Comments on: Haiti: Lessons in racialized language http://trinaisakson.com/2010/01/haiti-lessons-in-racialized-language/ nonprofit capacity, community development, engaged citizenship, education, travel, photography, music, musings Sat, 07 Aug 2010 06:23:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Do you have a vision? « Interaction Institute for Social Change Blog http://trinaisakson.com/2010/01/haiti-lessons-in-racialized-language/#comment-96 Do you have a vision? « Interaction Institute for Social Change Blog Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:23:15 +0000 http://trinaisakson.wordpress.com/?p=438#comment-96 [...] I generally find this to be a very difficult exercise. I can talk about what’s wrong with the mainstream media’s treatment of the current crisis in Haiti, but have a much harder time describing what economic justice looks like. And at the same time, I [...] [...] I generally find this to be a very difficult exercise. I can talk about what’s wrong with the mainstream media’s treatment of the current crisis in Haiti, but have a much harder time describing what economic justice looks like. And at the same time, I [...]

]]> By: Trina Isakson http://trinaisakson.com/2010/01/haiti-lessons-in-racialized-language/#comment-95 Trina Isakson Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:22:54 +0000 http://trinaisakson.wordpress.com/?p=438#comment-95 Thank you for starting off the commentary Jeff. I agree with you when you say that there are some good and bad people in all countries, and that Haiti is no different. However, when reports on what is happening in Haiti talk about a "lawless" city with rampant "looting", it casts the entire population with the same brush. The media greatly exaggerates individual acts of crime (these few bad people you speak of) as if this has become the norm. I might harbour a guess that majority <em>are</em> taking/finding/stealing/looting groceries, but I <em>do</em> think that its OK to excuse these actions by the tragedy. It sounds like the infrastructure is so severely damaged that emergency aid in the form of water and food isn't getting to many residents of Port-au-Prince. If the only access to those items is by 'stealing,' as you say, I say go for it. It is "just a sad fact of disaster". On the other hand, if someone was taking big screen TVs, I'd agree with you on the stealing point. I don't think the language is intended to be <em>racist</em>, but I do think it's <em>racialized</em>, meaning certain words are more often attributed to certain races. The unfortunate natural disasters of Katrina and this earthquake happened to have happened to (mostly) black populations. When compared with other natural disasters that impact other races (not just white, but persian, asian, etc), I don't see evidence of the "lawless" "looting" language being used in the same vein. But I'm open to being corrected on that. Thank you for starting off the commentary Jeff.

I agree with you when you say that there are some good and bad people in all countries, and that Haiti is no different. However, when reports on what is happening in Haiti talk about a “lawless” city with rampant “looting”, it casts the entire population with the same brush. The media greatly exaggerates individual acts of crime (these few bad people you speak of) as if this has become the norm.

I might harbour a guess that majority are taking/finding/stealing/looting groceries, but I do think that its OK to excuse these actions by the tragedy. It sounds like the infrastructure is so severely damaged that emergency aid in the form of water and food isn’t getting to many residents of Port-au-Prince. If the only access to those items is by ‘stealing,’ as you say, I say go for it. It is “just a sad fact of disaster”. On the other hand, if someone was taking big screen TVs, I’d agree with you on the stealing point.

I don’t think the language is intended to be racist, but I do think it’s racialized, meaning certain words are more often attributed to certain races. The unfortunate natural disasters of Katrina and this earthquake happened to have happened to (mostly) black populations. When compared with other natural disasters that impact other races (not just white, but persian, asian, etc), I don’t see evidence of the “lawless” “looting” language being used in the same vein. But I’m open to being corrected on that.

]]> By: Jeff Metz http://trinaisakson.com/2010/01/haiti-lessons-in-racialized-language/#comment-94 Jeff Metz Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:25:14 +0000 http://trinaisakson.wordpress.com/?p=438#comment-94 I respectively disagree. Why jump to a racist conclusion. It seems that all (save a few) Haitians are black so when referring to Haitians I acknowledge that they are black. I also acknowledge that in all societies there are elements of good people and those that are not. Haiti is no different. It even appears that in Haiti they seem to blessed with a culture of hard working, family oriented, law abiding citizens given that their crime rate is low and their police force tiny. (We have much to learn) All that being said, in the midst of all the tragedy, in the midst of all the heart warming outpouring of random acts of kindness of the devastated population, there are people who are looting. The fact that they are black is just the fact that everyone is. Please do not excuse their behavior by the tragedy. There are certainly many, clearly the majority, who are not ransacking business and stealing groceries. Those that are, are looting. Those that aren't are law abiding citizens. Both are black. Referencing looting is not a racial issue, just a sad fact of a disaster. I respectively disagree. Why jump to a racist conclusion. It seems that all (save a few) Haitians are black so when referring to Haitians I acknowledge that they are black. I also acknowledge that in all societies there are elements of good people and those that are not. Haiti is no different. It even appears that in Haiti they seem to blessed with a culture of hard working, family oriented, law abiding citizens given that their crime rate is low and their police force tiny. (We have much to learn) All that being said, in the midst of all the tragedy, in the midst of all the heart warming outpouring of random acts of kindness of the devastated population, there are people who are looting. The fact that they are black is just the fact that everyone is. Please do not excuse their behavior by the tragedy. There are certainly many, clearly the majority, who are not ransacking business and stealing groceries. Those that are, are looting. Those that aren’t are law abiding citizens. Both are black. Referencing looting is not a racial issue, just a sad fact of a disaster.

]]> By: One-off or a way of life? « Nonprofit Periscope http://trinaisakson.com/2010/01/haiti-lessons-in-racialized-language/#comment-93 One-off or a way of life? « Nonprofit Periscope Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:28:57 +0000 http://trinaisakson.wordpress.com/?p=438#comment-93 [...] reiterating the need for long-term assistance and for awareness of underlying aggravators such as racism.  The American Red Cross and other nonprofits are pushing the message as well, at least as far as [...] [...] reiterating the need for long-term assistance and for awareness of underlying aggravators such as racism.  The American Red Cross and other nonprofits are pushing the message as well, at least as far as [...]

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