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Wyclef's Hope For Haiti

January 12, 2009 2:01 AM

As a child, Wyclef Jean immigrated to the U.S. and grew up to live the American dream as a gifted and famous musician. As Scott Pelley reports, Jean is now using his talents and wealth to help his native Haiti.

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by TTTLive July 26, 2009 8:53 PM EDT
bless..js11411 is right on...the European and US corporate led policies of the US and European governments have caused this **********..this show is mediocre at best ..and only because we get to see some pics of how bad the place is which we do need to see, people need to see this..."land of the free"??..is this a joke??...how are the people supposed to look up to this "land of the free" when it is the country which embodies the very mechanism by which Haiti consistantly has been attacked..Wyclef is big for doing this and not forgetting his people but this "american dream stuff" is ridiculous and probably even an obstacle...point in fact a neo-liberal free-market capitalist is now president, just like before, no change, same policies...the main issue about immigration in Miami and the Cuban and Haitian arrivals is that the US and the European corporate interests who run these countries are fighting a war against the independence of Cuba..they do not feel the need to do this with Haiti as they have already...this is about economics and has always been since Haiti s independence..besides institutional racism has long been pretty much eradicated in Cuba..in 1959 black and whites carried on an independent revolution in Cuba while in the US there was still segragation...so..lets keep things in perspective pleaaasseee...US backed military coups have taken place in Haiti more than once..thats for money, not race, money...watch the film THE AGRONOMIST, Jean Dominique ..of which the sound track is Wyclef s music which sounds amazing I might add..watch The Agronomist, dont waste your time with this "american dream" money-money disney stuff...
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by astryd1 January 16, 2009 11:13 AM EST
Ver well put DocPerez!!! You nailed it!!!
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by docperez January 14, 2009 8:52 PM EST
I read the other posts and they all are very good and very true. Especially chuckcosby and js14411. It is very true that America and other countries had or has a racist policy when it comes to Haiti. Simply because Haiti is black. When Cubans who are 80% white come to the shore of Miami, they are welcomed where as Haitians who are 90% black are deported back to Haiti. Perhaps with an Obama administration this will change. Dominicans hate Haitians because they do not want to see too many black faces in the streets of Santo Domingo. If Haitians were white they would have been welcomed. The French hate Haitians because Haiti freed itself from her. If it was not for Haiti, slavery would have gone on in the Americas for another 100 years. Hugo Chavez might be the only one who loves Haiti because Haiti helped Venezuela get their independence. But right now Haiti has terminal cancer. Bandages are not enough. Haiti has to do something drastic to survive. It cannot depend on others all of the time. It should help itself. The corruption has to stop. The diaspora is the hope for the country. Bottom line Haiti needs money and a good administration of it. I said it in the previous post. The money can be obtain through remittances from the diaspora (200 million dollars per year)! Prayer changes things. Pray for Haiti. God bless America!
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by docperez January 14, 2009 8:18 PM EST
I am very proud of Wyclef. Why do other Hatian stars such as Sydney Poitier, Mario Elie, Garcelle Beauvais etc... do not help Haiti to that level? The only way Wyclef will make a major dent in Haiti is if he convinces the Haitian government to take 10% of the remittances sent by the Haitian diaspora to rebuild Haiti''s infrastructures. The diaspora sends 2 billion dollars per year to their loved one via transfers (e.g., Western Union, CAM); the haitian government can appropriate 10% of the receipts (200 million dollars). The money can be used for projects to fix the country. Check ilelatortue.com (Tortuga Island).

Wyclef is really big on Cite Soleil but to put the unemployed to work is to start with a fixed infrastructure (water, electricity, roads and security). Then, investors will be encouraged to come to Haiti and take advantage of millions of potential workers. 200 million dollars per year from the sacrifice of the diaspora through remittances is a huge sum for a like Haiti. Tortuga Island can be targeted for tourism. Profits would be made to help the rest of Haiti.

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by astryd1 January 14, 2009 9:15 AM EST
It''s never been an issue for any "American Idol" wanna be to have or not a college degree to be a star. They shoot up with commercial $ pumped into their so called careers.I am in awe of Wyclef Jean''s accomplishments!He hosted a special with the biggest stars and their guitars at Carnegie Hall!I was overcome by tears of pride and joy!That''s the beauty of this great country! YES WE CAN!
Wyclef pays a whole regiment of people out of his pocket to clean up the streets of Port-au-Prince,who would otherwise be beggars and even maybe die of hunger. That''s more than a lot of "so called" humanitarian aid has ever done. He empowers them by giving them a JOB and a sense of selfrespect. Nobody talks about that.
YES HE''S GOT TALENT!!! He graduated from THE UNIVERSITY OF HARD KNOCKS'' LIFE WITH HONORS!
As now this great nation begins a new era of change and "The Dream" is now a reality, I hope we can concentrate on what matters.Haiti is in your backyard just like Cuba,Jamaica etc. She is the "THE BRIGHT RED ELEPHANT" in the room in Us politics. There are only 8 million of us on a area maybe as big as the state of California. I guess she is too small of a job and wouldn''t be considered "an accomplishment" to save. We need JOBS! Just like the USA!
With jobs solved are the boatpeople, the hunger and the illeteracy troubles.
This is the humble opinion of Haitian jewelry designer waiting for her big break dancing kompa to the beat of WYCLEF JEAN!
Astryd Roy
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by pabo3 January 13, 2009 3:44 AM EST
"for a rock star who didn''t go to college, it''s been quite a education"

What kind of trash talk is that?! Since he didn''t go to college, how dare he go to the esteemed hall of the U.S. Congress.

Try to find someone with a Business or Marketing Degree who knows more about business or marketing than Wyclef Jean. He''s more education than than a college grad because he has knowledge and mileage. It''s a lot harder to get a record contract than it is to get a Ph.d!

It''s unacceptable to disparage people because of their race or national origin. Yet it''s perfectly acceptable to imply that someone is stupid because they didn''t go to college.
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by js11411 January 13, 2009 2:10 AM EST
The "developed world" may be "tired of Haiti," but it is precisely the "developed world" that has had the biggest hand in creating the current situation. Laws and policies that keep nations like Haiti in perpetual debt have no place in a humane world. As a young nation created by slaves rebelling in order to gain their freedom as human beings, Haiti was immediately forced to "choose" to maintain its hard-fought sovereignty or to pay an exorbitant fine to France. From the start this nation was in serious debt, and has been made to pay for its "freedom" in every way for over 200 years. Enough already! It would be great if there were more stories digging beneath the surfaces of poverty and danger. Let''s learn more about Haiti%u2019s tenacious people, rich history and vibrant culture. This would help to bridge some of the false separation that we have created over time.
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by Dubina January 12, 2009 8:49 AM EST
Is there no video on Wyclef Jean but the lady who wants to stop smoking?
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by chuckcosby January 12, 2009 1:07 AM EST
=
It is beyond me a Godly man that you evil lying Anglo hypocrites at CBS can do a story about Haiti without disclosing or any disclaimer mentioning how America, Democrat, and Republicans have a double standard for Haitians versus fair-skinned Cubans, Jews, Iraqis, etc.

Furthermore, Wyclef would have done more to help the Haitian cause had he taken you to task on America double standard toward his'''' native Haiti rather than him allowing you and CBS to pretend that you care.
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by chuckcosby January 12, 2009 1:03 AM EST
It is beyond me a Godly man that you evil lying Anglo hypocrites at CBS can do a story about Haiti without disclosing or any disclaimer mentioning how America, Democrat, and Republicans have a double standard for Haitians,fair-skinned Cubans, Jews, Iraqis, etc.

Furthermore, Wyclef would have done more to help the Haitian cause had he taken you to task on America double standard toward his'' native Haiti rather than him allowing you and CBS to pretend that you care.
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