Dear MJ, civic duty and civilized behavior is something that...

Dear MJ, civic duty and civilized behavior is something that is taught; it is not something that people are born with. You may be too young to know this (I learned this from people older than me), or you may be a Haitian who has only gotten to know Haiti in the past 15 years or so (I lived in Haiti during the 1970s), but Haiti was not always like this. Haitians were once some of the kindest people you could meet. The Haitian peasant, who had so little, were some of the most generous and caring people on the face of the planet--full of pride and dignity.

Did you know that there was a time when civic duty was taught in all Haitian schools.

That the government provided a little book on hygiene and proper behavior that every student had to have and had to study.

Did you know that Haitian history, which is what created Haitian pride and dignity, was thought to every student.

But more importantly, that Haitian history was celebrated every year through various festivals and performances.

It's true that the old elite did not give enough opportunity to the masses, but they did set the example on proper social behavior, manners, etiquettes, and civic duty. Did you know that in the pass, Haitians never closed their doors and we used to be able to walk to anywhere we wanted to day or night.

The problem in Haiti is not as simple as a the difference between the haves and have-nots.

Today in Haiti, those people who have money are as ill mannered and socially inept as the poor. They don't care about the country, its people, or the country's future.

Most of this nouveau elite group--both mulattoes and blacks--simply do not have the social skill to pass on to the rest of the people, hence, that is why civic behavior in Haiti is a thing of the past.