Attitude question.

I am alarmed about the anti gringo attitude frequently expressed by the Dominicans who post on this board. This is new to me as a long time foreign visitor and resident of the DR.

Most of these posts appear to come from Dominicans who abandoned their country to live in the USA. An exception is the individual who makes his living from tourists and the tips they give him. I hope that this attitude does not degenerate to the point that it has in Jamaica and several other islands.

Fortunately, the real Dominicans, the ones still living and working in the DR, don't appear to share this negative attitude about foreigners.

From poverty to sex with children, the flamers on this board are quick to heap the blame on the tourists. For some reason the Americans are first in line for the abuse. The abandoned single mothers in their teens that I have met here were not deflowered or impregnated by tourists but by Dominican men. Give the tourists a break. All the DR's problems are not their fault.

Let's learn to live together and work constructively to improve things in the DR instead of blaming each other. Tremendous progress has been made here because the DR has been hospitable
to foreign tourists and investors. Why spoil it?

Nony

I don't think the tiny minority of potentila visitors to the DR are influenced one way or another by this board, I wonder what the statistics would be re: tourists to the DR that have heard of DR1?

I don't mean to imply that DR1 is not important to the travel industry, but I sincerely doubt it will "make or break" tourism.

It is too bad that some people have to try and blame the ills of a country on foreign visitors, but in the wonder of the "free speech" Internet, what are you going to do? These people aren't going to change, DR1 can't monitor every message, the best solution I have found is ignore the ignorant "flames" and they extinguish themselves

Tom

"Most of these posts appear to come from Dominicans who abandoned their country to live in the USA."

FYI - I've found that there are only a very few Dominicans that actually post on this board. It's too bad, because otherwise more factual information could be disseminated, rather than opinions/observations/feelings. Not that opinions/observations/feelings are not important. I personally am full of them. But I think we'd all, myself included, get a truer picture of the real DR.

I am also concerned about the anti-Dominican attitudes by most of the posters on this board, even some of the Dominicans themselves. It seems that any bit of criticism about any aspect of tourism is taken as anti-gringo. It is not. Most of the criticisms I have seen, and the ones I have made, are carefully worded to make clear that tourism is a good thing when the tourist respects the country s/he is in, and when the tourist respects the native people of that country. The criticisms are against those who come into the country disrespecting the people and the country which is their host. Families who come from other countries and want to enjoy the Dominican Republic and meet its people and experience some of its culture are most welcome. People who come to promote the sex industry, buy land which is then forbidden to natives, or treat the natives in a way which shows exploitation are the ones who are being discouraged from this behavior. I am sure when someone comes to your house, your own house, and not your resort, you have certain standards you expect them to keep. The Dominicans have a right to set standards for the tourists that enter the country. If it takes a Dominican who is in the diaspora to defend his country, then that is what it takes. I am glad they care enough and haven't forgotten the people back home. I do maintain that one shouldn't fight evil with evil because that compounds it instead of effectively addressing it. I would hope that tourists in general will be encouraged by the fact that the DR is struggling to make its country one where they can come and enjoy a wholesome environment, and if that means the dirty ones stay away, then all the better. It is either that or the opposite, clean tourists will avoid the country because of the chaos of an "anything goes" dirty industry. Can't have both, so which one do you want?

Arcoiris wrote:


I am also concerned about the anti-Dominican attitudes by most of the posters on this board, even some of the Dominicans themselves. It seems that any bit of criticism about any aspect of tourism is taken as anti-gringo. It is not. Most of the criticisms I have seen, and the ones I have made, are carefully worded to make clear that tourism is a good thing when the tourist respects the country s/he is in, and when the tourist respects the native people of that country. The criticisms are against those who come into the country disrespecting the people and the country which is their host. Families who come from other countries and want to enjoy the Dominican Republic and meet its people and experience some of its culture are most welcome. People who come to promote the sex industry, buy land which is then forbidden to natives, or treat the natives in a way which shows exploitation are the ones who are being discouraged from this behavior. I am sure when someone comes to your house, your own house, and not your resort, you have certain standards you expect them to keep. The Dominicans have a right to set standards for the tourists that enter the country. If it takes a Dominican who is in the diaspora to defend his country, then that is what it takes. I am glad they care enough and haven't forgotten the people back home. I do maintain that one shouldn't fight evil with evil because that compounds it instead of effectively addressing it. I would hope that tourists in general will be encouraged by the fact that the DR is struggling to make its country one where they can come and enjoy a wholesome environment, and if that means the dirty ones stay away, then all the better. It is either that or the opposite, clean tourists will avoid the country because of the chaos of an "anything goes" dirty industry. Can't have both, so which one do you want?


Roberto: had more
and also send Hello

In this board whee have A few good example
of the foreigner that are welcome in this country
that would never have any Trouble with local people

and whee have the others that would always have trouble even with the most tolerant Dominican

like who?

Sarah/Arcoiris/Eddy/Trina/Joseph McCarthy/
and many others good men/woman that
have being cooperating in A way ore other to keep A good interact between Foreigners/Dominicans

there are A few names that I did not mentioned
since I don't know if they would approve that I mention they name ore not

who are not welcome
well we all know starting with you
Funny name

A.Nony Mouse
just like the Neo/Klan
never post they real name always hiding they self with a ONG

obviously you would like to use this country as south afrika/Bahamas-etc
to explant you superiority empire

don't worry Dominicans are no so passive,we are still having some men and woman with guts to defend they dignity and life
any time any where it takes

Peace
Roberto

What a mousy thing to write Nony ;-)

You have been here long enough, and shame on you for writing such a post...was it a flame or genuine "concern"?

I am disappointed with your choice of words, "the Dominicans that write on this board", "most of these posts appear to come from Dominicans who abandoned their country to live in the USA" and "fortunately, the real Dominicans, the ones still living and working in the DR, don't appear to share this negative attitude about foreigners".

C'mmon, Nony, I don't think you even believe your own words. And here I thought you were a little bit more objetive than this.

Let's see...how many Dominicans write on this board...can probably count them with the fingers of *one* hand. If you have a problem with a particular poster or two, just say so, instead of writing such distortions.

Regards,
Natasha

> > > "Fortunately, the real Dominicans, the ones still living and working in the DR, don't appear to share this negative attitude about foreigners."

Hi Nony,

"Una Compatriota" Sez, "Watch it fellow, you are on mighty thin ice here" (or words to that effect.

Regards,

. . . CES

shake it off

no sweat

enjoy!

tourist wash with dial....clean and smells good

"natives" retain your guts rather than spill them, you'll need them as time goes on

all others- peace, the war is over

enjoy!