True Character Shows in a Crisis

How can I complain about my laptop dying when people in Haiti are in the midst of a total crisis? Yeah, I've pretty much shut up about it.

But I wonder, what will happen the next time an earthquake hits Los Angeles? Will Pat Robertson say that it's because my fair city has made a pact with the devil? He'll probably blame Hollywood and the porn industry over the hill if this city gets hit by The Big One.

I'm still trying to figure out how someone who's the head of a so-called Christian Broadcasting Network can think such remarks reflect the true spirit of Jesus. Thank goodness I know true Christians don't say such things.

Pat showed his true character and I'd say he probably receives an IV drip from Satan on the regular. What's really ridiculous is that accompanying a NY Daily News story about Robertson's comments, there's a poll asking if people agree or disagree with him. 18% of people agree with him, or think there's some truth to what Robertson said. Just. Wow.

Farai Chideya had an excellent commentary on Robertsons pact with the devil insanity and she broke down the history of Haiti perfectly. Her "Haiti Is Cursed -- By Our Ignorance" is 100% a must-read. She says,

"The truth is far more inspiring, humbling, maddening, and challenging to our notions of freedom. The Devil probably could have cut Haiti a better deal than the French did."

"After being defeated militarily by revolutionary Toussaint L'Ouverture, the French colonial powers who held Haiti demanded reparations in the form of 150 million gold francs in order to recognize the new, free nation. That number was later, generously of course, reduced to 90 million gold francs, or over $20 billion current U.S. dollars."
I know so many of you are donating to the cause to help Haiti. One of my dearest friends, Daphne, is from Haiti and lots of her family is still there. Her grandmother runs a hospital there and Daphne shared this on her Facebook page this morning:

"You can donate to a hospital in Petionville (Freres), Haiti. Hopital de la Communaute Hatienne has a functioning ICU & accepts (tax deductible) checks at the following address: Hatian Health and Education Foundation c/o Lynx Air Int'l PO BOx 407139 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33340-7139"

Wherever or however you decide to help, let's show the people of Haiti, and the rest of the world, that bitter, hateful people like Pat Robertson are relics of a bygone age and that collectively, the power of love and global unity is our destiny.

Comments

Val said…
Liz,

That Robertson person is absolutely crazy. And didn't he make some crazy statement during Katrina too?

Also I saw the segment when he made those remarks and I'm wondering what was up with the Black woman sitting next to him. She just sat there and didn't say a word.
Eunice said…
I'm a Christian and I absolutely never listen to anything that guy says. Maybe he says those kinds of things b/c he knows it will get people's blood to boil and get them to care and do something. So even if he looks like a nutjob, the end result is good. That's the only reason I can think of why a Christian would say stupid stuff on national tv. I think Glenn Beck does that.
MartiniCocoa said…
Mr. Robertson is not a Christian. Most likely he's never even seen a Bible to speak such horrible lies.

I will never forget his words (and the awfulness of Rush Limbaugh) as the Christian Right attempts to pimp Jesus for their own selfish greedy means.
nick said…
Religious nutters, they seem to breed like locusts. No point in wasting any time on them.

What happened in Haiti is a shocking tragedy. I was also shocked to hear that two-thirds of the buildings in Port Au Prince were unsafe in normal conditions, never mind an earthquake. Quite scandalous.
Kittie Howard said…
Living conditions in Haiti shouldn't have existed in the first place (long one of my hot buttons). Geologically, Port au Prince (like Seattle and LA) is in the worst location possible (my sister is a geologist). If any good can come out of this horrific tragedgy, perhaps the capital can be re-built in a safer zone, with, finally, decent housing and living conditions. My husband and I donated to the Clinton Foundation. As for Robertson, what a self-serving hypocrite! My cat's more Christian than he is.
April said…
We were talking about this last night. We decided he's actually a die-hard liberal who is using reverse psychology to get people involved. Really, it's the only motive I'm willing and ready to accept!
Unknown said…
Whatever stupid things that Robertson says...they will never do the harm that Clinton and Bush and now the Obama Administration have done to the people of Haiti.


www.CounterPunch.org


January 14, 2010

By ASHLEY SMITH


(SNIP)


First the Bush administration and now the Obama administration have used the coup and social and natural crises to expand the U.S.'s neoliberal economic plans.

Under Obama, the U.S. has granted Haiti $1.2 billion in debt relief, but it hasn't canceled all of Haiti's debt--the country still pays huge sums to the Inter-American Development Bank. The debt relief is classic window-dressing for Obama's real Haiti policy, which is the same old Haiti policy.

In close collaboration with the new UN Special Envoy to Haiti, former President Bill Clinton, Obama has pushed for an economic program familiar to much of the rest of the Caribbean--tourism, textile sweatshops, and weakening of state control of the economy through privatization and deregulation.

(SNIP)



One of the reasons why Clinton could be so unabashed in celebrating sweatshops is that the U.S.-backed coup repressed any and all resistance. It got rid of Aristide and his troublesome habit of raising the minimum wage. It banished him from the country, terrorized his remaining allies and barred his political party, Fanmi Lavalas, the most popular in the country, from running for office. The coup regime also attacked union organizers within the sweatshops themselves.

(SNIP)"

Thus, as previous U.S. presidencies have done before, the Obama administration has worked to aid Haiti's elite, sponsor international corporations taking advantage of cheap labor, weaken the ability of the Haitian state to regulate the society, and repress any political resistance to that agenda.

* * *


ashley05401@yahoo.com

--

Guess the Clinton plans for the tourist traps and sweatshops have to be put on hold for now.
Liz Dwyer said…
Val,
He did make the nutso statements during Katrina as well. I couldn't believe that woman just stood there nodding and looking at him like his butt is gold plated. What in the world!

Eunice,
Maybe that's true and he's trying reverse psychology on us all. I just think it's awful that he even opens his mouth at all. So many awesome Christian organizations have been busting their humps in Haiti for years and I know they can NOT be happy that some insane dude gets the "Christian Leader" label.

IANSJ,
I have wondered when's the last time he sat and read the Bible. Does Rush even consider himself a Christian? I'd be surprised if he does.

Nick,
He does nothing but twist the unifying and peaceful spirit of religion to serve his own hateful and psychotic opinions.

The conditions in Haiti have been a tragedy for a long time. Like San Francisco's building codes 100 years ago.

Kittie,
Exactly, they shouldn't have been like that. I wonder if the capital will be moved or will they just rebuild with LA-style building codes -- which I'm not at all convinced will save us if the Big One hits us. Why do I still live here?

April,
I'm down for believing in the reverse psychology story. Otherwise, the alternative makes me want to barf.

Barbara,
U.S. policy toward Haiti has long been abysmally evil. But I am glad Obama is stepping up and sending the aid he's sending. Hopefully that will help right some of the wrongs in the long term.
ah, ignorance and religious zealotry are never a good combination. It's just beyond me why anyone listens to this old crazy bigot.
Ugh - this makes my blood boil. Especially given the fact that Haiti is largely a Christian nation. I was in Port-Au-Prince during the earthquake and that first night I went to sleep to the sound of Haitian people singing hymns in the street.

"Pact with the devil" my ass. Stupid racist xenophobic fear-mongering. I'd like to throat-punch that guy.

Popular Posts