that the simple-minded pundits of both extremes only have one arrow in their quiver: CRITICISM of the OBVIOUS. They mistakenly equate pointing out flaws with actually accomplishing anything, or changing for the positive. Tragically, sacrificing dogma for the benefit of any worthwhile cause is impossible when dogma IS the cause. Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly deserve jailtime… or perhaps need to be thrown to the Haitians in the parks of Port au Prince.
…but Brooks, whether you agree with him or not, has offered what he feels is an alternative approach to all the failure of the history of Haiti… and several points in his article are lucid. The comparisons of Haiti to their immediate neighbors is striking and deserves your attention.
I want to know what you would do to cure that nation’s devastating ills… turn the cameras off?
Judging by this article, I think Steve Rendall is an equivalent in critical thinking level to Sean Hannity.
Shame on you and especially on your “comment” sycophants. There’s better things to do besides act Left or Right and politicize a tragedy .
You are convicted. Your Penalty: send $25 immediately to Doctors without Borders. …. and you might send a few prayers to all those in the streets and all those desperately struggling to help them. Some of them just might have different political views than you. Most won’t be as concerned about those views at such a moment.
Markarian seems to forget that Haiti was the first colony to successfully rebel & that was not looked on kindly by forces other than the French. They’ve paid dearly for such affrontery. Brooks says China does not depend on foreign largess & therefore prospers while Haiti pays for its dependency. What a comparison! Also he’s certainly wrong about his alternative. It’s all been tried except for keeping a popularly elected leader in power. He now lives in exile in South Africa if memory serves me right. But I certainly agree that contributing to Doctors without Borders is worthwhile & pray if you think it’s helpful. I would suggest that our government might team with Cuba & Venezuela in offering help. They’d be glad to if our marines don’t hinder, like they evidently are doing with the UN people already in Haiti.
Excuse me, Mr. Markarian… did you bother to read “austintatious” before the inner bloviant got on a roll?
David Brooks’ “lucidity” simply mirrors the Duvalier family’s cupidity. Been there… supported that. (ie Baby Doc flew into exile on a USAF jet… to Paris… no doubt to be a little closer to his Swiss bank accounts.)
USAID & USDA teamed up to “donate” soy oil (which “we” had in vast quantities- albeit some of it ‘virtual’ eg Billy Sol Estes); and by doing so, over a number of years “created a client” for soy. But Haiti’s farmers had been doing fine supplying peanut oil- which was preferred there for cooking- until the Free Stuff rolled in. (Do you recall how Rockefeller got rid of the ethanol stations in the MidWest? It was an identical strategy.) By the time USDA Decided that it couldn’t be “free” anymore, the peanut oil industry was gone.
I heard a Clinton appointee today answer an NPR reporter’s question of whether bringing back Mr. Aristide would do any good. “I think that would be counterproductive… he’s still very controversial.” Yes… the oligarchy that controls Haiti doesn’t want a guy in power- on ANY level- who can win a national election with the slogan “Poverty with Dignity”.
There are programs in the North of the country- as far away as possible from Port au Prince- that are doing some good… reforestation, clinics, small schools, etc… the usual “self-help” programs. Their biggest problem is the haitian military, and the same-o same-o “thugs for hire” that one finds in every Latin American country that’s run by the wealthy families there.
A long-term UN troop investment- and an END to arms sales to the Haitian military- might get things onto an even keel, given a decade or two. It doesn’t need ANY of the “trickle-down” help- enforced by the occasional deployment of US Marines- that has come to represent US Policy.
And I’ve sent money to “Doctors Without Borders” and “Haiti Reborn”, because they both pass my smell test. I guess we DO agree on some things. ^..^
Here’s a list of smaller groups, other than Oxfam, with a rep for getting the right help where it’s needed, as an alternative to giving to the likes of the Bush and Clinton foundations (the bile rises in my throat every time I see them with “Dear Misleader”):
http://community.webtv.net/unlikelysource/haitirelief
I got the bulk from this piece:
Starfish and Seawalls: Responding to Haiti’s Earthquake, Now and Long-Term
by Mark Schuller
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/15-11
If you look at the economic history of the world since 1800, the only thing that moves a nation or a people out of backwardness is a “modernizing elite.” The USA has been against all modernizing elites since the end of World War I. It is reactionary and gets in the way, with all its charity, a filler in the thought of Protestantism for all the massacres they countenance or commit.
And, believe me, modernizing elites are much moe controlling than anything O’Reilly or Brooks are talking about. Discipline and self-discipline are everything, and charity just gets in the way. USA — get out of the way!!
Many in the media pretend to be Christian as if the title and their celebrity qualifies them to accurately represent a Biblical world view. If you are interested in considering a Biblical world on disasters view then check out this article.
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