I hear a THUMPIN' at the door
I used to get mad. I have tried, to the best of my ability, to understand why they don't see. Now, although they still frustrate me, I try to see them. It's hard. It's the missionaries.
Now Haiti was the place of the first slave revolution in the America's. 400,000 enslaved Africans rebelled against 30,000 whitey's. They even managed to defeat Napoleans best general.
So the Christian, God-fearing white boys from France, Spain and America have been kicking these people in the teeth for a good number of centuries. In fine American style we backed (YET ANOTHER) coup d'etat and ousted (YET ANOTHER) democratically elected government, replaced them with a pawn (we like to call them 'elite') and plundered whatever Haiti had left to pawn off.
So we have an ex-slave state. The poorest country in the western Hemisphere. A country where waterborne diseases are the rule not the exception. A nation whose countryside has been so devastated by deforestation that it could qualify as rape (I wonder who bought all that delicious hard wood?). In come the missionaries.
Sure, we enslaved you for 400 years plus. Sure, we yanked and tore and desecrated the roots of your ancestors. OK, we exploited your natural resources. We admit, we supported a coup d'etat or two. Alright, we raped your women too. But, we're here to SAVE you. Don't you see that? Jesus sent us. You know, Jesus. The guy who died for YOUR sins!
Now I'm not excusing Haitians of their own responsibilities towards their own people and communities. But it would be a great injustice to not look at the causes and effects of a half a millennium's worth of torture. It DOES leave a mark. I simply can 't understand how these missionaries have no shame. I have met many of them. They are lovely people ...kind...caring...ignorant as hell. I just can't see why white people think 'the savages' of the world need to be saved. Why the 'unenlightened' need to have the switch turned on for them.
WHO THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY ARE?
I won't even dare explore the aid distribution IF you come to church schemes. Then I'll just get mad again. We understand you're child is dying, but we only give aid from the church. The bible thumpers were already swarming over Haiti before the disaster...now they're ready for a full-fledged invasion.
But people of Haiti - worry not. Your former oppressors will be knocking on your door soon....with the love of blonde haired, blue-eyed Jesus in their hearts....to SAVE YOU.
Thank God for that, huh?
