He's Back

Child Trafficking in Haiti
Karl Penhaul reported the details of the Baptist missionaries who have been arrested for child trafficking in Haiti. Most of the story was relayed to Penhaul by the group's translators but he also spoke directly to the 10 Americans late in the day on Tuesday.
Anderson raised a good point during his questioning of Penhaul. He said 'Clearly, anyone who is operating in Haiti, whose interested in kids or helping kids, at this point....or even that point last week, would have known or should have known that there were some very strict rules for how you go about helping kids in Haiti.'Dan Simon was in Meridian, Idaho where the Baptist missionary group is based and he reported the group has no experience running an orphanage, they are not registered as a non-profit, they didn't appear to have the financial ability to sustain the orphanage and they are not registered as an International adoption agency.Every time I heard this story the term 'ugly American' pops into my head. If you're not familiar with the meaning Dictionary.com defines "the Ugly American" as: Pejorative term for Americans traveling or living abroad who remain ignorant of local culture and judge everything by American standards.
I would bet those missionaries thought (and probably still think) that they were doing those kids and their families a huge favor rescuing them from a life in Haiti. But what they should have realized is that their efforts and money would have been more appreciated if they had worked to preserve the family unit and help it to succeed in Haiti.
To further bore you, I see a parallel here between those missionaries and religious groups here at home who seem to think they know what is best for all of us when it comes to gay marriage or a women's right to choose, etc. Pushing an agenda in God's name just isn't the Christianity I know.
I'm up pretty high on my soap box tonight, hope I don't hurt myself when I jump off!

Haiti's Orphans
Joe Johns reported from Haiti about the children and the government is trying to identify the 'new' orphans. Rev. Rick Frechette talked with Johns about the difference in orphans who have learned to survive on the streets over time and those that are on their own for the very first time. Those 'new' orphans are the ones that are trying to be rounded up and put into orphanages so they don't meet the fate that the rough streets of Port-au-Prince have waiting for them.

Civil Trials for Terrorists
Ed Henry and Dana Bash were live from DC reporting on the Christmas Day bomber and new information the government disclosed tonight. Henry said the bomber is talking with the FBI, who has worked very hard to establish a relationship with his family so he would be encouraged by them to talk.
Bash talked of the pressure Dems are under because President Obama wants to hold this trail and the 9/11 trials in civilian courts. They feel it's expensive and that foreign born terrorists don't deserve the same rights as US citizens.


Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen testified before a Congressional Committee today that Congress should consider repealing the militaries' 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy that has been in effect since the Clinton era.
AC mentioned that over 13,000 have been discharged because of this policy and I heard it mentioned in an earlier report today that there are estimated 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serving.
David Gergen joined AC to discuss how the don't ask, don't tell policy came into being with President Clinton and who was and wasn't in favor of the doctrine.


Searching For Answers in Faith
Anderson walked the streets of Little Haiti in NYC on Tuesday night talking to residents who had lost family member in the earthquake. He then did an interview in the NYC studio with Pastor Joel Osteen and asked 'How can God let something like this happen?'. Here's the segment:

After a break AC was back and continued to explore religion with Osteen. I need to add that I found this to be one of the most interesting, telling and moving studio interviews that AC360 has ever aired.


Surprise, surprise Kiran Chetry stayed up way past her bedtime to read the 360 News and Business Bulletin. I enjoyed her way more than the reader last night who seemed a little too perky and might I say even flirty?
• A Senate committee heard a report today that another terror attack on the US in the next 6 months is 'certain'
• POTUS was in New Hampshire today pushing small business loans
• Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today so there will be six more weeks of winter
• MJ's doctor may be charged, related to the singer's death, in the next few days
• The Lancet is retracting it's published link between autism and vaccines

The Shot
The actual The Shot wasn't that great but I always love when the guys in the studio get in on the action. Take a look:





Anderson's tweets from today:


Kiran Chetry tweeted this picture of AC and Joel Ostein after the program ended.
A few more new pictures of AC in Haiti, thanks to Wonz




We received a comment on Monday that I found very moving and wanted to share with all of you. It was submitted by Mia Lopez who wanted AC and Sanjay to know how grateful she and her fellow Haitians are for CNN's coverage of the earthquake's aftermath. ~Phebe

On January 12, 2010 at 7:30pm I turned on CNN and it is the eyes of blue that touched my heart as Anderson Cooper fostered our country and stood strong wondering what the devastation of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake could cause a country already as improvised as Haiti. In the oceans of his eyes I saw rivers of tears and he captured me than.

I can go back to the moment at 9:45pm when Anderson explained that he would need someone to take over the broadcast because he was catching an 11pm flight to the Dominican Republic to be sure to make it into Haiti in the morning. I asked myself “Where did this love for Haiti come from?” I mean in this pale skinned, thin White man, stood this glowing center of hope for my people. “Why this interest, when usually the world simply turns the page when they hear the word Haiti?” But sure enough in the morning, after 10 agonizing hours of calling family and friends with no success, it was CNN who was first on the ground. Anderson Cooper, without a red cape, with no Gold S on his chest, simply an ash grey t-shirt which somehow symbolized the grayness of the country shown behind him as he reported. First on the scene, like a doctor scrubbing into surgery, Anderson Cooper was there. Day and night it seemed he headed our plea. He became our voice. He spoke to us, thru us and for us, so that the world would listen. He represented the majority, when in reality people were not ready to see the devastation brought to my minority.

The days turned into weeks and as his images and those of Dr. Gupta continued to ravish our minds and shake our souls, we could not just sit here and do nothing. These two gentlemen become our bulldozers, they showed us what we didn’t want to see, but should see, they told us about the stories that needed to be heard, not what was scripted by CNN Studio Producers. Larry King joined the fight as Gupta and Cooper continued everyday to devote their lives to our cause. The dynamic duo is what I called them, but it is more than super hero powers that kept them at the forefront of our minds, hearts, souls, thoughts and prayers. Sheer humanity helped those men endure for us. They automatically become the face of this terrible tragedy, the light at the end of the tunnel, knowing that we could make a difference, that we would rise above everything and Live again.

Many joke that Anderson Cooper is now an Honorary Haitian, and many would love the opportunity to shake his hand, to hug him, to invite him to dinner and to simply say THANK YOU – for not leaving us behind. Thank you for coming to our rescue, Thank you for being there when no one else was, like a best friend at a time of desperation. Thank you for caring and for being the type of person we all should strive to be.

These two men, Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sonjay Gupta will receive awards from every angle, every Haitian-American association, and they will continue to receive journalistic honors for their commitment to being the eyes and ears of an entire nation. But today, I needed to genuinely and unconditionally put finger to keyboard to say, MESI AMPIL! For reminding me that it is not my country’s title of destitute, its generalization of illiteracy or blackness, nor is it its negative view from the outside of the world’s window that matters, but it is the generosity, purity, strength and determination of my people from the inside of its throbbing heart that keeps me, my children, my parents and my family alive. Through your magic lens and your surgical prowess gentlemen, the world now knows that Haiti exists and will once again pridefully stand and prevail.





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All Things Anderson is a blog dedicated to CNN's AC360 and its host Anderson Cooper.