Mud Pie Anyone??

Last summer, food prices skyrocketed to an all time high. We here in America might had felt the effect as no more than like a mosquito bite [if you ever have been bitten by one], but those living in Haiti experienced the big gnawing bite. The Haitian woman to the left is seen here drying out mud biscuits or cookies made of dried yellow clay mixed with water, salt and vegetable shortening or margarine.The mud, which comes from Haiti's central plateau region, is first strained and then shaped into biscuits which are left in the sun.The pale brown biscuits, known by locals simply as "terre", have traditionally been eaten by pregnant Haitians and children as an antacid and source of calcium. However, for some Haitians unable to afford even a plate of rice, terre has become their staple diet.

There are many reasons why many Haitians are resorting to this extreme, and it is not only due to high food prices. Can you think of any? And try these questions as well:

• Why is the price of food in Haiti so high?
• Is the story above another example of structural violence? How? How is it not?
  
• What do you think of this statement made by workers world website "The reason Haiti is currently starving is simple. Canada, the U.S. and France—the three imperialist powers most involved in exploiting Haiti..." ?

Click on the picture to read the full story about this issue.
(picture was taken from Telegraph.co.uk)

Haitian Schools are Falling Down!

For the second time, another school in Haiti-this time in the nation's capital, Port-au-Prince- COLLAPSED, injuring 5. Last week, 90 people-mostly children- got buried and died when the school collapsed on them. According to NY Times' report on the first incident:

Neighbors said they suspected that the building had been poorly reconstructed after it partially collapsed eight years ago, said Jinny Germain, a French teacher at the school.Ms. Germain said people who had lived just down the hill abandoned their land out of fear that the building would tumble onto them. She said the school’s owner had tried to buy up the vacated properties.The school’s third story was still under construction, and Claire Rudie Parent, Pétionville’s mayor, said she suspected that a structural defect had caused the collapse, not recent rains.Francene Moreau, the area police commissioner, said the preacher who runs the school could face criminal charges.

Since this month our theme is Structural Violence, I want to know what you guys think about how the issue of structural violence might have, or have not, played to his horrible incident. You can do that by posting a comment. You don't need a gmail account to comment , so just go ahead and scribble your thoughts!

If you want to read more about this incident click on the picture.

First Post!

GlobeMed people,

So here is our official Blog for everyone at Truman's GlobeMed chapter. If anyone would like to post contact me at afm7777@gmail.com and I will get you set up to post. This will be available through our website globemed.truman.edu so everyone can stay in touch over the summer. Also for those going on the Haiti Trip, you can use it as your journal to blog about all of your amazing experiences and make all of us who don't get to go extremely jealous!

Alli Mutchler