Limited “humanitarian parole” for earthquaked Haitians.

( – promoted by buhdydharma )

The concept of “humanitarian parole” strikes me as emblematically American, albeit excessively witty.   Does it mean that a person is emancipated and discharged of being Human or Haitian?  Parole certainly suggests, if not exactly prior guilt, e.g., Original sin, at least some form of previous incarceration or imprisonment.  Most likely, it means that Haitians are provisionally granted the status of humans on the grounds that their captors have humanitarian sentiments towards the beasts.  Who knows.  Like I said, excessively witty.

In any case, it seems few Haitians are granted this esteemed status.

MIAMI – The United States has suspended its medical evacuations of critically injured Haitian earthquake victims until a dispute over who will pay for their care is settled, military officials said Friday…

Only 34 people have been given humanitarian parole for medical reasons, said Matthew Chandler, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. The National Disaster Medical System, if activated, would cover the costs of caring for patients regardless of their legal status.

I hope they at least have ankle bracelets.

8 comments

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    • Edger on January 30, 2010 at 21:55

    What’s the dispute?

    Pay for it out of the Pentagon and CIA budgets, and with garnishees on Bush and Clinton’s estates.

  1. military hardware and military pork the US seems to specialize in, you’d think that there would be lots of outrage at cutting off the flights and letting the Haitians die.  This is not that expensive.  And it is needed.  Badly.  One wonders what would happen if the Haitians who need this were whiter, or richer, or spoke English, or had larger families in Miama.  Would we hear the same bs??  Doubtful.

    • Robyn on January 31, 2010 at 03:29

    word of honour

    The Haitians are, in effect, giving their word of honor to return to Haiti after treatment is over.

    They speak French in Haiti.

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