The post-quake disaster isn't a natural disaster.

[Mika]

Obviously, the quake is a natural event. But, the lack of representative government in all forms in Haiti has been and is the major disaster right now.

You Latin American forum users know why this is.

Ms Clinton will surely put a smiley face on US aid (while whispering that the people need to speak up* and act for good government - it is their fault - as if the people of Haiti haven't and then been shot down or murdered in the middle of the night for doing so. * -no mention that 15 lefty parties including Lavalas were banned from running candidates in the upcoming election) while developing a new military stepping stone towards Venezuela.

The reason Haiti is virtually barren of trees is not a natural disaster. The reason Haiti had no building codes is not a natural disaster. The reason Haiti has virtually no emergency infrastructure is not a natural disaster. The reason Haiti has almost no plumbing or sewage systems is not a natural disaster. The reason that most Haitian children do not go to school is not a natural disaster. The reason diseases that have been all but eradicated in the 3rd world but run rampant in Haiti isn't a natural disaster. The reason Haitian political parties representing a majority are banned from Haitian elections is not a natural disaster. The reason Haitians gathering to protest get shot dead by blue helmets (and certain RW death squads who work in cahoots w/them) decade after decade is not a natural disaster. The Haitian quake disaster isn't a natural disaster.




BTW, the Cuban Henry Reeves Brigade is at the ready gathering supplies and organizing manpower right now, but there hasn't been a response (official request) from the Haitian government nor the UN Haitian Command.



http://www.haitirelieffund.org/

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[Peace Patriot]

1. Wow! That is one fine list of U.S.-caused, non-natural disasters in Haiti,

that are making this disaster SO MUCH WORSE.

I'm gonna repeat it with highlighting:

• The reason Haiti is virtually barren of trees is not a natural disaster.

• The reason Haiti had no building codes is not a natural disaster.

• The reason Haiti has virtually no emergency infrastructure is not a natural disaster.

• The reason Haiti has almost no plumbing or sewage systems is not a natural disaster.

• The reason that most Haitian children do not go to school is not a natural disaster.

• The reason diseases that have been all but eradicated in the 3rd world but run rampant in Haiti is not a natural disaster.

• The reason Haitian political parties representing a majority are banned from Haitian elections is not a natural disaster.

• The reason Haitians gathering to protest get shot dead by blue helmets (and certain RW death squads who work in cahoots w/them) decade after decade is not a natural disaster.

• The Haitian quake disaster isn't a natural disaster.

The reason the Haiti earthquake is a MUCH WORSE natural disaster than it need have been is the systematic repression of democracy in Haiti by the U.S. in the interest of the rich and the corporate, with the toppling of democratic governments as recently as 2004, and consequent extermination of leftist (majorityist) political organizing and leftists themselves, many of whom have been murdered.

I completely agree. A 7.0 earthquake in a major city IS a natural disaster, and would be in any country. But the fact that the entire infrastructure of the country--including hospitals, schools, bridges, the presidential palace and numerous government buildings, and including even the UN office building with hundreds of people inside of it, and including, of course, the slums built on mud-sliding hillsides--all fell down is a HUMAN-MADE DISASTER on top of the awful natural disaster.

I was struck by one of your "not a natural disaster" items regarding most Haitian school children not going to school, because I just read an exhaustive analysis by Mark Weisbrot of the Venezuelan economy under the Chavez government, and, among other statistics establishing the success of the Chavez government on numerous fronts, was this: A 40% increase in high school and higher education enrollment in Venezuela. A 40% increase! And this is a government that is relentlessly reviled by the U.S. State Department and its corporate media echo chamber!

And one of the main reasons that it is relentlessly reviled is that the Chavez government, through various policies, took the money out of the pockets of Exxon Mobil's executives and super-rich investors and put it into education and literacy programs for Venezuela's poor majority. That is an unforgivable crime in the eyes of the U.S. political establishment, no matter which approved corporate party is permitted into the White House or permitted a majority in Congress. It is the kind of crime that Aristide was trying to commit in Haiti in 2004, for which the U.S. kidnapped him, removed him from the country and ended Haitian democracy. It is the kind of crime that Mel Zelaya was trying to commit in Honduras in 2009, for which U.S. operatives with the help of the Pentagon kidnapped him, removed him from the country and ended Honduran democracy. It the kind of crime that Evo Morales was trying to commit in Bolivia in 2008 (but they couldn't dislodge him). Same U.S. policy; different corporate interests. Education, or any other benefit to the people, at the expense of corporate profits is not permitted--in so far as the U.S. government can get its vulture clutches into other countries, on behalf of U.S. corporations and war profiteers. And we are seeing it here as well, in the U.S. Plenty of money--billions and billions of dollars for banksters and war profiteers--at the egregious cost of our schools, libraries, parks, emergency services, hospitals, medical clinics, regulatory agencies, roads, bridges and every other "common good." Look at Haiti--and other U.S.-exploited and dominated countries (Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Iraq, Afghanistan) ---and see where we are going, because that is where the "experiments" are taking place.

I don't believe in ranting about yet another terrible U.S. policy without--as often as I can--suggesting remedies. And I think the first one here needs to be restoring transparent vote counting, and removing it from private corporate hands and their 'TRADE SECRET' code. Our election system is bad enough as it is--filthy with money and corporate media. 'TRADE SECRET' code vote counting makes it impossible to mount any reform effort. Transparent vote counting is THE fundamental condition of democracy and the premise of all reform. This remedy is still doable--with citizen effort at the state/local level. If we want real democracy in the U.S., that's where we must start.

[EFerrari]

2. You are 100% correct.

And for Clinton and Bush to be put in front of our fundraising is nauseating.

Sometimes I think there is something in our water that takes out our frontal lobes.