Brene Brown

But about six months after that, this was in 1960, 61, the government was overthrown by a military coup.

But about six months after that, this was in 1960, 61, the government was overthrown by a military coup.

Sixty people signed the pledge. Within a year or two later, the only one who kept the pledge was my father.

Sixty people signed the pledge. Within a year or two later, the only one who kept the pledge was my father.

He said, by the way, what are you doing now that this coup has occurred? And my father said, well, I'm a political exile. I have six children and I'm unemployed. And one week later, my family, six children, parents, each carrying one suitcase, we came to New Haven.

He said, by the way, what are you doing now that this coup has occurred? And my father said, well, I'm a political exile. I have six children and I'm unemployed. And one week later, my family, six children, parents, each carrying one suitcase, we came to New Haven.

That's all I thought about. That's not true. I thought about my father. I also thought about my wife and children. You know, it's very risky suing the US government. I had served in the US government. They have huge resources. They have an advantage in the courts. And the pace of litigation is brutal. We had to win. There's no point in bringing the case just to lose.

That's all I thought about. That's not true. I thought about my father. I also thought about my wife and children. You know, it's very risky suing the US government. I had served in the US government. They have huge resources. They have an advantage in the courts. And the pace of litigation is brutal. We had to win. There's no point in bringing the case just to lose.

We recruited about 150 students, and they all worked on it around the clock for free while they were doing their schoolwork.

We recruited about 150 students, and they all worked on it around the clock for free while they were doing their schoolwork.

I knew two things. There was a song called Guantanamera about the girl from Guantanamo. And I knew the movie A Few Good Men, where Tom Cruise plays a Navy JAG officer defending some people who were charged with executing a Code Red on the Guantanamo Naval Base. That's all I knew.

I knew two things. There was a song called Guantanamera about the girl from Guantanamo. And I knew the movie A Few Good Men, where Tom Cruise plays a Navy JAG officer defending some people who were charged with executing a Code Red on the Guantanamo Naval Base. That's all I knew.

When the interviews were going on on boats, they would sometimes last for, we were told, 30 seconds to two minutes. Once they got on shore, the screening interviews stretched out to sometimes 10 or 15 or 20 minutes. But they were being conducted without lawyers for people who couldn't speak English.

When the interviews were going on on boats, they would sometimes last for, we were told, 30 seconds to two minutes. Once they got on shore, the screening interviews stretched out to sometimes 10 or 15 or 20 minutes. But they were being conducted without lawyers for people who couldn't speak English.

So depending on the kind of question you were asked, you could give an answer that would make sure you got returned to Haiti. So if the question was, are you fleeing from political persecution because you're a member of Lavalas and a supporter of President Aristide, that should be sufficient for you to get an asylum interview. But often they were being asked, do you want a better life in America?

So depending on the kind of question you were asked, you could give an answer that would make sure you got returned to Haiti. So if the question was, are you fleeing from political persecution because you're a member of Lavalas and a supporter of President Aristide, that should be sufficient for you to get an asylum interview. But often they were being asked, do you want a better life in America?

The answer to that question was also yes, but that could mean that you're an economic migrant, in which case you would simply be returned.

The answer to that question was also yes, but that could mean that you're an economic migrant, in which case you would simply be returned.

We learned that they had segregated a group of about 250 Haitians who all had clear asylum claims. They were fleeing from political persecution, but they had also contracted the HIV virus. I thought the US government was out of its mind.

We learned that they had segregated a group of about 250 Haitians who all had clear asylum claims. They were fleeing from political persecution, but they had also contracted the HIV virus. I thought the US government was out of its mind.