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From: Your Name <you@example.com>
To: steinbergjb@state.gov, mchaleja@state.gov, websitecomments@state.gov, kirkdx@state.gov, freedomforward1@gmail.com
Subject: President Obama: Be upfront about America's history in Haiti
Your Personal Statement
Dear President Obama,
I am writing in response to your January 15th piece in Newsweek, "Why Haiti Matters."
I appreciate your mobilization of the U.S. government to help the Haitian people. I urge you to be more upfront about America's painful role in Haiti's past.
In your piece, you allude to Haiti's "tragic history," while writing that "we do not use our power to subjugate others, we use it to lift them up."
Haiti has long faced challenges of poverty, political instability, and government corruption. As a result, Haiti’s society lacks the government investment and prosperity that it deserves. This, in turn, dramatically increases the human impacts of a natural disaster.
One of the reasons for these trends in Haiti is that other nations have made it tough for good Haitian governments to arise. When Haitian slaves gained independence from France in 1804, our own government refused to recognize the new nation. Slavery was alive and well in the U.S., and Haiti’s example of freedom was not welcomed.
From 1915 to 1934, the U.S. military even occupied Haiti. We created the Haitian military, whose dictators and militias have made Haitian life miserable.
The U.S. supported Haitian dictator "Baby Doc" Duvalier in the 1980s, until he became too unpopular. In 2004, our government removed Haitian President Aristide from the country during a Haitian militia rebellion.
I applaud the hard work and generosity of so many Americans during this time of need. However, I believe that we must be honest about our own history in Haiti. Mr. President, I urge you to do the same.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Organization
123 Your St.
Yousville, YO 12345
Phone: (123)456-7890
Fax: (123)456-7890x123
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To: steinbergjb@state.gov, mchaleja@state.gov, websitecomments@state.gov, kirkdx@state.gov, freedomforward1@gmail.com
Subject: President Obama: Be upfront about America's history in Haiti
Your Personal Statement
Dear President Obama,
I am writing in response to your January 15th piece in Newsweek, "Why Haiti Matters."
I appreciate your mobilization of the U.S. government to help the Haitian people. I urge you to be more upfront about America's painful role in Haiti's past.
In your piece, you allude to Haiti's "tragic history," while writing that "we do not use our power to subjugate others, we use it to lift them up."
Haiti has long faced challenges of poverty, political instability, and government corruption. As a result, Haiti’s society lacks the government investment and prosperity that it deserves. This, in turn, dramatically increases the human impacts of a natural disaster.
One of the reasons for these trends in Haiti is that other nations have made it tough for good Haitian governments to arise. When Haitian slaves gained independence from France in 1804, our own government refused to recognize the new nation. Slavery was alive and well in the U.S., and Haiti’s example of freedom was not welcomed.
From 1915 to 1934, the U.S. military even occupied Haiti. We created the Haitian military, whose dictators and militias have made Haitian life miserable.
The U.S. supported Haitian dictator "Baby Doc" Duvalier in the 1980s, until he became too unpopular. In 2004, our government removed Haitian President Aristide from the country during a Haitian militia rebellion.
I applaud the hard work and generosity of so many Americans during this time of need. However, I believe that we must be honest about our own history in Haiti. Mr. President, I urge you to do the same.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Organization
123 Your St.
Yousville, YO 12345
Phone: (123)456-7890
Fax: (123)456-7890x123
--
Delivered by CitizenSpeak!
Report abuse to abuse@citizenspeak.org [1880]
