Ansel Herz Reports from Haiti; Jeremy Dupin Reportedly Fine

Very happy to hear that these guys are both OK and happy that we are going to have good eyes and ears on the ground in Port-au-Prince.

Good news has been hard to find in Haiti.

Would be interested to see this footage to forward to our editor at The Digital Journalist.  I talked to Mona Mehdy this afternoon and she is very excited to hear Ansel is ok, knows of his interview with Wolf Blitzer and Newshour.  Please email me anything you receive, or anything from Ansel directly to bspicer@austin.rr.com  Thanks.

Ansel and Jeremy are in good shape and reinforcements [Reed] are on the way.

Hook 'em horns to Ansel and to all three authentic journalists ... a thousand safe journeys a day as you keep us informed and enlightened.

Thanks for the good news concerning our Scholars and reporters!  I knew we would hear something soon.

As a Mom and a Grandmom, I am grateful you guys are OK, and I'm really proud of you both.  The world gets another taste of authentic journalism.

Al, if we want to send $$ to help in Haiti, can you suggest how/who?  I also gave to the Fund for Authentic Journalism to help you help our reporters.

Update:  Tom W. gave a link to his choice for donations for the people of Haiti on the Edward's Thread. Here it is:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/13/help-haiti

Funny, because it was the Digital Journalist that just recently published the following screed:

Citizen journalist is a misnomer. There is no such thing. There are citizens and there are journalists. Everybody can be one of the former, but to be called a journalist means that you are a professional. Either you have been schooled in journalism, or you have "paid your dues," rising slowly through the ranks. Journalists are generally not paid well, but they are paid. In our opinion, once you get your third payment for a story you wrote or a photograph you took, or a video clip used on TV, you face a decision whether you want to pursue this as a career. If you decide you do, you are now a fledgling journalist. Those who write or photograph for the sheer joy of doing so are amateurs. It comes from the Latin, "those who love to do." However, they are not professionals.

...

Professional visual journalists cover fires, floods, crime, the legislature and the White House every day. There is either a fire line or police line, or security, or the Secret Service who allow them to pass upon displaying credentials vetted by the departments or agencies concerned. In New York City, for example, working on a committee of the NYPD and NYFD, news organizations every year fill out applications for Working Press cards. A senior visual journalist appointed by the New York Press Photographers Association passes on those applications.

A citizen journalist, an amateur, will always be on the outside of those lines. Imagine the White House throwing open its gates to admit everybody with a camera phone to a presidential event.

...

Many of these problems come from the Internet, for years disdained by professional editors. As the business side slashes budgets, these editors and publishers think that they can abandon their print editions, and have bloggers post without covering stories as they happen. Yes, there are a million news blogs, but only one New York Times. But to continue its reputation, the Times must uphold traditional editorial principles. So must we all.

And yet, it's the very authentic journalists above who are putting such a snobby ethos to rest. Go get 'em!

@ Erin Rosa

Thank you for the link.  Someone seems to be more than a little threatened by "citizen journalists".  I thought the analogy that one wouldn't want a "citizen brain surgeon" was pure bunk.  The differences between "authentic journalist" and corporate media is one of method, truth and biases, not technical skills.  In fact both kinds of journalism - authentic, citizen and corporate - require a certain amount of technical skills such as language, punctuation, ablity to use photographic, video and other high tech computer equipment.

The comments on the journalistic joys of "embedded" wartime correspondents was telling:

You will not see many citizen journalists wandering around the battlefields of Afghanistan. It takes a lot of money to pay for travel, the gear, the armor vests, translators and so on. Why should a military unit "embed" a so-called citizen journalist?

Yes, I can see the military only wants bought & paid for war mongers in the field, but is it really good "journalism" to so blatantly say so?   The world has shifted and these guys clearly don't "get" it.

Hi Al,

Thank God that your fellow journalists are fine. I must say, I have not been as appalled as I was last night with the shameful coverage of Katrina victims. Anderson Cooper truly disgusted me with the on air baseless speculation that mayhem was about to break out, when no such thing was happening. In fact Keith Olberman too was trying to push that meme particulalry as he interviewed the Reuters reporter who adamantly refused to take the bait. The  guy kept saying his experience on the ground did not support the speculations about pending anarchy.

The deeply condescending tendency of the western media on matters concerning brown and black people should be no surprise now since that is the default position they take every single time, but that does not make it any less galling each time they behave as such. Thankfully we now have other sources we can turn to for unvarnished news.

I wonder often why these armies of spotlight-hogging celebrity stenographers and tv faces don't get to work and actually help people when these disasters strike. Why don't they help pull people out of the ruble with bare hands like the indigenous people are doing? You have them running around and shoving mikes and cameras iin people's faces. If I were a victim in desperate need of sustenance I'd ask them "why don't you help, instead of blah blah?."

God bless them and keep them and the people of Haiti.

This has been such a shock and the pictures are horrifying. I am astounded at the need from the MSM to try and find the killing/looting storyline. That they are jonesing for that story says sad and pathetic things about the MSM in general.

Completely OT: But I think a lot of you  would be interested in this story about OFA and it's work to date. It sounds like they've done a good job but David Plouffe's is missed and needed. He seems to be doing a good job with Deval Patrick's campaign for governor, through.

I am glad to hear they're safe.   I donated via text to the Red Cross and Wyclef Jean's Yele organization.  I also donated to Care via Google.

http://www.google.com/relief/haitiearthquake/#utm_campaign=en&utm_source...

I wish I could do more.   I was so disturbed by Pat Robertson's comments and to now learn that MSM is pushing the looting meme...it's even more depressing.   Does Haiti still owe the World Bank?

A call has been made for aid to go directly to social movements in Haiti rather than via the corrupt, self-serving and woefully inadequate Haitian state. One group in Miami has contact with Batay Ouvriye and the capabilities to get money over. Here's their message in full:

01/14/09- A natural disaster has descended upon Haiti whose scope we only are seeing the surface of at this time. The Haitian people will be struggling to rebuild their lives and their home possibly for decades in light of unprecedented collapse, both physical and social. Yet despite the unpredictability of earthquakes, this disaster is unnatural, a monstrosity of our time. The extent of the damage of the earthquake is part of the cost of unrestrained exploitation which at every step put profit above the health, safety, and well being of the Haitian people. While the world watches on ready to help, power is being dealt an opportunity. The Haitian workers and peasants have been fighting for their rights to even the most basic level of existence for decades, while the UN-occupying force, the state, and the ruling elites maintain the social misery without relenting. Now as Port-Au-Prince is in rubble, new opportunities arise for rulers to rebuild Haiti in their own interests, and likewise for the Haitian workers and peasants to assert their right to their own Haiti, one where they will be not be forced to live in dangerous buildings, and work merely to fill the pockets of elites, foreign or domestic.

As we move from watching in horror to taking decisive action, progressives can offer an alternative. There is a strong and beautiful desire to do something, to help others in this time of need. Our actions are strongest when we organize ourselves, and make a concerted effort in unity. Right now we can have the deepest impact by committing ourselves to act in solidarity with the autonomous social movements of Haiti directly. They present the best possible option for the Haitian people, and are in the greatest need. At the same time, we are in the best position to help them out our common interest as people engaged in struggling against a system that works to exploit us all. We are calling for solidarity people-to-people engaged in common struggle. It is not only a question of money for AID but also an autonomous and independent act of international solidarity that illuminates the bankruptcy of the occupying forces, multinational corporations, and Haitian elites that are primarily responsible for the decayed state of Haiti. There will be aid flowing and money given as a form of charity until the next disaster. Our act of solidarity should, in no shape or form, be solely an act of humanitarian aid. It should not be an apolitical act, and we shouldn't give the green light to those that wish to capitalize on the suffering of others. It should be an act of solidarity to the struggling people of Haiti and their organizations while at the same time rejecting the totally inept Haitian elites and their state apparatus for bankrupting Haiti. The earthquake is a natural disaster, but the state of Haiti, the abject poverty of the masses and the vile injustice of the social order, are unnatural.

We have a relationship with one organization, Batay Ouvriye, and are putting our resources and time into helping Batay Ouvriye to help rebuild from the catastrophe and maintain the struggle for a better Haiti and a better world. Batay Ouvriye is a combative grassroots worker and peasant’s organization in Haiti with workers organized all over Haiti, especially in the Industrial sweatshops and Free Trade Zones.

We have set up a means to send money to Batay Ourviye. If others wish to send money to Batay Ouvriye, please email miamiautonomyandsolidarity@yahoo.com.

Miami Autonomy & Solidarity and Batay Ouvriye Haiti Solidarity Network

Also, reports of roads being blocked in Port-au-Prince with corpses in protest at the slow response of the authorities: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20100114/tts-uk-quake-haiti-roadblocks-ca02f96.html

Firstly, many and grateful thanks to Al Giordano and his brave team for keeping 'reality' in the public eye! And especially to reporters Ansel Herz and Jeremy Dupin for thoroughly negating the almost inevitable MSM theme of public disorder, rioting and societal collapse! And why are Fox News ignoring this disaster?

Now, is this event really what it seems? So far I have seen none of the classic signs of earthquake damage - where are the cracks in the earth, where the random collapses of entire areas? Why, for instance, is the Western Union utterly destroyed but the buildings either side are intact? Why are the airport, harbour, palace, UN building and power stations singled out for destruction? Divine wrath? I don't think so.

Perhaps it is worth bearing in mind that Haiti is/was a nexus for transatlantic electronic communications?

There is something rotten underlying this appalling and needless loss of life. Why is it that Haiti ALWAYS gets it in the neck? Why does America hate them so? Think Aristide...

In a time of great misery and extraordinary efforts to assist a people in the throes of untold suffering the last thing we need is crippling cynicsm bordering on Conspiracy Theories about the provenance of the catastrophe. There's enough for us all to do than indulge in mindless speculation. A little knowledge about geology and tectonic plates would tell you that Haiti sits on a faultline that extends across Gulf then up through California (San Andreas fault). This event could as well have happened on our own shores. It could as well have been a volcanic eruption in Alaska. The event itself is no conspiracy.

How we choose to assist Haitians as Alan notes upthread, such that the good old corrupt politicians and multinational corporations don't milk this disaster is a valid debate to have. We don't need conspiracy theories about a natural event to have that debate.

This time with better questions.

Thank you for the link.  Thank you, Ansel, Authentic Journalist.

One big one: electing this President is having a real-world effect in Haiti. To my (admittedly cynical) eye, the Obama Administration's response to Haiti is both quick and very vigorous. I'm impressed and proud, from the words and actions of the President to the obvious close cooperation between the State and Defense Departments - these are grown-ups well-matched to the ask at hand, people with no time for posing or politics in an emergency. That's in stark contrast to the leading voices on the other side, led by the pompous Rushbo. Sometimes it's good to step back from the day to day progressive wars to see that leadership matters.

Secondly, props are due to Bill Clinton for going out of his way to counter some of the looting/violence framing even before it starts to take shape - by asking Americans to put themselves into the shoes of desperate people. He can drive you crazy, or he can totally nail it - as he did on this point.

Update of BO Solidarity Fundraising
Dear comrades,
This is a quick update on the fundraising effort for Batay Ouvriye, as well as some information about the group and some of the controversy that has been brought up.
First of all, Miami Autonomy and Solidarity would like to thank all the groups and individuals that have donated money, spread the word, and defended Batay Ouvriye and their organizing work.  It is inspiring to see the networks that we have created and the quick response from so many people.  The money that we are sending will go to directly support workers impacted by the earthquake by providing food, water, and health care. It will also support the purchasing of minutes on cell phones so survivors can contact loved ones, and coordinate a grassroots relief effort.
We now have a way to donate online. The link is http://tinyurl.com/BatayOurviye.  Please update this and help us spread the word! Help with translating this into other languages is also appreciated.
For those who are interested in learning more about Batay Ouvriye check out their website—it is in 4 languages:  http://www.batayouvriye.org/
Also, there have been many people who have been criticizing Batay Ouvriye for taking money from the Solidarity Center in the past and are attempting to undermine their work.  Here is a link to two responses by BO for those who want more information and also need some help in the debates they may be having
http://www.batayouvriye.org/English/Positions1/responseithp.html
http://www.batayouvriye.org/English/Positions1/clarificationithp.html
We will continue to send updates periodically.  If you want to contact us directly our email address is miamiautonomyandsolidarity@yahoo.com or you can visit our blog  http://miamiautonomyandsolidarity.wordpress.com/ which will also contain updated information.

In solidarity,
Miami Autonomy and Solidarity

Informacion sobre el Esfuerzo de Recaudar Fondos para Batay Ouvriye
Queridos compañer@s,
Les enviamos la información mas actual sobre el esfuerzo de recaudar fondos para Batay Ouvriye y también tenemos mas información sobre el grupo y la controversia  que este esfuerzo a provocado. 
Antes de nada, Miami Autonomía y Solidaridad quiere darle gracias a todos los grupos y individuos que han donado dinero, han difundido la palabra y siguen defendiendo Batay Ouvriye y el trabajo que ellos hacen.  Inspira confianza ver los redes que hemos creados y las respuestas rápidas de tantas personas.  El dinero que estamos enviando va directamente al apoyo de trabajadores afectados por el terremoto para proveer comida, agua, y cuidado medico y para coordinar un esfuerzo de auxilio de las bases. También se va a usar para comprar minutos para teléfonos celulares para que los sobrevivientes puedan contactar  a sus familias.
Ahora tenemos una manera de donar por el Internet.  La pagina de Web es http://tinyurl.com/BatayOurviye.  Por favor pon esta información al día y ayúdanos difundir la palabra.  Su ayuda con traducciones es agradecido.  
Para las personas que estén interesadas en aprender mas sobre Batay Ouvriye visiten su sitio—esta disponible en cuatro idiomas: http://www.batayouvriye.org/
Hay muchas personas que han criticado Batay Ouvriye por aceptar dinero del Centro de Solidaridad en el pasado y están intentando de socavar el trabajo de ellos.  Aquí esta el sitio de BO con sus respuestas  para los que quieren mas información sobre el asunto y necesitan ayuda en las discusiones en que están involucrados. 
http://www.batayouvriye.org/Espanol/posiciones/cartarebelion.html
Continuaremos de mandar información periódicamente. Para contactarnos directamente envía un correo a miamiautonomyandsolidarity@yahoo.com o visite nuestro sitio de Web  http://miamiautonomyandsolidarity.wordpress.com/.
En solidaridad,
Miami Autonomía y Solidaridad