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Martha Randolph Carr
Haiti Needs Best Friends
Martha Randolph Carr 1/29/2008
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Haiti Needs Best Friends

By Martha Randolph Carr

There is an interesting dichotomy that has formed on our national political landscape. Recent policy has clearly defined what it takes for the U.S. to become best friends forever with a small, troubled country, or instead, to shove it in the nearest locker where we won’t have to think about it anymore.

The choice for best friend forever is Iraq, obvious because of how far we were willing to reach to justify what we had already decided we wanted to do and how stubbornly we are hanging in the fight. Our friendship though, hasn’t worked out very well. We continue to expend with no possible idea of when it might pay off, or at least humanely stop.

However, just a short 700 miles off the coast of Miami, and not far from Cuba, is the small enclave of Haiti, the clear winner for the country who can not sit at our lunch table. It’s only a short boat ride away as proven by so many Haitians who have attempted to flee their country for the U.S. in the shakiest of seafaring crafts. So close, that in 2004, the U.S. tried to set an example and sent back 531 people in one large repatriation, trying to stop the flow
without offering any effective help. That was the same year their elected president, Jean Bertrand Aristide was overthrown by gangs trained by the U.S. for a more humanitarian reason. It just didn’t work out how we had hoped.

Conditions in Haiti are so rife with corruption, random violence and complete lack of infrastructure that even humanitarian groups have largely stayed away – with at least one notable exception, made more notable by their savior’s background prior to taking up the cause.

Into the fray has stepped, Susie Scott Krabacher an engaging, small, 43 year old blonde American who left school and home at 15 and, until her work in Haiti, was probably best known as a Playboy centerfold. But what she lacked in experience or money she made up for in courage or at least a lack of fear about how many different ways she could die just being in the country. Perhaps that’s what this job required. Krabacher, who founded the non-profit organization, Mercy and Sharing, has recently chronicled her efforts to make an inroad into Haiti in her new book, Angels of a Lower Flight (Touchstone) and her efforts to help particularly Haiti’s handicapped children.

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Posted By: Todd  on Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Interesting how the leaders of this country pick and choose who may reap the benefits of our generosity, while shoving those less "strategic" to the proverbial curb.  Haiti holds no political interest for us, and its people suffer the double whammy of speaking French and being brown-skinned.  Perhaps its leadership would be well-advised to start developing WMD and start a local Al Qaeda branch.  Only then would it receive the attention it deserves!

Posted By: Dan  on Thursday, January 31, 2008

Thank you for reminding me of Haiti. I can't remember the last time I've seen a news headline regarding the turmoil in this country. Which, btw, is really pathetic. Kudos to Susie Scott Krabacher. It really is amazing what one person can do!

Posted By: edj  on Friday, February 01, 2008

I continue to be amazed at all that Susie Scott Krabacher has accomplished, in the face of the complete indifference of our government and the Haitian people to the plight of the orphans. She inspires me.

Posted By: Valentine S  on Monday, February 04, 2008

I read in one of the blog postings that Bill and Hillary have a large estate on the other side of of the same island.  It seems to me that their choice was based on the stability of the Dominican Republic.



Maybe they can invest a little of their money in the other half of the Espanol Island.

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