Stories of Haiti

So, there's a lot of media attention on looters in Haiti. Looters. In a country decimated by an earthquake. Why is rummaging for food, water, medicine, clothing, shelter, whatever, considered looting?

This is what I mean when I say that we tell ourselves stories and ignore real-world situations. How difficult is it to imagine being a survivor in Haiti who has lost home, job, family ... civilization? Okay, difficult to imagine. I mean, really. But that's why it's disgusting to see U.S. media outlets framing photos and video images of human beings trying to extract something from rubble with sensationalist and hostile language: "Police have been trying to keep the peace by keeping looters in check, but they are woefully undermanned." That's become a part of the commentary about people in a land with tens of thousands killed by an earthquake, hundreds of thousands ill or wounded, and millions homeless struggling to find food and water every day. It's revolting.

The story is private property rights. Anchors, reporters, radio personalities, and "news" commentators (neo-journalists) elevate property rights above human rights all the time. Not knowingly. I don't think too many of them are aware of the philosophical foundations supporting (and undermining) their own rhetoric. But this is the structural framework of the story told to Americans reading, listening to, and watching news coverage of current events: the stuff in the rubble of buildings is more important than the human beings who are trying to get the stuff in the rubble.

Watching images of Haiti without any commentary might be a damn good idea for a time. Telling stories can come later. Ideally, from the mouths of those who survive. Ideally, from the mouths of those who survive and are rebuilding their communities, their homes, their lives.

And, ideally, the coverage of the policy- and economic-related structural issues that created systemic poverty in Haiti would consider those voices more important than the property that takes this form or that throughout time. A building can be rebuilt. Bottled water can be replaced. A human life? Seriously, who wants to admit to valuing property rights over human rights straight up? Nakedly?

But that's U.S. foreign policy in a nutshell. Even in a true humanitarian crisis property rights seep through the cracks and become the focus of attention. It happened during the media coverage after Hurricane Katrina. It happens every time there is a shock to the system, a jolt in the narratives being told through the filters of corporate communications media.

As humans, we crave stories. We want to turn everything into a story so we can understand it. But we want specific stories told. Think about the daily news coverage on the radio, on television, and in newspapers. It's telling the same story night after night, the same cow-eyed anchors and reporters, the same shrieking radio voices, and the same formulaic articles. And people like that. Our brains want that. Apparently. Sort of like a child who wants mom or dad to read the same story from the same book night after night after night. It's reassuring. The mind puts everything in its place ... conceptually. A news report about an earthquake in Haiti? Everyone's dying? Tens of thousands?! Millions homeless? Oh my God. Oh My GOD! ...

Wait a minute ... There's looting? Amidst all of this tragedy there are selfish Haitians who are stealing the well-earned belongings of others? That's not right. That's wrong! ... Hey I was all for helping the Haitians but then I saw how depraved they are. I saw video of people trying to get inside a building and trying to get clothing, furniture, things like that. That's just pointless. Why would anyone do that in the aftermath of a civilization-destroying earthquake? I can't figure out why the decimation of the infrastructure of a country, why the eradication of all sense of order in the world, why the desperation of individuals who can't find wives or husbands, sons or daughters, fathers or mothers, aunts or cousins, friends or neighbors, why any of that would cause a people to act differently than I believe I would act in their situation. Well, that's what I think while sitting here drinking coffee in the warmth of my kitchen, reading the paper, wondering if I can beat the traffic if I get going soon ... what was I talking about? I gotta get to work.

Well, at least the news media covered the event and let me know. Now I realize that the people of Haiti are poor because of their character. I can focus on other things now. That's a relief, too. I was beginning to wonder if the United States and Europe played a historical role in the devastating poverty suffered by Haitians over such a long period of time. But, no, fortunately the media discovered that Haitians don't actually want prosperity. They don't want to live quality lives as the footage and commentary about looting proves. I mean, in the aftermath of an earthquake that left tens of thousands dead, human corpses rotting in the street, the stench of death everywhere, no water, no help for so many who are struggling just to survive another week even now, with all of that, yeah, it makes sense to focus on people scavenging for things that they did not legally own when Haiti still had something approximating a functional civilization.

It's really good news that the looting eliminates the importance of the rest of the suffering, wipes it out as if nothing bad ever happened. Thank God. I was getting depressed! I was beginning to think there was something wrong with me. I mean, if I feel bad then there must be something wrong with me. It can't be healthy to think about the people of Haiti, to think about how helpless I am to do anything to prevent other human beings from suffering. I can't do a thing. I have to go to work. I have a life I have to live, responsibilities to tend to, bills I have to pay so that I don't wind up homeless, too. My kid is sick. My dog died. My husband is sleeping with a co-worker and I am crippled by shame and sorrow. My parents are getting a divorce. I never get enough sleep. My best friend died. I have chronic fatigue syndrome. I had triple bypass surgery. What's that weird-shaped mole on my neck? That was never there before.

Please, can you just tell me a story? Can you make it all better?

"In Haiti today, there was looting in the aftermath of an earthquake that appears to be the fulfillment of a curse put on the people of Haiti when they made a deal with the devil centuries ago. Just to let you know a little about these people, the Haitians are both light-skinned and dark-skinned blacks. Most Haitians practice voodoo. The earthquake is likely a punishment from the Almighty God."

"Do you really think God would punish a people just because they practice a different religion than Christianity? Or because they're black?"

"Absolutely. However, neither factor played a role in this case. The earthquake was delivered by God to punish a people for their sloth, for their laziness. They lived in shacks, they never tried to make sturdier homes, they didn't shop at Home Depot to even attempt a few do-it-yourself home improvements. Even now, in the aftermath of this earthquake, what do these people do?"

"I don't know. Seems like they're suffering horribly."

"Sure they are. But that's because they put their hands out and beg. A self-respecting human being would pull themselves up by their bootstraps and make it on their own."

"Water is scarce. Food is short. There are still dead bodies everywhere even though there are already several mass graves."

"That's no excuse for not trying. You stiffen your backbone, you get back up off the ground, you try again. It's pretty clear Haiti is filled with lazy good-for-nothing devil worshipers. No self-respect and what's worse is that they don't respect the property of others. I'll bet none of them are sleeping on land they own tonight. They're vagrants. Transients. They're disgusting."

"Hard to argue with that. Still, it's difficult seeing images of people suffering. It's hard to believe they deserved this."

"You're quite the 'bleeding heart,' aren't you? I understand. Compassion is a wonderful thing, but if you aren't level-headed then you're likely to lose everything. It'd be easy for a con artist posing as a poor man to scam you out of money. You just can't trust the character of people who appear to be poor. Especially if they're black. You need to be rational. Don't let your emotions get the best of you. Even if some of the Haitians really are poor through no fault of their own--it's hard to imagine--there are many who have earned their poverty and their suffering. If you help all of them sure, you'll help the 'good ones,' but you're also going to end up helping the bad ones, too."

"Would it be better to just let them all die?"

"Oh, gosh, no. Absolutely not! You never know when corporations might need cheap labor."

"Well, you've really helped me out a lot by explaining things. I'll have to give this some more thought."

"Now why the hell would you do that? You've got so much else going on in your life right now. You're way behind with everything. You know that thing you've been meaning to do? After you do those other things? You don't have time to consider everything. When you're driving, just listen to me and I'll let you know about everything important going on in the world. Pick up a paper and take a look at the opinion page. Turn on the television and watch my cartoonish indignation. It'll all piece together over time. If you pay attention to me."