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I was born here in the states. My family is from South America a country called Guyana. I'm also proud of my Afro/European, Brazilian, Caribbean and indigenous heritages alike. I have a great respect for where my family came from and where we are going now as Americans. I don't celebrate Guyanese independence day, why? Because I'm an American and I celebrate American independence day. Even though I embrace and respect the nation of my forbearers. I have to uphold the United States first and foremost. At one point my families country was just as poor as Haiti due to years of being pro socialist, pro Cuban pro Soviet Union and being anti American thus resulting the US putting sanctions against Guyana and embargo, plus Guyana nationalized every corporation foreign entity and banned trade with capitalists states. By the late 1980s its treasury was dry like a cup of water in a desert.
As for Haiti? It was a successful slave revolt that lead to the first ever black Republic. Haiti's slave revolt inspired other Latin Americans to rebel against their Latin Master's like how the Haitians rebuild against the French. Haiti's revolution spread to near by Cuba, and spread to Spanish half of Hispanoila where the Haitians took over the other half of the Island. Haiti was left isolated by other nations in the Caribbean thus became more poor, decade and by decade. Haiti is left in a state of poverty to this day and can never get out of it.
What I learned about these countries Cuba, Haiti, and Guyana and to a certain extent modern day Venezuela. Don't chase the white man out of his new home. Just don't do it. Cuba under Castro nationalized everything, thus resulting in the mass exodus of ruling elite mainly whites. Guyana prior to independence of the British in 1966, Asian Indians and blacks were supporting Communism/Socialism, the murder of a white family named Abrams of Portuguese stock, lead many whites to leave Guyana with their assets. Like Cuba, Guyana nationalized all foreign companies. By the 1970s nearly all whites left Guyana. After the Blacks and Indians where done with the whites, they turned against each other. Haiti saw the massacre of its white populations by the black Haitians. The French in Haiti relocated to Cuba or Puerto Rico. I always wondered why so many Puerto Ricans have French last names. Now modern day Venezuela. With Hugo Chavez who nationalized foreign entities, which was good initially, but now Venezuela seeing hyper inflation of its currency. This is resulting of many Venezuelan elite to offshore their money in other places or leave entirely, this is being done by the Venezuelan elite. Never mess with a white man and his money, and don't chase the white man out of his home.
The bold is not true. The other Caribbean nations were still controlled by Europeans after Haitian independence. First under slavery and then colonialism until the 1960s or so, depending on the nation. They did not isolate Haiti, but rather the European powers isolated Haiti.
Btw, Cuba is majority white. Whites were pushed out by their own. Venezuela has tons of whites. So what are you talking about? As for Haiti, it had every right to fight off slavery. The whites of those times should have been kicked out for the abuse they perpetuated on the slaves and indentured servants. France had no right to demand reparations for its lack of slave labor. France built itself off of Haiti. But karma is something else, as they are dealing with terrorism now. Sad.
I say this about ALL immigrant groups that come here and march in the streets waving their flags.
If you were so proud of your country, you would live there. The same people waving foreign flags act as if it's a horrible punishment to send undocumented immigrants back to those countries.
If you are so proud to be Mexican, Haitian, Dominican, Salvadoran, etc. Why don't you want to live there?
Do you feel the same way about Jewish, Irish, Germans, Japanese, etc. etc. people who celebrate their heritage in the US?
I wonder if all the people who are outraged by stuff like this forgo “Mexican Independence Day” aka Cinco de Mayo, which seems to be a widespread happy holiday for all kinds of people here. And all the other notes holidays like St. Patrick’s.
(In quotes because it’s not really...that happens on Sept 16th. Many people think Cinco de Mayo is, though)
Exactly. Irish flags and colors are all over the place on St. Patrick’s Day. Music and other aspects of the culture are everywhere. And these are often people that are generations and generations out of Ireland.
So leave other cultural groups and their flag waving and cultural celebrations alone...
I'm not at work today. I'll have to ask my Haitian co-corkers how they feel about this holiday. Probably the older ones will be more supportive of this day. Otherwise, my impression is that none of them want to return to live in Haiti until perhaps they retire, since the US dollar goes far in the country. And overall, they very greatly prefer living in the US to their own country.
Of course they might be proud of no longer being under French rule, but Haiti itself is not a country to be proud of yet. Thank goodness it's not a US territory!!!
Funny you say that. I was hanging out with my boyfriend and his family, and talk turned to how poor Haiti is, and I asked why don't they asked to become a US territory like Puerto Rico? After all, Haitians are the largest group migrating to Florida for the past several years. Everyone was like, "hell no!"
Probably because St Patty's day is a celebration for Irish Americans, and has ties with religion.
But then again, we do love to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. so, I guess the American continent and it's territories like to celebrate breaking the chains from French and British rule.
Probably because St Patty's day is a celebration for Irish Americans, and has ties with religion.
But then again, we do love to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. so, I guess the American continent and it's territories like to celebrate breaking the chains from French and British rule.
Honestly, I think a lot of people just like any excuse to party
Exactly. Irish flags and colors are all over the place on St. Patrick’s Day. Music and other aspects of the culture are everywhere. And these are often people that are generations and generations out of Ireland.
So leave other cultural groups and their flag waving and cultural celebrations alone...
We had a diversity festival here in my city over the summer. We have a large population of Dominican, Mexican, Haitian, Israeli, Sudanese and Puerto Rican families. Many of the cultures represented included those groups. You should have heard the outcry from many of our locals about it. My goodness. You'd think the world was ending. When confronted with the fact that this festival was open to ALL cultures and no one whined about St. Patty's Day, numerous Polish and Italian festivals throughout the area etc., the naysayers tripped over themselves trying to explain why this diversity festival was different.
Many of us understood exactly why they were so upset about it.
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