If only we had been a better neighbor we would have noticed how destitute Haiti has been for the last 100+ years. If only…if only we would have noticed that desperate mothers were feeding their children mud patties to stave off their hunger pangs, and that many of them were dying of starvation in spite of their frenzied efforts.
But we were distracted. Distracted beyond belief. Distracted with mindless images of troubled celebrities, cheating politicians and the latest fashions. Distracted with trivial, mundane experiences which do not even come close to being labeled a "problem". Distracted when someone cut us off in traffic, or when our spouse forgot to pick up the clothing from the dry cleaner, or perhaps we bounced a check, or even several. Maybe we ran out of milk, even though the local grocery store is open 24/7 and we have a car that can take us there and enough money to buy half a gallon and a refrigerator to put it in and a house to put the refrigerator in with an endless flow of electricity to keep it running. No, we were too comfortable to notice that our neighbor is and has been in pain... for a very long time.
Haiti has been in distress for hundreds of years; mainly caused by man, not nature. Slavery, foreign occupations, corrupt governments, overthrown governments, cruel dictatorships, outstanding debt to foreign countries, extreme dire poverty…Add insult to injury; hurricane after hurricane and now the worst earthquake in its history.
Then there are the cruel observations made by heartless men, such as, Pat Robertson blaming the earthquake on the victims saying a pact Haiti made with the devil a hundred years ago caused this earthquake. (So much for being our brother's keeper, huh Patty?) Limbaugh saying that Obama "will use" this to "boost" his credibility with the "dark skinned." The cynicism of these two men's comments are injurious and insensitive. It appears they also do not know the meaning of being a good neighbor. Its time WE ALL become the good neighbor and come to Haiti's aid and this time for their benefit, not ours.
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Lourdes, you have captured one of the essential realities of the horror in Haiti insofar as it relates to the rich and powerful of the world and especially those of us in the US. That is, that much of our failing is that we have been "distracted". I think that is an even more accurate observation than to say that Haiti is a "victim of "US imperialism", or proof of the failure of Socialism or international aid, both of which I've heard recently. What I take from your posting is that, whatever socio-political, economic, geophysical or other technical aspects of the reality of Haiti, the fact remains that metaphorically speaking we went about our business, including perhaps doing "good" while our next door neighbor starved alone. Yes we sent Christmas cards and sometimes waved as we pulled from the driveway. I also take from your reflection that the issue isn't that we have been in all cases doing evil but that we have been - in this case and probably many others - not doing what good we can mindfully enough. I mean that it's not that I should feel "guilty" but that I allow myself to acknowledge the shame, accept that and move to a deeper appreciation of the how poor in spirit I finally am. I can take hope, though, that maybe I’m moving toward at least the threshold of the peaceable commonwealth, the kingdom of God,that reality always coming and always at hand - whatever it is - that sneaks up like a thief in the night.
Peace, Mike
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