In "The Haitians," an issue of my now -defunct newsletter , THE NILE REVIEW , I used the phrase "like offal from the sea," to describe "the bloated black bodies" being washed ashore on Florida beaches, when their overcrowded, rickety boats and crews went down into the sea, claiming hundreds of lives.
Haiti in the 1980s had to be a very desperate place, for so many of its people to undertake the danger of being consumed in shark-infested waters and legal uncertainty here, or deportation here, if they landed!
A similar scenario is playing out in Africa, now, in 2018, as folks from Nigeria, Eritrea, Ghana, Niger, and many African countries are leaving in watercraft from Libyan beaches in overcrowded boats, trying to land in Italy. Each day we see news reports of numerous deaths of varying numbers of these African refugees who are seeking better lives, seeking life itself seemingly!
Today, President Trump referred to the Haitians and Africans as having come from "shit hole countries." He said that in rejecting a bipartisan bill on immigration, which did not discriminate against Africans and Haitians in favor of "Norwegians," whom he favors. His statement was awful, brazen, typical, tripe!
Obviously Trump's comments are racist, nor were they even the least bit nuanced or opaque; but they were 'bigly," sickly-orange refuse just like him!
Clearly people in need will naturally try to get to wherever they can to find food, shelter, safety, clothing, schools, health care, jobs, ,regardless of whatever, whomever. Trump's immigrant forebears themselves, are such proof. The whole world would do well to reach out to these Haitian/African people in situ, where they come from, to fix the problems that have given flight to so many!
Friday, January 12, 2018
THE OFFAL, THE AWFUL
In "The Haitians," an issue of my now -defunct newsletter , THE NILE REVIEW , I used the phrase "like offal from the sea," to describe "the bloated black bodies" being washed ashore on Florida beaches, when their overcrowded, rickety boats and crews went down into the sea, claiming hundreds of lives.
Haiti in the 1980s had to be a very desperate place, for so many of its people to undertake the danger of being consumed in shark-infested waters and legal uncertainty here, or deportation here, if they landed!
A similar scenario is playing out in Africa, now, in 2018, as folks from Nigeria, Eritrea, Ghana, Niger, and many African countries are leaving in watercraft from Libyan beaches in overcrowded boats, trying to land in Italy. Each day we see news reports of numerous deaths of varying numbers of these African refugees who are seeking better lives, seeking life itself seemingly!
Today, President Trump referred to the Haitians and Africans as having come from "shit hole countries." He said that in rejecting a bipartisan bill on immigration, which did not discriminate against Africans and Haitians in favor of "Norwegians," whom he favors. His statement was awful, brazen, typical, tripe!
Obviously Trump's comments are racist, nor were they even the least bit nuanced or opaque; but they were 'bigly," sickly-orange refuse just like him!
Clearly people in need will naturally try to get to wherever they can to find food, shelter, safety, clothing, schools, health care, jobs, ,regardless of whatever, whomever. Trump's immigrant forebears themselves, are such proof. The whole world would do well to reach out to these Haitian/African people in situ, where they come from, to fix the problems that have given flight to so many!