Massive Earthquake Reveals Entire Island Civilization Called 'Haiti'

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Massive Earthquake Reveals Entire Island Civilization Called 'Haiti'

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI"Less than two weeks after converging upon the site of a devastating magnitude 7.0 earthquake, American anthropologists have confirmed the discovery of a small, poverty-stricken island nation, known to its inhabitants as "Haiti."

Located just 700 miles off the southeastern coast of Florida, the previously unaccounted-for country is believed to be home to an estimated 10 million people.

Even more astounding, reports now indicate that these people have likely inhabited the impoverished, destitute region"unnoticed by the rest of the world"for more than 300 years.

"That an entire civilization has been somehow existing right under our noses for all this time comes as a complete shock," said University of Florida anthropology professor Dr. Ben Oliver, adding that it appeared as if Haiti's citizens had been living under dangerous conditions even before the devastating earthquake struck. "Of course, there have been rumors in the past about a long-forgotten Caribbean nation whose people struggle every day to survive, live in constant fear of a corrupt government, and endure such squalor and hunger that they have resorted to eating dirt. But never did we give them much thought."

Added Oliver, "Had it not been for this earthquake, I doubt we would have ever noticed Haiti at all."

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Type: Discussion • Score: 7 • Views: 5,104 • Replies: 17

@Robert Gentel,

I am reminded of the movie "The Mouse that Roared" wherein a small country declared war on the USA so when they had lost they would recieve aid to build their nation; not to mention the boost to the local economy of all those US soldiers occupying the country. Unfortunately, they won the war, but the anology still holds. No earthquake, no aid...and as harsh as it may seem, losing people in a starving area of the world has long term benefits. If they hadnt of lost people and had no aid for the future where would they be in a decade from now ?
Probably more importantly, what about countries in similar situations that are praying for an earthquake ? What about their chance to "Roar"?
By the way, I live on the other side of the world and I was aware of Haiti for many decades now as they used to be the original boat people along with Cuba.

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@Robert Gentel,

Despite being an article of satire, for most geographically mindblinded Americans, that Onion article rings a bit too true. As this editorial comic as well....

http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/cartoon-images/2010/01/cartoon100125/7266157-1-eng-US/cartoon100125_full_600.jpg

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@tsarstepan,

Quote:

that Onion article rings a bit too true

How many Americans knew where Korea was, or Vietnam before the wars there ? How many black americans know the truth of the slave trade ? I suspect more know where Haiti is because of the previous boat people problem, but it always scares me that the world leader and its people need a map to orientate foriegn policy.

Central and South America still remember gun boat diplomacy, so there is some justification in avoiding them, but Africa has been ignored for many years because it never presented a problem to the US apart from some skirmishing in the Cold War.

If the US is to lead the world, and I hope that will continue to be the case, they need to be more proactive about real world problems BEFORE they happen. Waiting for a disaster to help is just to assuage one's conscience. Perhaps the rich countries should adopt a poor country, and help it then adopt another ? And lets get Europe off their fat arses and get them to show more leadership.

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@Ionus,

I admit I hadn't heard of Vietnam before the war. We had Indochina when I was in high school. Close enough?

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@Ionus,

Quote:

How many Americans knew where Korea was, or Vietnam before the wars there ?

How many Americans can find Korea or Vietnam on a world map even today without giving it a lot of close study? Or Iraq, for that matter? When I was teaching American kids of high school age I was appalled at how many had no idea whether Canada is north or south of here; and there were even those who didn't know that neither Canada nor Mexico are part of the United States.

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@Merry Andrew,

I am not a critic of America, but to be a world leader you need to know the world and not just by your leaders. In a democracy the people need to know also. American foriegn policy is actually driven by a desire to deal with as few countries as possible so many independence movements have been unsupported by the USA despite being asked for help. The USA with a better understanding of Indo-China could have made Vietnam an ally but because it was communist they went against it and thus the Vietnam war started. Africa is a fesh start for American foriegn policy and I would like to see less "Haiti"aspects there.

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@Robert Gentel,

Odd pop culture tie-in...

So I was thinking about how many Americans would actually know anything about Haiti, and then I thought about the popular (although crashing) TV show "Heroes" on NBC and one of the series most popular characters known as "The Haitian." The stoic and often silent character even drove the plot to take the story there in the 3rd season where he confronts a villain (his brother) warlord in Haiti. The three episodes that took place there (probably filmed in US) centered around The Haitian trying to help his people break free of the corrupt government and his warlord brother.

So it's strange and minor, sure. Just thought I'd make a random reference. After the Quake, the actor who plays the character was used in many relief fund advertisements.

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/heroes/images/thumb/7/71/TheHaitian001.png/300px-TheHaitian001.png

T
K
O

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@Diest TKO,

What should really be what reminds Americans of Haiti was when America mobilized to invade Haiti in 1994 in "Operation Uphold Democracy". I still remember the visuals of the ships bearing down on Haiti and some Haitians promising that they'd put up a fight and it was an event that seared Haiti into my mind much further (I'd already known the name of the country but little else at the time).

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You guys don't know about Haiti because you didn't watch enough B grade Voodoo movies in the '50s. If you had seen enough westerns from the same period, you could find Texas on a map, too.

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@roger,

What's a Texas ? Oh ! You mean that little state that is smaller than Australia's largest cattle station ?

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@Diest TKO,

Good pick-up DTKO. I saw that series but didnt make the connection till then. I wonder if they got a real Haitian or if a real one would be too foriegn ? Like when Bruce Lee was passed for the role of a wandering chinese monk that they gave to David Carradine because Bruce looked too foriegn. Dont want to upset American sensitivities with all those foriegners.

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@Ionus,

I followed the Aristide tides for a while.
A wiki summary, for what it's worth (I couldn't have listed events in order myself) -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Bertrand_Aristide

I did read Graham Greene's The Comedians back in the sixties.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Comedians_(novel)

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@ossobuco,

Quote:

I did read Graham Greene's The Comedians back in the sixties.

I followed the exploits of Papa Doc when he was El Presidente (yes, I know it is not french, but all Latin dictators should be called so). It is strange that now he is almost an icon. I have seen a banana republic struggle only to achieve very little if anything at all. Their saviour may prove to be a disaster.

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@Ionus,

Ionus wrote:

It is strange that now he is almost an icon.

Is he really?

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@ossobuco,

I could be wrong, but I thought of him as one of the main types of dictators. If I ran a lesson on dictators and their politics, I would have to include him, Castro, Che and some others when dealing with the Latin area.

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@Ionus,

Ionus wrote:

I could be wrong, but I thought of him as one of the main types of dictators. If I ran a lesson on dictators and their politics, I would have to include him, Castro, Che and some others when dealing with the Latin area.

Duvalier was far more evil (I think I use the word correctly) than Castro or any of those two-bit tin-hat-wearing banana republic dictators. His ton-ton macoutes were truly feared by the population as a force and a law unto themselves. If 'Papa Doc' and his detestable son 'Baby Doc' were treated like gods it was because they were feared like gods, the way one fears a vengeful god that only punishes without giving anything to the worshipper. Theywere not loved or admired, which is not altogether true of Fidel who has at least a limiuted following in Cuba.

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@Merry Andrew,

Yes, which is why I think of him as an iconic latin american dictator. Castro would be more an average dictator anywhere.

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Massive Earthquake Reveals Entire Island Civilization Called 'Haiti'

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