In the Eye of Mandela

What is so special about them? Recently Nelson Mandela passed away. His memory was celebrated in society at large. World leaders, celebrities, and many other individuals who could afford the trip traveled to South Africa to pay respect to a giant. And, the media was abuzz! Why did a poor black man capture so much attention and was revered by so many? Mandela and few others like him see an image of our world that most others cannot see. Such great men envision a society where the human beings are living in unity and mutual respect. And, they have committed to that end.

I started growing up with a hero named Toussaint Louverture. He proclaimed liberation from slavery on the Island of Hispaniola and set the way for the Negro race to freedom. He was different from the others who finalized Haiti’s independence because of his vision of unity and fairness. He chose to remain friendly and attached to France and the rest of the world. France betrayed and killed him. Yet, he had already sowed the seeds for the liberation from slavery that no man could destroy.

In my high school years, I arrived to know Martin Luther King. He was set apart from all the others with his dream that all men would arrive to live in unity where a black child could look at a white child without expecting to be lynched. They shot him, dead. And, discrimination remains as strong as ever. Still, the son of an African man and a Caucasian woman was elected the president of the United States, and thus leader of the free world. At the end, I met Mandela. For 27 years of his younger life, he was kept behind bars by racists and bigots in South Africa for his championing of freedom for his Negro kind. When he was liberated, he did not seek revenge. He emphasized instead that the ever divided nation be united. As the president of the country, he pardoned the oppressors and did his best to bring everybody together. The nation has experienced freedom and prosperity.

What is so special about them? Nelson Mandela, Toussaint Louverture, and Martin Luther King see the whole. They recognize our societal environment as a setting for mankind to live in unity and mutual respect, and that the mistreatment of one another would only bring greater suffering. Today, in South Africa as well as in the United States the Negro human beings are not confined to certain dilapidated areas; neither are they prevented from moving freely. The Caucasian beings are not allowed to shoot and lynch the Negro men as in the past. It is true that discrimination still persists everywhere; yet, only wealth remains the great divider.

They tried but they could not legally prevent Barak Hussein Obama from sitting in the Oval Office in Washington D.C. We must thank Toussaint Louverture, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, and all the other great visionaries. It is certain that they would gladly see the ‘great divider’ diminished to zero; that certain groups of individuals are no longer hiding behind economic walls at the greater suffering of others. Our better existence needs such great men who can illuminate the myopic sight. From the cave, to slavery, to the present, our world has taken great strides. We thank all the great men who have contributed to ameliorate the human existence. We are looking forward to the moment when all men feel truly free and economic disparity touches its lowest end.

By E.C. GRANMOUN

E.C. Granmoun is the author of "Bully: A Novel" ebook on amazon.com
Join E.C. Granmoun on Facebook and Twitter

They Are Failing The Poor Children Under Descrimination

When I was a child growing up on the countryside of a third world country, we did not have much. Life was simple, naive, and parents took care of their children with the little they possessed. We felt loved and ready for success. Today in the most advanced society in the world, so many parents are not able to raise their kids, and governments are more quick than needed to step in to often worsen matters. They are failing the poor children under discrimination; so many are ever remained marred in a system of stagnation that reproduces itself with no light at the end of the tunnel.

The United States where we are living possesses the capacity to make life better for all its inhabitants. The children particularly could be cared for normally and offered a prosperous future. Unfortunately, this is not what has been happening. A great majority of children has been abandoned to poverty, discrimination, parents who cannot adequately care for them, and a system of government that often worsens matters. Poverty is bad. When you poor and cannot provide what your children need, you cannot decide what their futures would be. Since we are living in a rich country, we are asking ourselves what is going on? How could a particular group of people be so poor and abandoned? We know! The rich get richer; the poor get poorer. Then we may say. There is discrimination. Yes, discrimination! This country has enough resources for all children here to be raised adequately and for prosperity. But, you have rich and poor, black and white, and the others.

Now, the poor parents have not been able to raise their children well because they are poor. Also, many other factors are complicating things for these poor parents: drugs, domestic violence, single parents, and incarceration are a few on the top of my head. How could matter be improved? The government is the answer. Right? Watch out! Child welfare or DCF, as it is called where I am, is at your doorstep. Don’t touch that child! You are even afraid to sometimes bathe your child for fear of sexual accusation. With all these complications we are leaving it to the state that knows best. They come and haul your child away. Well, maybe they leave him with you – with their microscopic eyes watching.

It’s usually a lost cause, with the children ended up worse than where they started. So many young black men are in prison! So many have not graduated from school! So many ended up dead! They say it is black inferiority; it is black on black crime; it is gang; it is drugs; and on and on. Was it bad parent or bad parenting? Obviously no! It is rather a system where poor people under discrimination are fixed-up for failure. Rich people, those who have some means and those not so much discriminated upon, they are not so subjective to this. Some other poor ethnic groups may be affected similarly. By any mean, the United Sates could go and fix up Europe and Japan and police the world. Yet, the poor black people here are living in shame. For those who may think that it is their faults, go back to the history of slavery.

I return to my village. Life has evolved too. You don’t have DCF to take your child from you of course, but things have changed. Yet, I could tell you one thing. Simple value measures still work: love, importance of education, family orientation and support, and keep your child away from the bad apples. Most of us not on drugs and not in prison could still set good examples. Please, don’t abuse your children. 

By E.C. GRANMOUN
ecgranmoun.blogspot.com
Join E.C. Granmoun on Facebook and Twitter
Visit amazon.com for E.C. Granmoun's ebook: "The Social Worker"


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8246201

Haiti Remains on its Death Bed

We have recently heard of many activities in this northern tip of Haiti. Gold had been discovered; a university had been built; a financial center is being erected; the major roadway had been reconstructed; and now, a major seaport is a subject of controversy. They have called all this, an approach at decentralization. Not bad for a country that is on its deathbed.

When I heard that they had found mineral wealth in Haiti, I was so glad that I emailed the news right away to all my friends. Not that I did not doubt that the general population might never smell a cent, but it was more of a wish to me that a good news for a country should be considered so. Since then we haven't heard anymore about it. I've rather heard rumors of infighting between the president and other vultures of the country. Knowing our Haiti, we could expect the worst for the gold. So far, I believe the university is schooled by rats, goats, and other bestial characters. The financial center is full of fouls of unscrupulous foreigners performing in the Haitian mind-frame. The road was poorly built and has already been gravely deteriorating. Now, a seaport is in the making. And, guess what? They have found endangered species, (coral reefs and lizards) on the site.

It is nature versus society. Those who are for society say, yeah. Those for nature say, nay! The seaport is being considered to facilitate shipments of goods and materials back and forth from the new developments there in this northeastern end of the country. The nearby Cap-Haitian port is considered small and obsolete. Most things heading to the northeast activity area have been done through the neighboring Republic Dominican. Protagonists think that a port near the development center would greatly benefit Haiti. Environmentalists think that the building of a major seaport there in the city of Fort Liberte would gravely disturb the marine echo system in the northern area.

In my view, I don't think it is going to make much difference in Haiti. It is already a decrepit environment. You build the port, it is very likely not going to improve the lot of people there much. You leave the echo system alone, nobody is going to benefit either. The ocean in Haiti is already polluted with all the garbage and soil coming down the ground. And according to reports, much of the developments going on there in the northeastern corner have not been done according to environmental standard. Basically the foreigners have been there utilizing Haitian standards for their developmental projects.

What can we say? Not much has changed. Just like happened from the 1915 intrusion. They came and left, and Haiti has remained the "same old Haiti," a grandmother on its death bed.

By E.C. GRANMOUN
ecgranmoun.blogspot.com
Join E.C. Granmoun on Facebook and Twitter
Visit amazon.com for E.C. Granmoun's ebook: "Bully: A Novel"

My New Year's Wishes

I don’t venture out much. If I had a way, I probably would have stayed in my home and never come out. When I was little, this time of year used to be the best of time. According to my then religious affiliation, this is Christmas the time our savior was born. It is the best of time. The celebration was grandiose, marvelous decorations, happy moods, nice gatherings, sharing of gifts, and children running around as if it was really the best of time. My mother made sure to buy gifts for me and my two little brothers not only for our own usage but to share with other people. I always could not wait for the next Christmas – ‘Noel’ we called it.

Today, particularly in the United States, I don’t think Christmas is much about religion. It is more economical in this whole western hemisphere; big country, big system, big money is being made. Children still do believe in Santa of course. And me too, I still have my wish. I wish I could stay in my home and never come out.

It is not anything new that our inner cities are literally war zones. It is not only in the United States. It is all over the world. The ghettoes, the slums are full of bandits who are ready to pull a trigger. In fact, in places such as Africa and the Middle East, people are always at war. In those places, it is not simply young men battle for turf; it is war among people and nations. The difference in the United States is that it is a matter of concentration. The war is generally in the middle of the mass being discriminated upon. They term it, “Black on Black crime.” The young black men are killing each other.

This country is wealthy. There is enough here for the whole population to have a fair share. It does not happen. The people in the inner cities are left to rot under the grips of poverty. The slums are like concentration camps. The people are literally in cages. So the young men are always enraged and killing their ways to survive the poverty. I was associated with a funeral home for a couple of months this year. It terrified me that so many young men were getting murdered in Miami. Chicago and Detroit did not do better. What bothers me is that the concentration is where the poor black people are living. And, they say the poor kids are bad!

What do you expect? In this country with so much wealth and you are locking up a certain group to expire in misery, don’t you think that those young men with their hot blood would rise up and spread terror? Those people in these ghettoes are trapped. No job, no education, no guidance, nobody cares for them, and the police are there with their guns aimed to shoot. They have no hope and no future. They could only see others with the better of life via the media. The discrimination here is extreme. If young black men are killing other black people, it is only because they are locked up together. I don’t think that is whom they would wish to kill. They know their oppressors.

I wish I could stay in my home and never come out. You are thinking wrong if you think my wish is based on the fear of the crimes in the ghettoes. No, not all! I fear the crime of discrimination. I fear this system that has locked a certain group of people in those concentration camps and left them to rot because of the color of the skin.

I wish Santa was real. He could have granted my wish.

By E.C. GRANMOUN
ecgranmoun.blogspot.com
Join E.C. Granmoun on Facebook and Twitter
Visit amazon.com for E.C. Granmoun's ebook: "The Social Worker"

Goodbye 'Palais National'

It's a continuous bad story.

What comes to your mind when you picture the Haitian national palace? Me, I see failure. Perhaps you have the same bitter feeling too. When I was a child, I was told that regular citizens passing by the palace had to hurry passed in order to avoid beating by Tonton Makout. This leaves me with a vision of bad people behind those white walls: Papa Doc with his little glasses like a wizard; Baby Doc with his fat self unable to control his appetite; and all the goons in there traumatizing and killing their fellow countrymen. This melancholic story, just like everything Haitian, has hit dead-end. A NGO led by Hollywood actor Sean Penn is voluntarily cleaning up the space occupied by that monstrous past.

Not too long ago, the taxi that was carrying me strolled by the eye-soar. It sat like a ruin in a tragic Roman story. The earthquake of January 2010 that had really brought to light the tragedy that is Haitian, had toppled down the nightmarish structure. It remained in the decrepit state since then, as the shame that is Haitian government and or leadership had not have the ability to address it. Sean Penn has agreed to clean it up for the worthless nation.

Critics have raised issues about a foreign entity having to demolish the "historic icon." Historic Icon? I see shame. Anyway, the palace was built by foreigners, anyway! And very likely by donation. So what now? And, if some outsider did not come to remove the garbage, it would remain sitting there just like all other garbage in the country, whoever and or whatever they are. Now the big uncertainty for the failing leaders there is that they don't know where a good Samaritan would pop up to throw some pennies in the bowl, (kwiy la), for the rebuilding.

I mentioned last time 'a Haiti' naturally no longer sustainable to life. If a new national palace is donated by the real people, them who have always come to keep life going in Haiti, my wish is for some leader to spring forth, that I don't have to imagine ignorant and goons behind the walls.

By E.C. GRANMOUN
ecgranmoun.blogspot.com
Join E.C. Granmoun on Facebook and Twitter
Visit amazon.com for E.C. Granmoun's ebook: "Bully: A Novel"

What would tomorrow be?

I was listening to a documentary on NPR a few days passed in which a science professor was discussing his new book concerning human nature as the greatest threat to the natural environment. The conversation became personal to me when he chose Haiti as an ultimate example of utter natural disaster. As he put it, Due to repressive governments (lack of leadership) the Haitian people are left without a choice but to destroy their own environment in the act of survival.

There was a report in the Miami Herald's Haiti Section on 8/30/2012 that read, Haiti park standoff highlights conflict over land. I had just flown over the Haitian ragged northern edge a few days earlier. Reading the report, it resonated with me. As the reporter boldly put it, The need to save Haiti's forests is obvious to anyone who flies over the country and sees the almost completely denuded landscape. In 1925, Haiti had 60 percent of its original forest cover. Today, it has about 2 percent, most of it lost because people cut down trees to make charcoal, the principal source of cooking fuel.

This just adds fuel to my fire in my efforts to help tackle this crisis. I fly over the northern tip of Haiti very often; and when I was stable in Cap Haitian I visited several mountainous landscapes. My associate and I took a very close look at the devastation as the treeless, rocky, dried up soils without vegetation were lamenting to our feet.

The following statements bring greater urgency. The wear-and-tear from squatters is evident in La Visite, where the cutting of pine trees is plainly visible. It's considered a critical wildlife habitat and water source for the capital of Port-au-Prince, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) to the northwest. It's also home to threatened bird species such as the Hispaniolan trogon and golden swallow.

The park dwellers survive by growing their own fruits and vegetables and raising livestock, all activities that require clearing trees. During last week Isaac, I was in Haiti. It was not such a powerful storm, but because of the fragility of the environment due to the deprivation of trees and vegetation, it caused maximum damages.

If you were to be listening to Michelle Obama's convention speech, it denoted some important core values that are not matter of personal satisfaction. They are those that are vital to our natural human existence and happiness. It is clear that the Haitian has lost all sense of dignity. Those of the past had done a terrible job determining the future. And, accept it or not, it is what we do today that is going to determine the Haitian tomorrow. So far, our level of leadership and our capacity of being are only leading to destructiveness.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/30/2976758/haiti-park-standoff-highlights.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/30/2976758/haiti-park-standoff-highlights.html#storylink=cpy

By E.C. GRANMOUN
ecgranmoun.blogspot.com
Join E.C. Granmoun on Facebook and Twitter
Visit amazon.com for E.C. Granmoun's ebook: "Bully: A Novel"

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/30/2976758/haiti-park-standoff-highlights.html#storylink=cpyThe need to save Haiti's forests is obvious to anyone who flies over the country and sees the almost completely denuded landscape. In 1925, Haiti had 60 percent of its original forest cover. Today, it has about 2 percent, most of it lost because people cut down trees to make charcoal, the principal source of cooking fuel.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/30/2976758/haiti-park-standoff-highlights.html#storylink=cpyThose before us have done a very bad job in determining what we are today.

Salutation From The Eye Of The Hurricane

My friends, I salute you. It has been a few long days; Isaac has left its mark; Haiti is as bad as always. There had been no sign of electricity until last night. Fortunately the weather remains very temperate on the path of  Isaac.

In reality, the storm was not so sever, but in a country devoid of tree, of any vegetation; where homes are built without supervision; and the poor are literally living under leaves of bananas and pillars of straw; what would be normal elsewhere could still be disastrous here. They have counted up to 19 people dead and a few missing. By any mean, I should be back in a couple of days.

By E.C. GRANMOUN
ecgranmoun.blogspot.com
Join E.C. Granmoun on Facebook and Twitter
Visit amazon.com for E.C. Granmoun's ebook: "Bully: A Novel"