Chere Haiti

As you all already know, a hurricane that rates a 7.0 on the Richter scale has hit my country of Haiti. Until this morning, I refused to watch any news coverage because I couldn't stand to see negative propoganda about Haiti. When I did watching MSNBC this morning, I just found myself getting angrier and angrier.

Since Haiti declared its indepedence in 1804, my people have led a rocky existence. Our natural resources have been exploited by wealthier nations  until we barely had enough to supplement the lives of those that still live there. We are continually stigmatized as the poorest nation in the world, while everyone forgets that we fought tooth and nail to be the first Black independent nation.

Don't be fooled into thinking that this earthquake is the first natural disaster to hit Haiti. Haiti has been tormented by hurricanes as well as other countries, but has been continually ignored.

Growing up, people tried to make me feel embarrassed to be Haitian. They said that HBO stood for Haitian Body odor. They said that AIDs came from Haitians. They said that my parents came to America on a boat.  I refused to be ashamed of my rich heritage then, and I refuse to be ashamed now.

Now they say that Haiti made a pact with the devil to gain its independence. Are you trying to tell me that there is no way that a Black nation could have ever gained indepedence if not with help from the devil? Are you trying to say that our suffering is our fault? When does it end? When does it end?

I just got off the phone with my mother and she said my aunt and cousin who were missing; are safe at home. Thank God! But there are millions more who are desolate, desperately seeking help. One of my close friends has not heard from her mother and I have a thousand stories like that. Where is the compassion for these people? Now is not the time to tell people that we made a pact with the devil or that Haiti is the poorest nation.

All we need to hear is that help is on the way, that are not being ignored. I was so happy to hear President Obama say that Haiti would be a top priority because for too long; Haiti has been ignored and abused.

This has hit too close to home and I realize now with shame that I have been complacent for too long. This could have happened anywhere, to anyone. Please keep my family, other families, and the whole country in your throughts and prayers. This is not a political thing, this is human thing.

If you can donate money, that would be great. If you can donate your time, that would be amazing. Martin Luther King Day is coming up and you will have plenty of opportunities to make a real difference.