I like what he said at the end, but at the same time this type of report cries out guilt and proves yet anothe time that Dominicans officials feel indeference towards Haitians. This sounds so much like Jim Crow, Rwanda and of course the time of slavery. Master and racist always try to show people what they are doing for those who are oppresed and disenfranchised. I am not sure whether Mr. German's intentions are sincered or honest about his feelings for these people. Al so to make a blanket statement reffering that this shows that Dominicans do not have a problem with Haitians immigrants is iresponsible and unprofessional. I wonder how would I feel if my school district superintendent comes out with a report pointing out how many illegal hispanic students they have in their schools to show that they do not have anything against people of hispanic decent. I would put my house for sale and move to a community that does not remind that their doing favor to hispaniccs by accepting

showing a list that reveals that 20,000 Haitians are enrolled in Dominican schools does nothing to offset the deep anti-Haitian sentiment that is very pre-dominant in Dominican society.

keeep them out!! this is getting out of control people, im for real!, and this dumb government doesnt do crap!!

"This dumb government," is probably 50% of Haitian descent!!!!!!! As are most of the people in the Dom Rep. The problem with the government is they don't do anything for "los pobres"...Dominican or Haitian.

Written by: jemesouviens1804, 29 Dec 2007 6:52 PM
From: United States
showing a list that reveals that 20,000 Haitians are enrolled in Dominican schools does nothing to offset the deep anti-Haitian sentiment that is very pre-dominant in Dominican society.

The Government keep the emphasis on the Haitians... because they seem to be oblivious to the suffering of "los pobres". Dominicans are suffering too!! Blame it on the Haitians!!! Tormenta Olga didn't discriminate on skin colour. Why should the rest of the world...Where will the aid go???

Hey Euromax if you go to the doctor and get a DNA test you will most likely be able to trace some of your ancestry to Haiti. Remember that things between Dominicans and Haitians were pretty good pre - WWII, not only until a half Hatian and half Dominican came to power. I hope that you have the knowledge to recognize who that person was. He was the one who created the merengue music to differentiate it from the one next door and began a unilateral campaing to to create a difference in the minds of the people with the hope that they support an expansion. Only that FDR administration told him not to do it, so he decied to simply remove them from his side of the border. This man was fully aware that his populace was barely educated and ecied to a least creat an educated population which in terms of percentage is larger than today's. Remember there is more than 20k illegal dominicans being educated in NYC today, I use NYC because that is all you know about the U.S.

Also, remember that that person's only regret was that he was not a leader in a western country, because he though of his people as unprogressive and highly cabesa dura. He was never happy because his people was not up to his desires in terms of progress and they never did enough to get the respect Cuba and Vnezuela got from the rest of the world. Finally, eventhough he was aware of his haitian heritage he deiced to hide it from the main population and instead created hate. Also, he understood that the only way to create a powerfull country was to unify both sides, but not to mix the people, so the only solution was liquidation. He managed to liquidate about 500,000

that's the most racial and most stupid remark. I'm sure that if the americans or europeans would say that about us we wouldn't be here I am a dominican of spanish descent from spain and I don't think like that.

First things first, dominicans and haitians are not the same. Our languages is different and our culture is different with some simiarlites. Our history yes is linked with theirs but is also different. If you dont believe me their are many books that prove that written not only by both dominican and haitian authors but also foreigners. One book I do recommend is "Why the cocks fight?" perfect example of the dominican and haitian struggle. Hell take a trip to haiti and you will see the difference. Not every dominican is half haitian or haitian descent, because if again you read your history dominicans are mixed with asian, middle eastern, european and etc.. Thats what makes us so different from other spainish speaking caribean island. And our relations with haiti before WW2 wasnt always perfect. Because may I remind you the Haitian occupation was before WW2 and if your remember the horrible things...

they did to us when they occupied us, like for instance. Making a permeant CASTE system, taking all farmlands into a collective farmland owned by the Haitian government to pay their debt to france. Closing schools and regulating Church services to once a month, dissolving the dominican military. Force labor camps, mass executions of intellectuals and priests. Then maybe just maybe you wouldnt say that things were fine. The same issue the U.S is having with Mexico with illegal immigrants is the same issue with us. The only problem is that when we take action to fix it international communitys and nations want to tell us no. Yet these are the same nations that have created aggresive programs to fix their problems. Like Malaysia where they paid anybody who turned in an illegal indonesian, which mind you it worked, but sparked a controvesy in the international forum. The haitian illegal immigration is real, yes past presidents have used the issue....

to cover the real current problems, but its not a problem to dismiss. And about trujillo, yes he hated haitians, but he wasnt a decendent of the sterotype darked skinn haitian that everyone thinks. His grandmother was of the white haitian class, and if you dont believe me her picture is in the national museum. Making him 25% haitian, his mother maidan-name was Chavelier (i think thats how you spell it correctly). And this respect you are talking about, is false. He was a leader of a western nation because Dominican republic is on the west side of the earth. And his accomplishments was more then Batista ever accomplished in Cuba, and bentancourt in Ven. Yes he was a murderer, but if you want to match up positive accomplishments they cant beat him. And no one knows for sure how many were massacred that week, so 500,000 is an exageratted number. Trujillo didnt have the same fetish as the germans did where they documented everything, so no one knows for sure....

But again yes I understand why some might feel that this article is foolish and I understand why some might agree that is not. But lets all remember that even though Dominican Republic is not all that well off, its still in better condition then what haiti is currently in. And haitians come to this country by choice and they know about the racism and violence towards Haitians, but they come anyway. So you cant feel bad for a person who fully excepts what they are about to encounter. Just like when people immigrate to other countries.

Caudillo, I agree with you a 100%. There is a difference between Haitian and Dominican and not all Dominicans have Haitain roots!!!!!! Haiti needs to get its act together. That country is falling apart!! It's politicans need to stop stealing from the people and give to its people. The island as a whole suffers from corrupt oficials don't care about it's people but only about stealing from them. Haiti get your act together so your people can live happier and healthier on your side of the island.

Caudillo, I dont think its fair to bring up past descretions between the two nations when talking about this topic. If thats the case I can very well state the many times the D.R. betrayed the Haitians by providing protection to people who tried to assasinate "Papa Doc" kids, threating to militarily invade in 1999, the parsley massacre, providing bases,arms and support to Haitian Contras(Guy Phillipe, Lois J. Chamblaine,etc) so they can go in and kill their own people and topple the democratically elected gov't of Aristide.In order for relations to get better we must forgive each other. I do agree with "Dagtan" though...I just found out that my grandma is half dominican(through my Great-Grandma). I think that makes me about 7-13 percent dominican. I should have figured this out long ago, because my grandma is sometime mistaken for looking white.

Let me provide a quick comment on the significance of difference - WE SHOULD NOT TRY TO HIDE OUR DIFFERENCES. Trying to fit/impose a "single Dominican identity" is oppressive and hides the huge inequalities that exist in our society. I won't comment too much on this right now, just read my article that's coming out in a few days here on DOminican TOday. You should see it in the Opinion section.

As long as we have a policy based on Human-RIghts, effective representation, and anti-discrimination, what does it matter if some people can trace their ancestry to Spanish killers and slave-owners, or Slaves from west africa, or American imperialists, or haitians? WE ARE ALL HUMANS, WE ALL HAVE AND DESERVE THE SAME RIGHTS AND RESPECT. Until we understand this, we'll be continously pursuing the politics of oppression.

So read the article, which does not focus on DOminicans of Haitian, but rather on the oppressiveness nature of a single "manufactured" identity.

Mr. Caudillo your point about Trujillo's grandmother to be a white Haitian is precisely the problem in the DR. There is this deep rooted notion that white is better and yes, you are on the right path by making sure that we know that it was not that bad that he was part Haitian, because it came from the white side. The fact of the matter is that a white Haitian would get better treatment and respect in the DR than a black dominican (oh, I forgot that we do not have black people in DR, they are called triguenos, ha, what a joke). Some Dominincans a hypocripts and often say that they are not racist, but hav their light skinned or white daughter or son bring a black girl friend or boyfriend home and you are going to see the reaction. Even the level of status that you achieve today in the DR is infleuced by how long your hair is and how light your skin is. This is a real shame on the majority black that have become doormant and have not acted to end this situation. The glass sealing

in the DR is lower for black people than here in the United States. Remember, that slavery was much worse and pervasive in the US. but things have really come around and Black and immigrant people are able to achieve far more than what they would achieve in their own lands. I am a living example of this fact. My achievements within the white american population is far greater than the achievements that I would have been able to reach within the white dominnican population. I did work on a study with a local college a few years back which dealt with the shock dominicans get when they arrive in the US. and find out that they are actually not white as they were rated back home. In the U.S. we have three skin color, White = Anglo decent, Black = African decent, and yellow = Asian decent. We people from the caribbean are not anglo or asian therefore in the eyes of the white americans we are hispanic or black, not white. One more number to throw at you guys here, we found that

that Dominicans of lighter skin tone tend to be less productive and sucessful than those of darker skinned in the U.S. Through interview we found that dark skinned domincans felt comfotable with the racial label in the U.S. and tended to embrace it. while light skinned Dominicans exprienced a lot of difficulties to find that white Americans did not treat them any different than African Americans, Mexicans or dark skinned Dominicans. Finally, I had the privilage to visit Cuba and was amzed at how much this people talk about their African roots and how they constantly celebrated their Africanism. Guys even the heavely americanized Puerto Rico identify with their African decent publicly than the Dominincan Republic which much closer to African race than PR. It is like talking about the DEVIL anytime a dominican mention to another about their african roots and connections. But yet, they love to move their hips to the drums, bunch of hypocritps of uneducated people that I belong to.

My guess is that in Cuba and Puerto Rico the white elites (yes, even in "revolutionary" Cuba, white supremacy is still a force to be reckoned with), don't feel threatened by the sheer numbers of people of African descent (34% of the pop. in Cuba, 20% in Puerto Rico) as it's the case on Hispaniola, mr. dagtan, with the aggravating factor that the dominican elites (as the majority of their counterparts in USA and France) can't forgive the haitians for eliminating (literally and physically) the white colonial elite that controlled that nation until 1804. The continued animosity of these three forces working in tandem can be ascertained in the coup d'etat that they prepaired against Aristide in 2004, the reason in the US and France being that Aristide was demanding from France the devolution of the exhorbitant sum of money that Haiti had to pay in order for its independence to be recognized by this power. (cont..)

On the DR's part, the reason was the hatred that our elites bore against Aristide, because of his denounciation of the living conditions in the bateyes in the different UN's assemblies.

Thank you Lautaro! And for the ones in the beginning of these comments I never said white is better. I am just stating pure facts that yes his grandma was a white haitian, what you feel about that is your problem. But you cant change history! And to say light skinned dominicans tend to be less productive is ridiculas, wheither a person is white or black doesnt hinder their character. If your lazy, your just plain lazy, if you work, then you work, but to throw color as an excuse then you start to sound the same people you are trying to bash, the "Racists". And do you even know who Papa doc was? He was another trujillo but the haitian verison of him. But if you want to defend him then fine by all means you are entitled to your opinion.

And if anybody understands human behaviour we will always identify ourselves with the group we feel most comfortable with. Thats why as humans we have broken down our ascentry and our origins to anglo, black, asian. Yes we are all human, same blood, but a

we all understand that their are differences within ourselves. Thats why they ask you whats your ethnic group in job applications and your i.d. If you want people to stop that, then start telling the government to change their minds.

Ok, how did a simple article about haitian nationals in the dominican republic turn into a mediocre history lesson. To comment on the article I have to say what are the intentions here. Is it to demonstrate that there are haitian students in the school system in the Dominican Republic and say wait a minute there isn't no discrimination towards this group of people? Why mention private schools when Haitian parents are paying for their kids education which has nothing to do with public funds? The dilemma is that many of these haitian children were born in the dominican republic to illegal haitians which the dominican government doesn't recognise. Rather than speculate I will say yes haitian kids are in the school system in the dominican republic and many had to go beyond limits to have this given right. The dominican government has reaped tremendously of their parents cheap labor why not give these kids an opportunity of the basic tool in life an education.

To Mr. Caudillo, people like you is exactly the reason why we can never come to the table and talk about race and the prejudices that make up our social system. Yes, I 'll rep[eat it again, it is clear that the race systemin the DR is systemic and there is no doub unless you are dead or simply refuse to see, that there is a clear advantage for the people of lighters skin than those of darker skin. The information that I provided about the differnce in the sucess of people of Dominincan decent here in the U.S. is proportionally higher for dark skinned than light skinned. This might varie from state to state, but here in NYS, it is clear and we decied to conduct a small study in small area which is hihly populated by Dominicans. We found that light skineed Dominicans and often well to do Dominicans suffered the most in the accomodation process in the U.S. due to the fact that their status had dropped or simply disapeared as soon as the plane landed on U.S. soil. This issue is, cont.

Regarding Trujillo's grandmother being white haitian isn't true. For dominicans that doesn't know the atrocities this man inflicted upon the dominican society and his inferior complex due to his african roots whether from his dominican side or haitian and being from the lower class which made him an outcast to the elite domincan society.

Why are we dominicans & haitians always discussing the atrocities commited by both incompetent nations and dominicans rarely outlash at the spaniards nor the french? It's 2008(almost) people and dominicans in the USA and haitians alike need to see that relations of the people that comprise the island of hispaniola need to forgive and move on. I always ask myself why such a banana republic island can't get over there differences which literally was caused by colonizers and move foward. Revising his-story on both parts isn't going to change the plights of majority of dominicans & haitians on the island.

is almost unique to Dominicans, unlike the Cubans that came here and preserved their status. As you know, the skin color has alot to do with social status in the Dominican Republic, but here in the U.S. eventhough it still a factor it is a little less pervasive as over there. and the glass ceiling here is much higher for people of color than what is in the DR. These facts and things that people who are open to hear powerful and difficult things to digest and often interested and give opinions on how to deal with. As far as dark skinned Dominicans, they grew up in the system, in whihch teir opportunites were already limited by their skin color and hair, so they often take full advantage of the breathing room that they get in the U.S. Please, to those of you that live in foreing countries, look around you and start counting and classifying Dominicans professionals and see how they look an then decide. this is not be racist, but realistic about a big issue in the DR.

JabaoHaitian, I agree man, it's time to move and stop blaming one another. We do have differences but it's time to work together for the greater good of the island. I'm Dominican born here in the US and I most say it's time that Haiti and DR work better together. I wish I can find a site that has Haitian news in english b/c it seems like the sides of the island are going in the opposite directions. Haiti is more stablilized now but they need to be helped more with technical support. The DR is a liitle better off right now but in the long run we are both third world countries that need to get things right! It's good that more Haitians are going to DR to study but that's a bad sign for Haiti. Why are they leaving and coming to DR??

NY4life, thanks for responding with thoughtful words. There are many sites in english where you can find out what's going in in Haiti. The situation in haiti isn't better my friend. The media isn't telling you that the Minustah soldiers are simply on vacation and not doing anything to combat the drug trade nor the kidnappings. This is of course only port-au-prince the provinces are much safer and have alot of things going on. The cost of living in haiti is more than the DR and florida. Now how can these people survive day to day with no income. I'll be the first to say haitian government is to blame but we should look at the so called friends of haiti as well mingling in her affairs and using dominican rep as a puppet to orchestrate their agenda in haiti and turn around and have the dominican rep also incompetent government fit the bill. When will haitians & dominicans dictate in which direction the two countries are going? Remeber it is us today but tomorrow it may be you.

continued..besides, as we speak many dominicans will attempt to leave their country on a yola to puerto rico or forged papers to spain. Both countries are in need of better living conditions, obviously haiti is in worse conditions. Let's end this gimmick between the two countries and build a better future for both dominicans and haitians alike.

Dagtag, please refrain from using race as the only factor although it plays a big role. Let's not compare the discrimination in the USA with DR. Dominican society has a long way to go but let's focus on things that can be changed today. Century old classism and discrimination against the mass won't be resolved with laws such as those in the USA. I can careless how dominicans categorise themselves. All I am concern with is the quality of life of haitians and dominicans that are doomed to succeed if they do not have the necessary tools in life which starts with an education.

As I see things mr. Jabao, this announcement by the Education Minister is just another show of the politics of short term that characterizes the dominican political system. Example: Outside of any recently build public school or medical center you can always count on reading a sign (usually a big sized one) that reads: "This building was made by the administration of fulano, 2000-2004" and so on. On this spirit, the announcement of the Education Minister can be read as follows: "Look at us, we're not racist as everyone says, furthermore, we're educating a bigger amount of children than it was done on the PRD administration". It's plain disgusting.

Dagtag,

What you've mentioned with your study is the reality that dominicans face once they leave the DR. The colour of ones skin doesn't mean nothing nor will others see you in a different light from the mass that they once lookt down upon. I personally refrain to focus on race since reality checks will set anyone straight once the get out of their shell. To relate with the article, I would like to know how many illegal dominicans are studying in the USA(tri-state area alone) with americans fitting the bill. The president (LF) once studied in the USA and given an opportunity to make him who he is today and return to his homeland. Let's take time to reflect at the reality and maybe a few will get a wake up call. I wish all a happy new year..

Lauturo,

I agree it is just a political propaganda and anyone with a half a brain will realise that haitians & dominicans of haitian descent have a hard time getting accepted into public schools. I guess the person that wrote the article simply wants to demonstrate there are haitians in the public school system already. I don't know.

Mr. Jabao your comments are great and as I do think that at the end of the day, regardless of what happened in 19th century, race still the biggest hurtle between a dominico-haitian healthy relatioship. Yes both Haitians and Dominicans would not be able to reach a peace agreeement that would culminate in the unification of the island, due to language mainly and then race. However, both side of the island if well though out would be able to develop a common nation state, in which you'll have two jurisdictions, but one country. Some thing like the eurpean union where a prime minister post is transferable every x numbers of years. As the to the question on how many illegal dominicans are educated in american schools and we are all paying for them, then that is the 64 thousand dollar question. It will take some lines for me to give you an idea. For those that have ability to travel or live in NYC, please do yourself a favor and visit the Dominican Institute at CCNy, (cont)

or city college. they have an incredible amount fo information and are not partial whatsoever. They will give you the numbers, thoughnot exact, becuase Dominicans are one of the most difficult groups to census, due to their apprehension to provide information and distrust of city agencies. The last time I checked, there were approximately 400, 000 illegal Dominicans in the U.S. with the majority concentrated in NYC (Washington Heights). Out of that group about 10-20% were of school age. So it is safe to assume that in between 40 to 80, 000 illegal dominican students in american schools. I do not specifics, but that is a ball park and the numbers chnage, so I can only provide that for now. But I'll take a trip to the center and survay some of their info and see what I can come up with. Remember, that in the U.S. if you born on ntional territory, you enjoy the same rights as the ones that stepped off the Mayflower back in the 15 century. Illegal students are not allow to (cont)

attend college in some states, but most have one of two community college that would accept them and provide financial assistance. But children of illegal immigrants are even eligible to become president. An example, is Barak Obama, who might just become the first mixed (African and Anglo American) to become president of the U.S. Comes from a kenyan national and an American national. His father never had any permanent documents for the U.S. I think that if this guy is sucessful, the U.S. will finally enter a final chapter on race and hopefully that would serve as the foundation to deal with this problem here in the U.S. You can also provide me with e-mail and I'll more than happy to forward you some documents and articles.

Dagtag,

Thanks for you guesstimate. I personally don't think unifying the country will do any good. As someone that has lived on both sides of the island I can say that dominican culture is different but have so so much in common with mine. As for as race difference, I wouldn't say so. It's simply they have majority mulattos and we have majority blacks but any complexion that is found in DR you'll find it in haiti. The difference is that there are so many in between black & white that it is hard to pinpoint the discrimination or racism although it exist in both societies.

Instead we need to have better trade agreements with lower discount tariffs across the border and have common goals to preserve the land such as the planting trees. We need to disspell the stereotypes of both and have exchange programs. Most of all control illegal migration which is the virus that spreads and live the people in vulnerable situations. Dominicans need to know how many of them have busines

JabaoHaitian,

I hope the best for Haitians and Dominicans in this upcoming year. Hopefully a free trade agreement or lowering of tariffs. We share the same island this should have been done a while ago but I'm looking towards the future and hoping a beneficial trade deal will be on the agenda!

How is haiti doing after Noel?? I haven't heard much. What sites do you recommend for to find news in english about Haiti?? Are they reliable? You know there is always some type of propaganda.

Thanks

To JabaoHaitian,
I have been reading your post for sometime know, and I feel delighted and proud at some of the well thought comments and remarks that you have made when it come to Dominican-Haitian relations. It is clear that Haiti needs a lot of help to start getting back on its feet. One thing that Haitians can do is to start displaying their country in a good way, and not to discourage people from visiting it. I'm praying for the day that Haitians and Dominicans can learn to respect each other based on the content of that persons character and not on the politics affecting both nations...As I read comments on this site where people talk about disgretions and past malice that happened over 200 years ago it seems that its only a dream and wont be reality. We dont have to forget the past, but we must forgive

Jemessouviens1804,

Haitians do need to promote Haiti. How often do you go back there? I have Haitian friends they are all proud but I never here them talk about going there or saying that they went there. Do hatians go back often especially those born in the states. I know Florida, MA, NY has a strong Haitian population, I'm just curious to know if they go back and visit the island like Domincans do.

To: ny4life,
Unfortunately, I havent been back to Haiti since I left there when I was 6-7 years old....Thats about 18 years ago. Since that time, I have been living in Spring Valley NY, which has a very large Haitian population, with an increasing Dominican community. Im planning to go visit Haiti in the summer of 2008. Some of my Dominican friends said that they want to go with me, so Im really excited. As far as other Haitians, a lot of them that I know do go back. When Haitians start talking bad about their own country, it defeats the purpose of having good relations with Dominicans. This article is a positive step but more most be done than just showing to the world that 20,000 Haitians are in Dominican schools. Dominicans and Haitians must work together in order to better both countries.

Hey, James, so you are in Spring Valley? That is interesting and I did some work in the North Rockland School District along with NYU in that area. There is a large Dominican population in Haverstraw, the majority coming from a town called Tanboril in the Cibao region of the Dominican Republic. I know for a fact that many of the first generation hitians do much better than the following generations in those schools in that area. Also, look at the numbers if possible for the North Rockland School District where the Haitians students out perform all other immigrant students. It is a fenomenon at how well first generational Haitians thrives in these communities that are largely white. However, their numbers are far smaller than those for Dominicans students, so by default thier sucess would look better, due to the smaller population. This only applies for North Rockland and not Spring Valley.

Haitians from the diaspora travel to Haiti very often and we are very proud group despite the political/economical turmoil. I travel to haiti very often and recommend foreignors to visit especially dominicans from the diaspora. As there are alot of domincan businessmen/women in Haiti.

Dagtag,

Haitians no matter what economical background take education very very seriously especially those from poor backgrounds as it is embedded in our society that an education can uplift one out of his/her misery. Even in the universities in the dominican republic haitian students excel and are top of the class despite not having a strong command of the spanish language prior to arriving. All one needs to do is go to PUCMM,UNIBE, INTEC and you'll be amaze to find out most of the students in the top ranking are haitian.

Dagtag would you say there are more dominicans than haitians in the USA legally or illegally.

Jabao, by far Dominicans have the largest population of illegals in the U.S. after Mexican. But remember that I made mention of the Mexican migration and how they see themselves not as illegals, but only as returning to the land that was taken from them in mexico/american war. As far as people from the caribbean, dominicans have even surpased Puertoricans in the United States when it comes to numbers. Remember that the DR have enjoyed a favorable immigration status from the U.S. since they installed Trujillo in power. It was designed to flush out the instigators (educated) as Trujillo called them. But with time it was simply a political policy that have been used widely to ease the pressure on the government and allow democracy to survive. Now, I might in hot water on this forum for saying this, but based on experience, Haitian students arrive to American school far more preparaed than Dominicans. This particular issue is true to many communities, (cont..)

this particular fenomenon is at time puzzling to educators in U.S. schools, since education quality is almost dependent on social economics. When teachers ask why are the Haitian kids out performing Dominican students, when their economy is better and their way of life is more stable it is difficult to give a single answer. We have nontheless, pointed out some issues that creates this disparity between Haitians and Dominicans in American schools. First, we believe that Dominican students are not as concerned to assimilate to the American culture due to the fact that they often move to communities that are largely Dominicans. Second, the fact that the Spanish language is so widely spoken in the U.S. does not give DR students the urgency to learn English as quick as Haitians. Third, work ethic, this one is very sensitive and should be addressed on a case by case and finally, the Shock - Parental involment is much higher for Hatians than Dominicans. This is based on my, cont..

on my exprience and oes not reflect a general assessment. But it does provide a view into the situation in New York schools, where 90% of my numbers have been generated. Dominicans also make up the largest group from the caribbean in the United States.

Are you sure about those numbers, mr. dagtan? Are you sure that there are more dominicans than cubans in the US? I'm asking you this because you have to take into account that the cubans have a bigger incentive for migrating than the dominicans have (This incentive comes in the form of the dry/wet foot policy, which states that any cuban that steps on US soil is, from that moment, entitled the right to have a US resident green card).

Mr. Lautaro your questions are legitimate and fair. The best way to answer your querstion is by looking at the process and the years that it takes for Cuban person to come to the U.S. legally and or illegally. The sheer number of Cubans in the U.S. is only greater to that of Dominicans when you go back the generations that have already assimilated to the American culture to the point that they are almost impossible to count. Cubans per say are less than Dominicans in terms of migration from their native land to the U.S. We have more than a million dominican living in the tri-state area and the surrounding states which often do not have good reporting on Dominicans. If you travel to Utah or Iowa, they actually count all immigrants as Hispanics and often do not bother to differentiate. Second, third, fourth and fith gerantional cubans out number the same genrations among Dominicans, but the general % of migration clearly belongs to Dominicans. Cont...

frequently. When I talk numbers about Cubans I meant pure migration Lautaro.

If you look at the miration policies that are inplace withthe caribbean countries, the DR enjoys the easiest migratory route. Yes, the dry/wet policy seems to make easier for the Cubans, but those waters are heavely patrolled by the coast guard, unlike the canal de la mona. Thus, increasing the illegal immigration of Dominicans. Moreover, Cubans often do not travel with their entire family, due to the fact that that most of them do not have relatives here and are to distant to even mingle with overly americanize Cuban population in the U.S. If you ever have the opportunity of watching the independent documnetary titled "Ganarse el Bombo" or winning the lottery, you'll see this as the main factor for Cubans arriving here alone and leaving the family behind until they settle and find a job. Dominicans alos, enjoy easier access through PR since the ties between the people have been dealing with situation for long time and Dominicans know what to do in order not to get caught that,...

While I agree that dominicans are predominant on NY and the surrounding areas, mr. dagtan, I seriously doubt that that would be the same story on Florida. If something, I think that, after the cubans, the haitians are the predominant community over there, their growth manifesting itself specially after the two coups d'etat against Aristide.

Mr. Lautaro you are correct, Florida is no match for Dominicans against Cubans or Haitians. But you go to states like, NY, CT, MA, RI, AR, PENN, Dominicans out number the rest of the caribbean.

I guess that the only states not "colonized" by any latin group might be the ones of the northwest (Utah, Colorado, the Dakotas, Montana, Idaho, etc...). but then, I might be wrong. :-)

You'll only find some brave caribbeans in those states. However, a lot of Mexicans picking up the local crop. Idaho = potatoes heaven, lol

I don't understand why Dominicans are prejudiced against their Haitian and African brothers and sisters. Haiti is poorer that the DR so the DR should help without complaint. The exact same way that Dominicans come to the U.S. and there is no problem. You are not white. You can try to measure percentages of your racial/ethnic makeup, but if you are not born of 2 caucasian parents then you are arguing about how "black" you are. Why can't you judge based on character, and deed instead of color and geography? By the way, the European/Spanish heritages that you try to claim historically dislikes people of color, especially people as dark as the Dominicans I've had contact with. So once you start hating, start hating yourself for being ignorant enough to waist your time arguing about who should the right to eat, live, or receive education in a country where your only claim of rights come from birth. Your ancestry is totally mixed with Whites, Africans, and whoever else passed by. So stop ok

The problem, Your Majesty, is that the DR is also a Third (if not Fourth) World Country, so it can't give itself the luxury of taking the task of uplifting Haiti all by itself, unless you want us to commit economic suicide. Why don't you ask your government to help us financially into dealing with Haiti's problems instead of spending trillions upon trillions of dollars on foolish imperialistic crusades? or better yet, why don't you ask it to apply for haitians the same policy that it does in the case of cubans, that is, to grant instant citizenship to every inmigrant stepping on Floridan soil? In short, don't demand us to do something that you are not willing to do yourself, Your Imperial Hypocritical Majesty!!!!

P.S.: Please, stop trying to deal the slimy race card from the bottom of the deck, Sire, because the DR (like the rest of the world) don't practice your bloody one-droppism. FYI, we celebrate our tripartite heritage (African, Spaniard and Taino) equally (cont..)

(cont...) so please, stop trying to look the dominican reality by the same glass you use to look at your society, because, like the economic adjustment programs of your blasted IMF, it's a supreme exercise in stupidity!!!!