Tim Russert: Haitians Have No Political Power

"Haitians have no political power."
--Tim Russert | MSNBC (03/29/2008)

Now that seems like a harmless assessment, but if you look closer it makes you wonder what it would take for Haitians to have this vaunted "political power." Could it be that they are poor and black? Is that their sin? So I sat down to write an email to Mr. Russell.

"Those poor voiceless, powerless, impotent Haitians that you and your guest Tucker and the other guest were chuckling about -- seemed to me kind of mean to laugh at people dying on the open seas or being repatriated to Haiti without a hearing or incarcerated like criminals in immigration jails.

Edwidge Dandicat the great Haitian writer has an acclaimed book describing her uncle's death at an immigration facility called "Brother, I'm Dying". Have you heard of it? Probably not, dead black Haitians are so last year.

Although, it is sort of ironic that poor black people from Haiti think that they can find refuge and safety in their chief enemy's country.

It's a new one though, you boys adding Venezuelans to your target list of powerless hated peoples. You may find it a bit harder though to put your imperialist heels on the metaphorical necks of poor Venezuelans. They and their leaders will give you a better fight, since they have oil revenues and are in a better position to fight.

My question is though -- why are you guys trying to perpetuate the myth of Venezuelan refugees. Maybe if you had exhibit A - poor, powerless Venezuelan seeking shelter from harsh, dictatorial, unelected government of Hugo Chavez, you would not so unintentionally give me such a belly laugh!!!!

That wealthy Venezuelans, who could not overthrow the democratically elected government of Hugo Chavez are filling up the ranks of the Cuban dissident few (and getting fewer) in Miami is probably true. But most likely they are taking a flight in from Caracas on American Airlines and sipping a glass of martini in relative comfort."

Update (3/30/08):
Tucker Carlson commented that the US should end the blockade of Cuba; not to end the suffering of the Cuban people, you understand, but so that Cuba can be invaded by Starbucks. That'll fix those Commies!

Carlson expressed his surprise and obvious dissappointment that the Pastor Wright controversy seemed to be losing its legs. It seems that his political prognostications about the negative repercussions for Obama were wrong.

Update (3/31/08):
The context of the discussion when the remark about Haitians was made by Russert involved the so-called "wet foot / dry foot" or if you call it like it is; the "black foot / white foot" policy of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) .