Susan Scott Krabacher's early life as chronicled in her new book "Angels of a Lower Flight" (Aspen Daily News, Oct. 15) should be seen as fulfilling the adage that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  In her case, strong enough to walk alone through the teeming streets of Cite Soleil, the largest and most desperate slum in the Western Hemisphere to find children in desperate need of medical care.

Wed 10/17/2007 10:01PM MST

Editor:
Mercy and Sharing Foundation has hundreds of supporters among longtime Aspenites who recognize its efforts in this way, and they in their turn are also part of that. What they may not be aware of (because Krabacher casts no blame) is that the conditions she deals with in Haiti are largely a product of 200 years of disrespect and abuse of that nation by the United States.

In 1797 Haiti was the next nation in the Western Hemisphere to heed the call of liberty and cast out her colonial occupiers (France), a cause directly inspired by the American Revolution and the writings of Thomas Jefferson. But because it was a black nation, which was thought to threaten the "peculiar institution" of slavery still in effect, the United States did not support this liberty, but assisted  the attempt by France to retake the colony. The ensuing  warfare pitted 100,000 European soldiers against the lightly-armed but determined Haitians in battles that made the American Revolution seem like a church picnic. Haiti prevailed over that invasion and preserved her Independence.

In 1915 the U.S. Army invaded Haiti and began an occupation that lasted for 32 years until 1947. It was not until 1994 that anything like a true free election was held and a true popular leader installed, and even that was violently opposed by factions trained and financed (reputedly) by the CIA.

I tell you this so you know that what Krabacher is doing in Haiti is trying to clean up a mess that was created by our country and is our responsibility. Her 3,000 kids today and maybe 10 times that over her 14 years of service still represent but a small percentage of the 300,000-plus Haiti children who are equally desperately at risk.  It is a scale of humanitarian distress that is beyond the scope of any private foundation and can only really be addressed at the Congress level. I urge you write your Congressman to get moving on the "Haiti Economic and Infrastructure Reconstruction Act"  which is stalled in committee.

As a codicil to her new and important book, "Angels of a Lower Flight," I commend to you her earlier film documentary "Children of Haiti" that is available at the Pitkin County Library. In this you will see firsthand the deplorable conditions she has encountered. But, perhaps more importantly, you will also see that the people of Haiti are not defeated by their circumstance. They still have heart and integrity. They still have pride. They still know what liberty means. What has not killed them has made them stronger.

As for Krabacher, I am not at all sure that "Lower Flight" is a sufficient description.

Michael Flanagin
Aspen