Don't pass the opportunity guys
Greetings to all.Dominicans, Hatians, Mulattoes, Europeans, Asians, and Africans.
This is a sensitive subjects, but throwing insults around creates a barrier between the goals of effective communication some are trying to achieve.This is a wonderful site with a wealth of information. I was born in Haiti and came to the states as a three year old. I am now a grown man educated in the States (NY) married to a Dominican woman whom I met vacationing in Juan Dolio. We got married and I sacrificed a great deal of time and effort to bring her here. Now I have a wonderful wife and a beautiful son.I thank God for him, my wife , and her family. My parents were middle class Haitians who enjoyed a decent life style in Haiti before they decided to come and live in Ny. I never once recall my parents teaching us to hate Dominicans or anyone for that matter. When I got married, my family flew down to the wedding and both families rejoiced and had a wonderful time. Patua, French , and Spanish were spoken that day. No one had a problem with anyone.
I have a lot of respect for the posters who are posting their opinions.
However, just be aware that there are two sides to every issue and accurate information is desperatley needed.It tends to clarify and relieve anxiety. But inacurrate and terrible information tends to inflame readers therfore leading to more hate.
To some of the Dominican Posters: I thank you for the opportunity to have visited your country many times, thankyou for the friendships I have forged with my wife's family and the people from San Pedro De Macoris. If possible,
I want you guys to began seeing things differently. When you say things like ,"They ( The Hatians) want to kill us , and take our land." It sends the current mentality of your country 150-200 years backwards. Hatians don't go around speaking like that. Your country has and is currently progressing to another level. Some of the posters are suggesting that a more healthy attitude is needed because the old ones were constucted at a different time. When men followed and feared dictators and repeated whatever the dictators wanted to hear.Hate is taught. No one is born hating anyone. Trujillo didn't only hate Hatians , he hated everyone. He is resposible for the deaths of Domincans and Haitian. That is what hate does.I am not disrespecting him. I also know he did great things for your country. But that is what hate leads to. As a country , or a human being men don't have to feel superior because someone told them that they are better than someone else. That is called a false sense of security. Your country should feel great about itself, because over the years you have taken ,risk, been lucky, and made several positive choices.
Given or taken different twist of the road the samething could of happen in Haiti. Sometime they do well sometimes they fall apart. For all their woes, they could still turn things around but they need a shift in their thinking.
I think the average annual salary in the Dr is about $2,200 in Haiti its about $1,400
and their currency rate called the "gourde" is somewhere between (25-30) to one American Dollar.These are differences (perhaps) huge to some, but the way people spoke, I use to think Dominicans made $30,000 and Hatians made $200 a year.That is the perception, but it is far from the truth.It is not a stretch to think things could be turned around.The country is in bad conditions but not as bad as people think.
Hatians had tourism, Americans,Canadians,and Europeans coming to their country when they had stabilization in the early 1960's -70's . They are not some sort of savage, or subhuman, when they work well they prosper.Every country in the carribean knows that. When they work agaisnt each other they self destuct.Every society experiences that. So stop focusing on them.
There are old age attitudes that permeates in the Dr about Haiti and so many aren't true.Infact so much information has been twisted, changed, and adapted, that sometime it makes me just wonder! Then you have generation and generation of people repeating inaccurate information and clinging to it and for the most part never have visited Haiti.What is unfortunate , is that people look at the current crisis and say," See we told you they can't do anything right!""Look at the country!"" That is another example of people of an African Culture unable to do anything correctly!" Nonesense the country wasn't always like that.That is the worse it has ever been in a very long time and people shouid be able to make that disitinction. I remember arguing with a Dominican teacher, that my family speaks french and that we are praticing Cathloics. She said that was impossible, Hatians practice Voodoo and speak only patua. I had to re-educate her. I really see that many Dominicans lack credible information about Hatians. I know this website is for Dominican related issues but, this is also a place to exchange positive cultural data. I totally agree with the poster who siad, "BEING PRO-DOMINICAN DOESNOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO Be ANTI-HATIAN.
I read an article posted on Dr1 that said a study was performed and found that Haitians for the most part are not staying in the Dr. They work and go back home. There maybe between 500,000 and 600,000 but not the 1,000, 000 + people were going around saying. I don't need to repeat the word poor to describe Haiti. The world has done it a thousand times. A country needs weapons , currency, and a sound military to invade. The Haitians have niether. There is no invasion, The Haitians have no hatred of Dominicans. In the United States, Whites did horrific and terrible things to African Americans that lasted for at least 300- 400years . The African Americans who are hanging unto that anger are destroying there lives.Anger and Hate is counter productive. Many Dominicans are getting more educated in the states and in the Dr. They are also meeting all kinds of Hatians like doctors and lawyers besides ditch diggers and sugarcane cutters.I happen to be a teacher who teaches in a Dominican neighborhood in the South Bronx. One day perception will change and I hope the propaganda will stop. politicians have played that card over and over and over.The hatred is based on [aged old propaganda that is used over and over and over.] When middle class and upperclass Hatians hear these things they laugh,Because It isn't True, who has the time to amass an army , march across an island and get killed? I can't believe some Dominican still take this sriously. The Dr. is a wonderful place my friends but as poor as Haiti is many Hatians prefer to stay at home.we cannot force individuals to stay in their country because they make their own choices. It is very difficult to uproot and live in another country. Especially when people want your services, but you are not welcomed
To the Hatian posters,
although sometimes the information about Haiti is exaggerated by the Dominicans, You have to feel their pain. I witnessed with my own eyes Hatians in rags begging and asking for money. Some were asking me and they were very rude. They were surrounding me.
I started getting angry but instead of doing something crazy , I gave them a few pesos and jumped in a cab. I did see many in San Pedro and it just made me wonder. For the most part they were either selling something, engaged in labor, or hanging around. Here in the states, Iget a little alarmed when a new low income group is oversaturating my neighborhood. Its just Human nature.
I don't think any unification has to take place. I have been hearing all my life Puerto Rico is going to be the 51st state and it hasn't happened. Dominicans and Haitians both have pride.Its not about hate its about respect.Two countries can both exist on an island.Many Dominicans don't want to do it but look at it this way many Hatians don't want to either. They don't have to merge,however, their current relationships and how they view eachother needs a desperate makeover. I also think for The Dominicans or anyone to respect Haiti as a country , THE HAITIANS HAVE TO PLAY BIG AND MAKE KEY MOVES AND GET THE COUNTRY ROLLING.Than trade and other talks can seriously take place.
As a kid I hated taking care of my brother all the time. As two prosperous adults I enjoy his company.
DOMINICANS >>>>>>HEAR THIS HAITI DOES NOT WANT TO INVADE YOU.
THE YEAR IS 2004. COLONIAL DAYS ARE OVER. HATIANS ARE NOT SAVAGES. THEY COME FROM ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE SOCIO ECONOMICAL LADDER.THEY COME IN ALL DIFFERENT COLORS MIXED WITH A VARIETY OF RACES.THEY CANNOT HATE MULLATOES BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY MULATTOS WHO LIVE IN HAITI. I KNOW BECAUSE I AM ONE !!!!!!!!!!! SO IS MY FAMILY. WE SPEAK FRENCH, PATUA, ENGLISH AND SOME SPEAK SPANISH
MANY OF US ALSO LIVE IN DIFFERENT RUNGS OF THE SOCIAL ECONOMICAL LADDER IN THE STATES.
UNFORTUNATELY THE POOREST OF THE POOR GO TO YOUR COUNTRY TO MAKE MONEY. SOME STAY BUT MANY ALSO LEAVE. MANY COME ILLEGALLY BUT MANY ARE ALSO RECRUITED. PLEASE STOP THE PROPAGANDA IT IS OLD!!!
HAITIANS HEAR THIS:>>>>>>>> NOT ALL DOMINICANS HATE YOU. I MET MANY WHO DON'T CARRY ANY SORT OF HATE OR PREJUDICE. IF YOU HAVE MONEY AND YOU ARE HELPING THEIR ECONOMY. THEY REFER TO YOU AS "LE FRANCES"OR "THE FRENCH." THEY WILL TREAT YOU LIKE ANY OTHER TOURIST.YOU WON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY THERE ARE MANY WHO WILL INTERACT AND CARRY ON WITH YOU JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE. THERE ISN'T SOME CULTURAL WAR GOING ON.
TO THE POOR HATIANS(OR PEASANTS).
HOWEVER THERE ARE THOSE THAT DON'T LIKE YOU.
SO PLEASE RESPECT THEIR COUNTRY.THEY (THE DOMINICANS)WORKED HARD TO BUILD THERE COUNTRY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES AND THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEIR EDGE. WHEN THEY WANT YOU TO BUILD UP THE DIFFERENT SECTORS IN THERE COUNTRY,THEY WILL CROSS THE BORDER,SEEK,AND RECRUIT YOU TO DO THE WORK. HOWEVER WHEN THEY ARE EXPERIENCING ECONOMIC WOES THEY WILL NOT WELCOME YOU AND PUT THE BLAME OF THEIR PROBLEMS SQUARELY ON YOUR SHOULDERS. SOMETIMES THEY WILL INFLAME PUBLIC INTEREST BY USING NEGATIVE INFORMATION FROM ANOTHER ERA AND TIME TO MAKE THEIR POINT.SO PLEASE BE CAREFUL !!!
Peace
I just like to tell the truth as honest and sincere as I can.
Unification No! not needed
Communication Yes
Clarity Yes
Goals Yes
Ignorance No !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UNFOTUNATLEY NATURE HAD TO REMIND US THAT WE ARE AN ISLAND OF CARING HUMAN BEINGS !!!!!
