Haiti

PAT ROBERTSON, AMERICAN EVANGELIST: “Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it. . . . They were under the heel of the French … and they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, ‘We will serve you if you’ll get us free from the French’. True story. And so the devil said, ‘OK, it’s a deal.’ They kicked the French out. The Haitians revolted and got themselves free. Ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other.” (Christian Broadcasting Network)

RAYMOND JOSEPH, HAITIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES, IN RESPONSE TO PAT ROBERTSON: "I would like the whole world to know - America especially - that (after) the independence of Haiti, when the slaves rose up against the French, and defeated the French army, powerful army, the U.S. was able to gain the Louisiana Territory for $15 million. That's three cents an acre.That's thirteen states west of the Mississippi that the Haitian slaves revolt in Haiti provided America. Also, the revolt of the rebels in Haiti allowed Latin America to be free. It is from Haiti that Simon Bolivar left with men, boats, to go deliver grand Colombia and the rest of South America. So, that pact the Haitians 'made with the devil' has helped the U.S. become what it is." (MSNBC)

Haiti (Arcade Fire)

Haiti, mon pays,

...

Tous les morts-nes forment une armee,

soon we will reclaim the earth.

All the tears and all the bodies

bring about our second birth.

Haiti, never free,

n'aie pas peur de sonner l'alarme.

Tes enfants sont partis,

in those days their blood was still warm.

The Haitian Red Cross estimates 45,000 - 50,000 dead