Linda I read this comment that you posted the other day and I...
Zac says...
Linda I read this comment that you posted the other day and I wanted to comment on it but after working a 13 hour shift my mind was running on empty, today was no different but throughout the day at work this matter laid siege to my mind. So I feel it necessary that I respond.
It is concerning the restavecs situation in Haiti.
Because of personal experiences I've found that I can never remain dispassionate in the presence of child abuse.
Till this day I don't know exactly when my parents left Haiti, all i remember is a few years later when i was about 7 years old I was talking to my mom over the telephone and I asked her why it had been so long that i had not seen her, and she then told me that she was in Miami.
I didn't know where that was exactly but I knew she wasn't in Haiti.
My grandparents lived in the farm I spent some times with them but eventually while my dad was here in the US he arranged to for me and my older brother to move to one of his relatives' place in the city. I will not go into full disclosure but needless to say that the experience was not very pleasant.
After three years my grandmother came and got us. I will never forget that, and this is why I love and admire this woman, she said then, that she wasn't going to sit idly by and let us die like orphans.
I get very defensive and even downright irritated whenever anybody downplays or excuses the mistreatment of children.
To some extent I have experienced it and I have witnessed it as well. My older brother and i had to grow up quickly.
A child becomes self-aware and responsible very quickly when he has to carry the weight of his own world on his little back.
I suppose that is why today at a young age a so concerned, so aware of social issues.
No child should ever have to live like a restavec;it robs you of your dignity and your self-identity.
I understand that some people do treat these kids right but the majority don't. And regardless of the case it is always best for a child to be raised by his parents.
A person would have to live the experience to know what it's like to be a child and be sick and not have your parents or a loving guardian there to take you to the doctor.
There's nothing worst then a child feeling that he has no one that cares about him, I know it.
When that program was aired on CNN the first I saw, the first thing I noticed was the children, the pain in their eyes. Not how bad this would look on Haiti.
The restavecs practice is a shameful situation and it needs to be traumatized and exposed.
We need to be honest with ourselves and see it for what it really is. Now perhaps the term slavery is a bit too strong but child abuse is fitting.
I agree that we should not be airing our dirty laundry in public.
Foreigners don't need to know about it but amongst ourselves Haitians we need to find a way to end this practice not sweep it under the rug.
We cannot and should not sacrifice the well-being of children for national pride and dignity.
I know of someone who burned the palm of a restavec's hand because they claim the girl stole something.
The girl's hand atrophy, the nerves were damaged beyond repair.
She had to learn to write her left hand. These a few examples of what these children go through.
I know the difference between living with a parent and living with someone who's not your parent.
I have had an amazing life here in the US in high school i took International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) classes.
I've traveled and meet notable people.
I know for a fact if I was in Haiti I would never have had these kind of pleasant experiences.
Here I am now looking at possibly attending NYU in January.
Last thanksgiving i was sitting at the table and I was looking at my cousin's half German children and my other cousin's Porto rican girlfriend I thought to myself our family has come a long way.
Some of the good things about my childhood experiences are that they have shaped me in a way where; whether it's on the basketball court, the soccer field or a gathering where US politicians are present I can play the appropriate role effectively.
I have great aspirations as well because there were people who didn't want me to amount to anything in life. As a society we Haitians should be helping parents to be responsible in the number of kids they have and encourage them to be loving parents that nurture and protect their children physically, emotionally and spiritually.
By the way a while back I asked you for some advice on my three final choices of colleges but you never said anything.
The topic is: sir how is haiti a latin country
This is a reply to Msg 16533
Posted by Zac on August 19 2009 at 2:57 AM