MovieChat Forums > The Price of Sugar (2007) Discussion > To all of you, hypocrites...

To all of you, hypocrites...

posted 16 years ago by thedrmat
6 replies | jump to latest

To all of you, hypocrites, empty-minded morons, self-proclaimed defenders of freedom, who have seen this film and pity the poor Haitians:

Yes, it is true, it is shameful what happens to Haitians who cross the border between the two countries in search of a better life (as many wannabe immigrants do), and then end up caught in this tangle of corruption and slavery; that's no myth, I know it for a fact. I come from the country where it happens.

But it is also true that many people just like to feel up their filthy mouths with hipocresy and phony self-righteousness, and want to bash us Dominicans and call us slavers, xenophobes, and Lord knows how many other names.

How about what the superpowers are doing in countries like Afghanistan and Irak?? And so many other unmentioned places!! For the sake of what?? Freedom, they say!! OF WHO??!! Talk about abuse and xenophobic attitudes!! And, in either case, if you feel so bad about the Haitians, why don't you grab them all and solve their problems altogether, instead of talking so much crap??!!

[–] angiemoree 16 years ago

I don't think anyone is accusing the entire Dominican population for the discrimination against Haitians. Americans have a lot to do with what is going on there as well. I doubt very seriously if many people are going to stop buying sugar because of the ill treatment of Haitians living in the batayes. I think for those Dominicans that are against the discrimination, they should speak out just as someone would speak out against abortion or racism here in America. There are so many nations that are suffering with similar issues, I dont think we can make enough documentaries. But movies like this bring awareness. If we can help do so but we can all pray. Maybe you should try doing that instead of being so defensive. Two wrongs never made a right. Take care

"Mes Ami!"

[–] thedrmat 16 years ago

I like the point you make, angiemoree. The problem is that it isn't that simple.

The thing is that it doesn't stop (or hasn't just started) with this documentary alone, the problem with the relentless discredit campaign raised against my country. It goes way beyond that. If you lived there, you knew what I mean. I say THERE, because I have been living in Canada for the past few months, but I always keep in touch with the situation in my country. That's why I can't help but being defensive. Because I know that the particular case of this film has A LOT to do with fake self-righteousness and hypocrisy.

[–] szech_1 15 years ago

What hypocrites? What crap talking? You posted this on an almost empty board with a few posts mostly about Paul Newman, and the only posts that had any venom behind them are yours. You're fighting a straw man, and running from things that aren't chasing you.

I don't hate Dominicans, I hate people who abuse human rights.

I don't call Dominicans slavers or xenophobes, I call them Dominicans. Or Dominicanos. If you think the world looks down on you, you're wrong. Most people don't know anything about your country, its people or its politics, and couldn't find it on a map.

I didn't want Iraq or Afghanistan to be dealt with the way they were. Neither the government nor statistically half the population listened to me. There's a distinction between the actions of a country and the actions of its people. You ask for that distinction for Dominicans, then blur it for other countries. Now THAT is hypocrisy.

The movie is trying to inform people about specific human rights abuses, so people will think about things like buying fair trade sugar. That's all. I hope the best for anyone who suffers, be they Haitian, Dominican, or from anywhere else.

[–] thedrmat 15 years ago

Obviously, what I put on my posting went WAAAAAY over your head. I am not making this personal nor am I trying to make my people look like saints. And even less saying anything about Paul Newman!! I never said a thing about Mr. Newman, may he rest in peace; the guy always was a hero to me, regardless of the fact that he became the narrator of this piece of propaganda.

But you are obviously interpretating it at your own convenience; this situation between us and Haitians, because it is about us, we are evil; if it happened with anyone else (namely,...), it would be in the name of liberty and justice, or some crap like that.

I rest my case.

[–] szech_1 15 years ago

Way to dodge my points, and no I didn't miss what you were getting at. You're saying that anyone who criticizes Dominicans doesn't have any base for judgment because of what their country does. You, however, missed or chose to ignore my points.

The first part of my post is to assure you that not everyone is so closed minded as to judge Dominicans as a whole. You seem to feel oppressed and I'm saying to you, not to worry about the loudmouths, because they don't represent everyone. I know this for a fact.

You wrote: "How about what the superpowers are doing in countries like Afghanistan and Irak?? And so many other unmentioned places!! For the sake of what?? Freedom, they say!! OF WHO??!! Talk about abuse and xenophobic attitudes!! And, in either case, if you feel so bad about the Haitians, why don't you grab them all and solve their problems altogether, instead of talking so much crap??!!"

This -IS- personal, and it's very offensive. You are obviously talking about the U.S. and other COUNTRIES that have allied themselves in those conflicts. Then you roll all of us INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS together as though we're the perpetrators of the wars, abuse, and in your words--xenophobic attitudes. You're judging people by their nationality. Which is exactly what you want other people NOT to do... for Dominicans. That is hypocrisy, and your follow up post is just more of the same.

Look, any reasonably minded person would see the movie and work for human rights. Anyone who uses it as a vehicle for hate is wrong, stupid, and missing the point. But the fact that some people might do so anyway doesn't change the fact that this movie is about human rights violations and getting people to think about them, PERIOD. That hateful post of yours ranting against some imaginary opponent doesn't do you or anyone else any favors.

[–] gregbarnes 14 years ago

Well said, szech_1.