The Haitian Diaspora: Our Morally Defining Moment in History

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An Open Letter to the Haitian Diaspora
2.19.04

The Haitian Diaspora:
Our Morally Defining Moment in History

With the ongoing turmoil in Haiti, it is easy to absolve ourselves of any role. It is easy to hold responsible the presidential regimes, the military, or the so-called elite.

And certainly the crisis for Haitians exists only in Haiti.

But what is there to say about us?

The Haitians abroad; with access, with an education, and, unfortunately, with an increasing apathy about what happens on the ground, in Port-au-Prince, or Cape Haitien, or Gonaives, or Saint Marc.

Most of the time Haitians in the Diaspora are not exiled.

We are escapees and we are the children of escapees; escaping the perils of Haiti and relocating to a land where the promise of freedom and access only appears to be more real. But how is it that in our effort to further our own agenda, we have forgotten about our home?

Many of us have essentially dismissed it. We consider Haiti to be forever changed, and unlike the paradise that some of us knew as children.

This discord should act as a motivation to inspire change.

It does not permit us to mourn over Haiti's current situation.

We have a moral responsibility to acknowledge and respond to the voices in our lonely nation.

At the very least, we have a moral obligation to make Haiti's suffering heard within the American government.

If anything, we need to ease the American fear of Haiti and dispel the myths that continue to repel Haitians from US boarders.

And it is not without ability.

We have. The Diaspora is powerful.

We are a collective of intellectuals, with trades.

Some of us, in fact, are successful academics, lawyers, doctors, business-people.

Today, Haiti is on the brink of yet another coup d'etat.

This troubled country is ours. And more importantly, it is ours to change.

We will forever be remembered for our role in today's situation.

It is our defining moment in history.

Know where the opportunity for change lies.
Know what is happening today.

Know your history.

Start with the news:
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