Commentary: The wind of goodwill spanning from America!
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| Published on Saturday, November 15, 2008 |
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By Jean H Charles
Last March, in a column entitled Obama the Barack, I predicted that Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States. I have seen the clear signals in my own children. As millions of young Americans of the same age they have opted for change and have decided to sail under the wind of goodwill propelled by Obama to continue the creation of America as a place hospitable to all.
The election of November 4, 2008 was followed all over the world. I, as maybe a billion individuals, tuned in CNN or its affiliates to watch the latest prognostics between David and Goliath. Obama, a black man, with a Muslim surname, whose father was from Africa, was fighting against John Mc Cain a decorated white American veteran.
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| Jean H Charles MSW, JD is Executive Director of AINDOH Inc a non profit organization dedicated to build a kinder and gentle Caribbean zone for all. He can be reached at: jeanhcharles@aol.com |
I was watching from Haiti where the night for myself and for Obama did not start on the right foot. John McCain was leading in some key battleground States and there was no electricity in my area of Port au Prince to watch the contest on TV. (In Haiti, the privilege of an all night with electricity is reserved for the contest of the soccer game between Argentina and Brazil.)
Around eleven o’clock during the night I was awakened by my brothers and sisters who called from the United States one after another (as on January 1st to wish Happy New Year ) to spread the good news of Obama leading the race. By that time, we have electricity I could watch the gracious concession speech of the gallant John McCain as well as the electrifying newly elected president sharing the dream accomplished by a centenary of black woman, voting for the first time in an America leaping towards the goal of the shared vision of the future.
I am predicting that America will be alright, in spite of the housing debacle leading to the meltdown on Wall Street causing panic on Main Street. America has planted the seedling of the concept of hospitality for all. It is well embedded into the ethos of the majority of its inhabitants. God bless America, she shall sail happily into the bliss of happiness and prosperity!
I am concerned though about Haiti where I am at this time. This essay was written before the disaster of the school children being crushed to death in their classroom through the callous negligence of the State, the Principal and the civil authorities. This incident is just a symptom of a larger problem observed all over the country. The former champion of Black Emancipation has not lived up to its destiny with the future. It is inhospitable to the majority of its population.
I was pleased to find on the main plaza of Port au Prince the same setting that I am used to in Brooklyn New York. A voluntary fitness instructor, who used the public space as his classroom, cheerfully leads more than sixty men and women into morning exercises that will keep the body healthy and the mind sharp and alert. I am disturbed though to observe some fifteen to twenty youngsters ranging in age from six to fifteen as permanent residents of the park. They are homeless, unattended and not frequenting school.
I am a firm believer that the society or the parent has a window of opportunity of 15 years to shape a child into a gangster or into a responsible scholar. These Haitian children will be the natural recruiting field for the drug dealers, the corrupt politicians as children soldiers against the society. I have been told by a well connected civil servant that providing a home to these children will bring a new wave of homeless ones.
I have nevertheless decided to take the bull by the horns and initiate the process of a solution. I have found (for sale) a large portion of land that can accommodate more than a thousand children. I had introduced into Haiti a religious institution with worldwide credentials, ready and willing to groom, educate and turn these children into responsible youngsters (who can be adopted) into professional adults. We will save a generation of young children from a life of terror, gangsters and drug dealers.
In this season of Obama fever, of goodwill on earth... Any angel! Any angel! Any angel! | | | | Reads : 1001 | | | |
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