Haiti Quote by Edwidge Danticat
“I think Haiti is a place that suffers so much from neglect that people only want to hear about it when it’s at its extreme. And that’s what they end up knowing about it.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New Yorker, 2019
The quote highlights that Haiti is often only noticed during crises, leading to a skewed perception of the country.
In simple terms: People only hear about Haiti when it’s in crisis.
Key Takeaway
Seek a fuller picture of Haiti.
Themes
neglect
media bias
crisis perception
stereotype
global awareness
humanity
Mood
empathetic
informed
concerned
Type
journalistic
social
reflective
When to use this quote
- policy discussion
- education
- media consumption
- humanitarian aid
Key Concepts
journalism
sociology
human rights
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we learn about Haiti beyond disaster news?
- What responsibilities do media have in balanced reporting?
A Different Perspective
Focus on crises can obscure everyday realities.
![“There [Haiti] were also leaders like Jean-Jacques Dessalines, whose motto was, "Cut their heads off, burn their houses."” quote by Edwidge Danticat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/eca/edwidge-danticat-2559_cutting_there-haiti-were-also-leaders-like-jean_1106767.jpg)
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
![“People of Haiti, I am the heir to the political philosophy, the doctrine and the revolution which my late father incarnated as president-for-life [and] I have decided to continue his work with the same fierce energy and the same intransigence.” quote by Jean-Claude Duvalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0d4/jean-claude-duvalier-45337_decided_people-of-haiti-i-am-the-heir-to-the-pol_50097.jpg)
