We are all over the place!

The Research Triangle [ Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh] area in North Carolina offers great opportunities! Oh, and I forgot to mention Charlotte, North Carolina. Dominicans are relocating to these areas and are finding that it is a better move than heading to NYC--common destination to many Dominicans immigrating to the United States.

The Dominican community is definitely expanding all over the U.S. NYC is no longer the only place for Dominicans. It's the heart of the Dominican disapora in the U.S. and one of many places where Dominicans now call home. It's great to see Dominicans suceeding wherever they go. The best part of all of this is that a Dominican person will also be Dominican via culture, friendliness, business savy, patriotism, and pride.

I love it !

I have to agree .. most Dominicans work in the US with the goal of helping with relatives back in the DR .. the billions of dollars sent back in annual remittances bears eloquent testimony to that fact .. Dominicans are the most friendly and generous of all the people I have ever met .. and the greatest measure of their success is that they remain kind and friendly despite all that is thrown at them in the socially toxic and racially abusive atmosphere of the United States .. that so-called "Land of the Free, and Home of the Brave" .. Dominicans love the DR and often return home to retire .. they leave their beautiful island with reluctance and a heavy heart .. to escape the clutches of economic scarcity and poverty .. why else would anybody want to put up with so much racism in the "Land of the Free" ..

its a phenomenon that may be slowing down due to the economic crisis

sangwong

Well stated!

Precisely because we encounter racism and very difficult challenges ,not just in the US, but Spain, Puerto Rico etc., is that we must be humane towards our Haitian bothers and sisters.

They too are economic refugees who "leave their beautiful island with reluctance and a heavy heart .. to escape the clutches of economic scarcity and poverty" like us.

The rights we demand for ourself throughout the diaspora we must be willing to give to our immigrants in DR.

The oppressed should never become oppressors, but rather should share their liberation with others in any way they can. This is what has helped move humanity forward throughout the ages.

"Injustice for one man, is injustice for all men." MLK Jr.

I agree with you Josean, we should not be injust to Haitians living and working in the DR legally. To my understanding, legal Haitians live freely and happily in the DR, or at least better than in Haiti. The problem is with the flow of people from Haiti to DR, which the DR economy cannot and must not support as the DR is poor itself. And another bigger problem is the illegality. Nobody can impose to the DR to change its laws about illegal immigrants, nor about the children of those. Each country makes its own immigration rules which should be respected.

I usually take the side of the inmigrants on any topic of inmigration that arises over here, be it DR to US or Haiti to DR, however, it's my opinion that the only way this issue will die down is for the US to put pressure on the respective governments sharing the Hispaniolan island to seriously address the island's issues, because, sadly, even I can't fail to recongize that this inmigration issue can't be left to be unsolved forever. Sooner or later, it will come to a situation when the growing inmigrant community on both receiving states (the US and the DR) will compete fiercely with the native population for the resources available to both states, a problem that may take centuries to happen in the US, given the mammoth, imperial-like nature of their economy, but that in the DR may not take decades to arise, given the limited resources of our economy, the historic fertility of our neighbour's population, the devastated state of their economy and natural resources, and the (cont...)

(cont... ) fragile nature of our institutions, we're talking about a serious conflict in the making, mr. josean, so you'll excuse me, but comparing the tiny, inefficient and corruption-ridden economy of the DR with the imperial-like efficient economy of the US is nothing short of a foolishness bordering on plain stupidity and vain delusions of grandeur, as you're comparing an elephant with a barely surviving ant. As things are standing, we're the most overpopulated island on the entire Caribbean (20 million people for only 77,000 kms), at least when we compare it to Cuba, which, having more territory (100,000+ kms2), only finds itself supporting a population of 11,000,000. So, it's a fact that both governments need to stop giving their backs to the problem and, as a truly binational step, implement a serious birth control plan, because at the rate both populations of the island are exerting pressure on a soil that is barely surviving itself, the future may look pretty grim indeed.

Lautaro

Sir,

Where do you find anything in my post to support this statement:

“but comparing the tiny and inefficient economy of the DR with the imperial-like efficient economy of the US is nothing short of a foolishness bordering on plain stupidity and vain delusions of grandeur, as you're comparing an elephant with a barely surviving ant."

Could you please point out where this alleged comparison is being made by me?

buenoha, 21

Sir,

Am I to conclude that the children of undocumented aliens who are born in the United States of America, in this case the offspring of our undocumented Dominican brethren should be denied citizenship by birthright, as we do to Haitians?

I'm assuming that in your post that you are inclined for the dominican state to adopt the (relative) open doors inmigration policy of the US (I say relative, because even though there are people that say that the US inmigration policy is the most open on the planet, I say that this is only partially true, because this openness is only applied to certain groups, for example, the cubans and israelis, but the motives of this are not the issue here), an open doors policy that it's not possible to adopt because, for that to happen, the state would have to adequate it's institutions to do so (as in granting citizenship rights to anyone wanting to come here) and the economy would have to be prepared for that policy, because, once that measure is on foot, the avalanche of inmigrants that the country would receive would be incredible, because, if you haven't noticed, in the US exist the policy called family reunification, which we'll be forced to adopt, once the sons of the inmigrants grow up.

(cont...) In short, the incentives to inmigrate would increase for our neighbours. As such, there exist neither the economic means and the institutional culture and will of the state to establish a clone of the US policy, hence the comparison between the mammoth (US) and the ant (the DR). If I'm only finding myself making untoward and unjust accusations against you, then I ask for your forgiveness for this and ask you to receive my deepest apologies. Also, please read the last part of my post as to the reasons that I give for the DR state's inability to be as open in its inmigration policy as you (and up to a certain extent I) desire.

Lautaro, 21


Sir,

With all respect, this is the issue here at DT assumption and visceral reactions to the Haitian/Dominican relationship. My call was only for us to treat Haitians like we demand to be treated even when we arrive at other countries undocumented.

Later on, if I do not lose my shirt in the market today, I will address some of the other concerns you raised in your very enjoyable post.

Lose your shirt in the market today? For what reason, may I ask? :-)

Bought to much AMR not enough F!

No surprise. Reading has had a long-established Puerto Rican community. Dominicans and Puerto Ricans do tend to live side by side.

Haitians cannot have it both ways. You can't expect to remain in the Dominican Republic illegally and also demand the right of citizenship for your children.

I propose that you leave D.R. if you are there illegally. Your children can then be given citizenship and they can have the right to excercise that citizenship when they become of legal age.

muchacho

How would you feel if your statement was modified to read as follows?

"Dominicans cannot have it both ways. You can't expect to remain in the United States of America illegally and also demand the right of citizenship for your children.

I propose that you leave USA if you are there illegally. Your children can then be given citizenship and they can have the right to excercise that citizenship when they become of legal age."

Josean: Somebody has to be responsible for Haiti and Haitians, not developing and achieving goals is "UNNACEPTABLE", They might be economic refugees, but why You don't adress Your concerns to 1st world countries instead of Dominican Republic.

Your comments are "Confused" and out of reality, Like I always state the main reason why Haiti is not going anywhere is the "Lack of accountability and responsability" with this never end story Haitians will never have a chance to develop.

Compassion is a beautfiul word, but also discipline and order has to be follow so people can advance and grow up.

Rubi

In all the months that I have been posting here at DT I have not addressed your comments directly because I felt it would not be beneficial.

However, today I see a sincerity in you post that I had not noticed before so please accept my humble opinion of Dominican-Haitian challenge.

First, please believe when I tell you I am not Haitian, but that I try to have solidarity with all human beings especially those that are in distress. Haitians are fine human beings who for a myriad of historical reasons fine themselves in a very serious and precarious historic moment. I am sorry to say that I am an illiterate when it comes to my own Dominican history so imagine what possible knowledge I could have about the history of my Haitian brothers and sisters and its consequences. So I will let other persons, both Haitians and Dominicans, that post here to educate us, well me, who have expertise in the history and sociology of these problems.

Continued:

However, I do feel in my heart that Haitians love their side of the island as much as we love ours. I also truly believe that they are no more interested in “taking over” our country than we are in taking over the United States when we migrate via documented or undocumented means. Most immigrant groups that I have met from all over the world have a significant percentage among them who would just like to generate some wealth and return home. For many that does not happen because of choice, but usually more than not, because of life’s unforeseen circumstances.

The real issue is as you and many others have so correctly pointed out, that it us unfair to expect DR to assume the entire burden of assisting our neighbors, with a catastrophe that many of the world’s economic powers, who beat their chests about democracy and human rights, allowed to develop. Either at best buy ignoring the developing crisis or in some cases direct and or indirect participation.

Continued:

What we must not do is to add to the overwhelming load of the Haitian people by victimizing them with xenophobic at best or racist statements and actions at worst.

I understand that we want persons to take responsibility for their actions, but we can only demand this of persons when they have the facilities and resources to do so. Poor people usually lack this, and Haitians as you well know, are the some of the poorest amongst the poor.

I think what would be very powerful would be for the Dominican government and the Haitian government, along with friends and allies in Latin America and the globe in general, to begin to inform the world of the abandonment of this issue on the shoulders of DR. They could expose the hypocrisy in the rhetoric of the major powers, especially in Europe, who have a historical and moral responsibility to finally step up to the plate and provide assistance to the people of Haiti.

Continued:

“Not to give them fish but to teach them how to fish” so they can begin to take care of their own needs.

In other words let us not fight amongst ourselves and allow us to be divided and conquered: conquered meaning is this case to allow those with the responsibility and the means to help solve the problem get off the hook.

I hope you now have a little better understanding of where I am coming from, and at least we can agree to disagree without being disagreeable.

SUGAR PRODUCTION SLOWS IN DR:
Figures released by the Dominican Sugar Institute (INAZUCAR) today 4/23/08.
http://www.inazucar.gov.do/

The Associated Press: Reveals that during the 2005-2006 sugar production season, DR only produced 490,350 metric tons of sugar, which wasn't enough to cover its own domestic demand or fill of the export quota to the United States this year. This collapse is blamed on a lack of Haitian labor workers with the help of Human Right activists and organizations who have seen the illegality of the working methods and conditions of the Haitians in DR which the Government is denying to address.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC XENOPHOBIA:

Associated Press/ Red Cross Reports that according to an Amnesty International, the United Nations and The Human Rights Watch, the physical attacks against Haitians have increased since 1992 and reports of the lynching of Haitians surfaced as late as 2006.

Homes of suspected Haitians are sometimes burned to the ground and police roundups of "Haitian looking" people are conducted on a regular basis. According to another New York Times report in 2004, grandchildren and great grandchildren of Haitians are denied birth certificates, medical care, education and social services because of their race and dependancy given the current political and economical challenges in today Haiti.

In 2007 the United Nations and International Human Rights Organizations found "profound and entrenched" racism at all levels of Dominican society, including within families.

XENOPHOBIA: An unreasonable fear, distrust, or hatred of strangers, foreigners, or anything perceived as foreign or different. A person unduly fearful or contemptuous of that which is foreign, especially of strangers or foreign peoples - especially of people of foreign origin.

Someone suffering from xenophobia is having abnormal fear or hatred of the strange or foreign filled with total fear or apprehension. Thus in a nut shell, most of the general Dominicans are afraid of Haitians pretty much... (However, I am sure someone will beg to differ in 1... 2... 3...).