Xenophobonomics

drbill

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Dec 3, 2005
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The illegal immigration of all those Mexicans into the U.S. tends to irritate me (theoretically, anyways)- I'm a taxpayer and resent the intrusion on rational and emotional grounds. Here, however, I find myself very sympathetic to the Haitian cause. I think that my exposure to the realities of poverty and necessity have softened me up a bit. Granted I'm not Dominican... . Would this "media isla" as a whole be better served by relaxing or by tightening entry requirements?
 

amandalivoti

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Jan 20, 2006
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this mutual suspicion between domincans and haitians goes way back in the history of both countries. i think the problem would be better addressed if we could somehow make things better for those people in Haiti- but that seems like an impossible task.
the whole thing makes me sick. especially since you can't seem to be able to have a rational discussion of the topic with a domincan. they all mistrust hatians. well, imagine, instead of scaring kids with the boogey man, here the maids used to tell the kids that, if they were bad, a haitian would come and take them away in a sack!!
how much hope for compassion can there be really?
 

Stodgord

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Nov 19, 2004
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drbill said:
The illegal immigration of all those Mexicans into the U.S. tends to irritate me (theoretically, anyways)- I'm a taxpayer and resent the intrusion on rational and emotional grounds. Here, however, I find myself very sympathetic to the Haitian cause. I think that my exposure to the realities of poverty and necessity have softened me up a bit. Granted I'm not Dominican... . Would this "media isla" as a whole be better served by relaxing or by tightening entry requirements?


Are you still irritated by poor Mexican entering ilegally into the richest country in world, your country? If so, why do you think Dominicans should not be irritated by poor people entering our very poor country?
 

Don Juan

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Dec 5, 2003
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I'm sympathetic, but....

drbill said:
The illegal immigration of all those Mexicans into the U.S. tends to irritate me (theoretically, anyways)- I'm a taxpayer and resent the intrusion on rational and emotional grounds. Here, however, I find myself very sympathetic to the Haitian cause. I think that my exposure to the realities of poverty and necessity have softened me up a bit. Granted I'm not Dominican... . Would this "media isla" as a whole be better served by relaxing or by tightening entry requirements?

Unfortunately,as stodgord pointed out, we're a very poor country that can ill afford to take care of our own, much less other, even poorer people.
Although it is a very dire situation that Haitians find themselves in, we (DR), must tighten up the border. DR alone does not have the wherewithal to take care of these refugees.
Their plight saddens everyone who reads the news flashes about how terrible the political and economic conditions are in Haiti. I can only imagine it for I have never been there, but judging by the risks taken to travel across and subsequent abuse by us Dominicans (and they still keep on coming), makes it obvious that these unfortunate people are literally, running for their lives.
The UN & OAS must do more to in terms of economic aid, political stability industrial development and curtailing the dreadful environmental degradation. I repeat, the DR can't do it alone, and even if we could, why should we? This is a world problem; not just our problem.
As heartbreaking as it may be, we must not let them come in great numbers, for their sake as well as ours.
 
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drbill

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Dec 3, 2005
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yeah, but

As Amandalivoti says, there's a huge emotional component at work here, not really the same as in the U.S. Some N.Americans may have a vague dislike or disdain for our southern cousins, but nothing like the visceral dread (fear and loathing!) shown by my Dominican friends toward their Haitian neighbors.

I guess I'm asking if this emotional component interferes with the search for a solution to the "Haitian Problem". My friends don't seem to fear the consequences of this great poop-storm here, predicted by so many smart people.

Adding some water to the soup is not in the cards, I suppose... .

drbill
 

amandalivoti

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Jan 20, 2006
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i predict a mini war between them. everybody's much too tense. things seem to be coming to a head, and here dominicans are in a state of agitation in general and they need something to take there frustration out on-which, of course, won't be the government- haitians are the perfect scape goar- and they like a good fight too!
 

drbill

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Dec 3, 2005
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the Haitians are coming, the Haitians are coming...

Does anyone else think that things are heating up quickly on the Haitian front? The magazines USN&WR, McLean's, Economist as well as some major papers seem to be predicting some kind of backlash if something doesn't give soon.
What an amazingly short list of gift-bearing emmisaries, even in our own continent!
DonJuan, you seem 14 times more sympathetic to our blue brethren than most of my friends are; do you see negative consequences for tightening the border security, as well? They seem to have a limited time where they are, and they can't really head west.. .
 

amandalivoti

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Jan 20, 2006
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i have some swiss friends over there. they love it!!!!
did anyone see this article referring to a decades old secret plot by the US to unite the island?????
 

aegap

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Mar 19, 2005
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I don't think that the following gets enphasized enough:

All these human rights groups should not be so selfish when it comes to criticizing the [Dominican Republic]," she says. "They need to do their homework: We don't have any economic possibilities in Haiti."

Complete villages in Haiti are being sustained by money sent home from the Dominican Republic, she argues. "Sure, it's not paradise," she says, "but look at the big picture - if they were turned away instead, people here would starve."


The Dominican government alone is probably the largest employer of Haitian in the world, indirectly, through sub-contractors building infracstucture work like the Metro of Santo Domingo, as well as highways around the country, etc....

Heck, the number of Haitians working in the DR is probably larger than the number of Haitians working in Haiti itself,if you check the figures given in the article.
 
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