#3067: Mr. Giuliani -- from one Haitian's perspective (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Guy Antoine <GuyAntoine@windowsonhaiti.com>

"I think there are a lot of factors that will come out, and it will indicate
that
the picture is a lot more complex in this case than the press has
unfortunately painted," Giuliani gloated.The mayor was only revving up.
"What those records show," the hard-hearted mayor said, "is a propensity
for violence that's important for people to know in judging whether the
police
officers were telling the truth that he began the violence and caused his
death."  -- Mayor Giuliani

For people who have paid attention to the facts of this case, I would think
the conclusion to be inescapable:  The Mayor of New York is a menace
to his constituency.  He is even a greater danger than the actual abusers
in the police force, because his words and actions give them free rein.
The Haitian community in New York is up in arms, and who can blame
them?  This sort of leadership is truly repulsing.

What I think is truly bizarre is the justification for the police to stake
out
ordinary residents or citizens (and there certainly is a question as to the
profile they set out to stake -- sounds very much like the unwarranted
traffic violations and searches of motorists on the New Jersey Turnpike
and other New Jersey roads in many recent years, for the simple fact
that they were driving while Black, hence the target for illegal drug
busts).
Stake them out "indiscriminately" and hound them in search of drugs.

Some of them were shot dead, others shot at, others roughed up.  In
New York, we have a long string of police abuse, many cases of them
visited on Haitian immigrants.  No doubt, it's a question of the leadership.
I have seen it all before under Frank Rizzo, when he was the Mayor of
Philadelphia.  Racism exists, and probably always will.  But the expression
of racism could be contained.  The Mayor of the City should set the tone.
In fact, he DOES set the tone.  Not a civilized one, any sane person would
agree.  Can the Haitian community force him to resign?  By themselves,
not very likely.  But if all decent men in the City close ranks, I believe
that
Mayor Giuliani would be forced to either change his tone, or pack up
for a more suitable use of his intellectual talent.

Guy S. Antoine
Look thru & Imagine!
http://windowsonhaiti.com