I’ve even heard news coverage that some US military are helping Haitians against the brutality of the TOURISTAH. But, I can feel something brewing under the surface. It’s the American way. I don’t see this benevolence lasting long. I know it’s a veil for something else. I think Haitians know it too. I really do, but for now they need the help, I guess.

Thank you for your reporting though. My family and I appreciate it!

Let me share something with you. It was the Monday after the quake when I became really angry, felt de-motivated, stressed out. A BBC crew had asked me to find them drivers, translators, and meet them to help with filming a documentary. They promised us food, lodging, support. They never showed up. We went on the rest of the day working.

Every time I asked people, “What do you think of the American soldiers? Do you want them here?” The answer was we want their help, and yes, yes, yes, yes. Again, the video shows just 3 out of perhaps a dozen of these interviews that are on film, from around PAP, Leogane, and Grand Goave.

That same day I heard first-hand testimony of the American military turning away planes full of tons of medicine trying to land in PAP. I felt deeply ashamed of my country. They fucked up the relief effort in the initial days and a lot of lives were lost that could have been saved.

I asked my new friend and moto driver, a Lavalas supporter who lives near Aristide’s old home in Tabarre, who said he appreciated the US presence: Why do you think they’ll do anything differently than MINUSTAH? You really think they care about Haiti? He said he didn’t know for sure, but there’s no reason not to hope so. He said them seem more friendly than MINUSTAH soldiers.

And indeed they do. I heard other people say that. In four months I saw MINUSTAH personnel talking with Haitians on the street only once, a group of four Argentinians. I’ve already seen it a number of times with the Americans. They don’t have their hands on their guns all the time, like the UN. Little things like that matter.

So what was I to do? People seemed to have lost what confidence, if any, they had in Haitian institutions and the UN. They are destitute. And they have a positive vision of what the American military (Aristide, too) could do to help the country. I think it is misplaced hope, but am I supposed to sit on this footage just because of the history of US policy towards Haiti? Do you only want to hear things that agree with your ideology? We can’t imagine something better?

It’s in the video: nobody wants a militarized occupation of Haiti. They want help, and a lot of people were actually getting it that day near Cite Soleil. The point is only that if US troops are here, this is what they can and should be doing.

I do agree that for the time being, Haitians in P-A-P, will be pro-US. Though the US government has proven itself not to care about the well being of Haitians (as you’ve shown in a few videos), the people are hungry, thirsty and are afraid of the coming the rainy season catching them in the streets without shelter. They are also aware that without homes, sanitation will pose a serious health issue. BUT, to say that the Haitian people believe that the US government or their troops (ESPECIALLY their troops) offer hope is naive at best, and just plain stupid at worse.

Ansel, I know that you know about the US occupation of Haiti in 1919. If you can know about it, then the Haitian poor don’t just know about it, they live it daily. I’m sure you know about US support for Papa and Baby Doc. I’m sure you know about both coups against Aristide. I’m sure you know about the human rights violations of MINUSTAH against the Haitian poor… and EVERYTHING in between.

If you, or anyone else can know about these events, then how much more the Haitian people. They are not stupid. They don’t just know their history; they live it… daily.

Now, let’s talk about your comments regarding US troops putting their guns aside. Is that what they did in Vietnam? How about Iraq? Grenada? Panama? Afghanistan?

I expect more from you, Ansel. Wake up, my dear. This is an occupation. The US will use Port-au-Prince as a strategic point between Cuba and ALBA. Wake up!

And as for your comment regarding the “base for [your] generalizations [being] wide and deep,” where are the slums of Petion-ville in these “wide and deep” reports? Where is Leogane? Gressier? Jacmel? Don’t get me started.

Please reflect before making arrogant comments.

I simply expect more.

Ansel’s Edit: No need for that kind of language. Let’s keep it civil, folks.

I’ll try to put up more video evidence when I get time.

When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him.
Jonathan Swift

nerd – on ansel!