So Callous as a Nation
Haitians are so far down on their luck that if a world prize existed for the most hapless people they would be edged out on a technicality perhaps only by the Chadians or Bangladeshis. During June in Haiti a tree called le flamboyant blossoms crimson-orange, covering the mountain slopes down to the seashores, scattered among the African-style thatched huts of the barefooted, miserable people. For most of the population Haiti is a prison farm guarded against sea escape by the U.S. Navy and guarded from within by constant military-police surveillance. This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website , where most recent articles are published in full. Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.