Letters to the Editor

Haitian democracy punished in U.S.

Haiti is a nation that was not only founded on the conquest for freedom, but also contributed toward the creation of the 50 states that comprise the United States today. It was the successful slave rebellion of Haiti that made the French flee and sell a large portion of their land to America in 1803. That deal was known as the Louisiana Purchase and it included land that ran through the middle of America from north to south. It also makes up to about 25 percent of America and covers 13 states.

Many American historians teach about the Louisiana Purchase without mentioning Haiti. Despite the fact that Haiti is a democracy in the Western Hemisphere that was founded on freedom, white American-led governments chose to ignore it and punish it for its successful slave rebellion for almost two centuries until this current earthquake hit Haiti. In fact, we learn more about communist Cuba in America than the democracy, freedom, and contribution of Haiti to America.  

As a proud American of African descent, I would like to thank Haiti for fighting against slavery and winning their freedom. This was necessary to make America a complete and free nation in the new world. It brought about true democracy and the American quest to promote freedom in distant lands. Until now, America had never given back to Haiti, but thanks for teaching us that a successful fight for freedom is as noble as the peace of God. May Haiti forever have peace!

Ehi Aimiuwu
Atlanta, Georgia

Making profits at our expense

There was a lot more at stake than a battle over health care. The heart of the matter is where we stand as a people in dealing with illness and death. If you want to take up the right-wing call to arms as Michael Steele has done, then help yourself. This chairman of the GOP has called the budget projections by the Congressional Budget Office “lies.”

 I’d like to hear his take on the 40,000 people a year who die from inadequate health care. Maybe, he would describe them as “statistics.”

The uncomfortable truth in a biblical sense is that a group of money changers have taken over the temple while we’ve been distracted by reality TV and a lot of other things like finding or keeping a job. Listening to the “parrot talk” hasn’t been very helpful, either.  We are not number one in providing quality care to our citizens. We’re 37th in the civilized world. Our ranking in the area of public education is just as dismal.

How much longer are we going to accept the demands of a gang of financial predators that, when they’re “forced” to raise the rates on our credit cards, bank loans and insurance premiums, we have no alternative but to pay or be denied the access to services we used to enjoy? Does it mean that a group of politicians has made it possible for the idea of financial servitude to take hold in America?

Those who build their castles on the sands of lies, deception, fraud and the misfortunes of their brothers are due for a hard rain to fall. A change is going to come.