Cokcfight: Haiti vs. D.R. round 1

Summary
Haitians and Dominicans share a tight relationship, both healthy and unhealthy. The two countries have faced similar odds, fought alongside each other, and fought against one another. The two countries also share a passion for cockfighting. The men of either country wage money on this barbaric sport. The narrator mentions that cockfighting is not entirely a barbaric sport, but it is an extension of life. The roosters that fight represent political parties for Dominicans and Haitians. The cockfighting then takes another symbol; the island of Hispaniola is a giant cockfighting ring. The two countries that make it up are fighting for territory in close quarters, just like cocks fight for territory. The Haitians and Dominicans today have survived centuries of tension and death. The rivalry of these two countries start out with their forefathers, ancestors, and slave masters; all realted to the French and Spanish. Years ago, during the 16th-century, the two nations viaed for the Island. After years of slavery, the Haitian laborers rebelled, and fought off the French. There were left over white settlers. The settlers tried to pass by as mulatto. To prove their identities were real, the current Haitian emperor at the time ordered any person of light skin to sing a kreyol song, if they could not sing it correctly, the person was executed. Years later, France, Spain, and Britain each fought over the country, turning it into a virtual war-zone. Haiti and the Dominican Republic allied and fended off tyrannical rule form their home countries. The two countries would finaly became independent countries, however, tension between the country, suspicions, and vengence was was always around. The two countries, although were in close proximity, were neighbors, have back stabbed each other numerous times before becoming independent nations. After each nation gained their respective presidents, turned dicattors, they went off into near hatred of each other. Under the Dictorial rule of Rafeal Tujillo, the Dominican republic was thriving, until the great depression hit. The government needed a way to rid itself of a large Haitian population that was once there to work on the sugar canes, became obsolete. Tujllo realizing deportation would take too long, decided to take action and massacre the Haitians. His plan was devious: he would blame angry farmers for the deaths, and his sodliers used knives and shovels to kill the Haitain workers. The death toll of the Haitian workers is unknown, some range it to as low as 15,000 and as high as 35,000. Tujillo's reign would end as years later he got assassinted.
Quote
"Their lie uncovered, they met the bayonets of Dessaline's men.(More then a century later, black Haitians would die for failing a similar test in the Domincan Republic)(Wucker 37)."
Reaction
There were too many quotes for me to pick out from this book. But this one resonates in my mind the most. Throughout the book, Haitains and Dominicans seemed less then friends or enemies, they at that time were more friendnemies. It is safe to say, any tragedy the Haitians commited on the Dominicans, the Dominicans put a tragedy on Haitians. The quote only shows the complex relationships between the countries, something that I myself as a Haitian have known and exprienced, even still today.