Thursday, 11 February 2010

Hate in Haiti:

 







I have been closely following the story of the ten Baptists missionaries, who were arrested, after attempting to cross Haiti’s border, with the 33 Haitian children, whom they claimed were orphans, and that they were only trying to help the children. This incident has caused much outrage among the Haitian people, who believe these people, were only taking advantage of a devastating situation for their own personal gains. After these people were formally charged, and as more information has become available, is seem s the claims of the Haitian people, are well founded in this matter.

It appears the ringleader in this sad story (Laura Silsby) was over her head in bills, and drowning in a sea of debt. She apparently, either out of desperation, greed or both, decided she would go to Haiti, and steal some black children and then sell them, or use them as props in those late night TV programs (like feed the children and others, which pull at your heart strings to send them  money). One could frame this many other ways, but it’s clear her intent was the illegal trafficking of these children. It has come to light that 3 days before they were arrested; the police had prevented them from leaving Haiti, with almost a hundred other children, which they had also rounded up and were attempting to cross the border into the Dominican Republic with. At that time, they were detained and the children were removed from their custody. Then they were warned, at that time, if they tried to do this again, and without the proper paperwork, they would be arrested and charged with kidnapping.

After they were formally charged with kidnapping, and after which, outside of the court as they were being transported back to jail; there were many people yelling at them, and at least one reporter started throwing rocks at them too. Most of the Christians are having a hard time understanding why the Haitian people are so mad over this; and  say the actions of these people, just proves the ten won’t be able get fair trials in Haiti.

I found this posting by the Christian news-wire just astounding in the way these events have played out in the thoughts of these ignorant mindless people: 

It is Disgraceful that Escaped Haitian Criminals are Roaming the Streets of Haiti While Ten American Christian Missionaries Remain in Jail
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Christian Defense Coalition calls for the Obama Administration to treat the American missionaries jailed in Haiti with the same commitment they are treating the three American hikers jailed in Iran.

With respect to the jailed hikers in Iran, Secretary of State Clinton has stated;

"As we have said repeatedly, we call on Iran to release all of the American citizens that they have currently detained. We believe they're being unjustly detained and that they should be released without further delay."

The hikers are being held on espionage charges.

With respect to the ten American missionaries being held, Secretary of Clinton has stated,

"Obviously, this is a matter for the Haitian judicial system. We're going to continue to provide support as we do in every instance like this to American citizens who have been charged and hope that this matter can be resolved in an expeditious way, but it is something that a sovereign nation is pursuing based on the evidence that it presented when the charges were announced."

Why the double standard toward the Christian missionaries?

Why not treat them the same as the hikers in Iran and demand their immediate release?

It is clear that the Obama Administration is not applying the same standard to the missionaries in Haiti as they are to those jailed in Iran.

The same rule should be applied to both situations. That is, the call for the missionaries immediate release without any more delays.

These Christian missionaries should not be treated as second class citizens by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney along with Rev. Rob Scheck met this week with Haitian Ambassador Joseph in an attempt to secure their release.

For more information or interviews call:

Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney at 540.538.4741 202.547.1735

What these people fail to realize is; most of the Haitian people, see the actions of the kidnappers no differently, then the way most seen those of the slave traders, who had rounded up and stole their ancestors from Africa, simply to sell them to the highest bidder.       

Personally, at first I sort of felt sorry for at least 7 of those Baptists missionaries, who I believed might have been tricked by Laura Silsby, into believing she had the proper paperwork and they thought what they were doing was legal. Then after hearing what had happened only 3 days earlier before they were arrested, I just find it too hard to believe that the others were that stupid – I mean, even Christians, you would think, at least 1 or 2 of the others, would have realized stealing children was wrong, and then refused to participate in another attempt at it. At least one of them would have had to suspect something was wrong, after the incident with the first children ended the way it did?

Today, a Judge in Haiti just ruled, the ten kidnappers should be set free – what do you think?