[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
#4832: SEMANTICS, CONTRADICTIONS & NEARSIDED HOPE--Resp to Poincy/Corbett
From: Gina Ulysse <gulysse@bates.edu>
SEMANTICS, CONTRADICTIONS & NEARSIDED HOPE--Resp to Poincy/Corbett (fwd)
Date:
Thu, 10 Aug 2000 10:47:55 -0700 (PDT)
From:
Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>
To:
Bob Corbett <rcorbet@ibm.net>
Since it takes me forever to write long messages and I am not interested
in starting a fencing match over semantics, I'm replying to Poincy and
Corbett ansanm
because the same issues overlap and I really really hate to type.
lemme just say thank you and respect to Mozeb for his honourable defense
of the Ayitian State and Corbett for sharing his opinion on the term
"development". I
want to point out to Poincy that I am not at all on the offense and to
Corbett that if he recognizes that our definitions of "development" are
indeed inconsistent, then
his riposte is based upon a series of assumptions (about I meant) that
are predicated upon our very semantic difference, so I ain't going
there. I don't claim that
"development" is impossible or undesirable, economic or otherwise. I do
however think that the term is highly problematic and I strongly advocate
caution/refrain
from its use. Historically, this word has also been used
counterproductively. Arturo Escobar has an interesting book on this
matter. My "issues" have to do with the
fact that words like development/modernization are loaded with racist and
classist connotations that romanticize blan "developer" the savior and
often disregard and
deny what "developed" people on the ground, have to, can and should offer
to such processes. That isn't to say there hasn't been any progress in
Haiti. I am not at
all negating the work that has been done in Haiti, a great portion of it
was and is being done by blan. Generally, the moresuccesful examples are
often smaller
attempts that are not tied to well-oiled macrostructures. (Let me just
say that Schumacher's "Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People
Mattered" is the reason I
became an anthropologist). This may sound contradictory to you but the
fact is we have to discuss "development" critically and we wanter more
results. I'll admit
that if anything, I have a tendency to romanticize local situations (here
I am often referring to the people on the ground. I certainly don't mean
state level).
I'll jump back to Poincy here and reassert a similar point vis-a-vis his
concept of the Ayitian state which he warns me not to confuse with those
who manage it. If I
read him correctly, then the Ayitian state as an apparatus is a "good
thing" as Martha Stewart would say. Although past representatives
were/are mostly vampires
and lack morals, the structure that is the state was affected by them and
has by now become something else. So much so that simply changing leaders
won't cause
the drastic changes we need. Don't get me wrong. New leaders will make a
difference but they can't give quick results. Changes won't be visible
for at least for a
long while. I do believe they will come over time (I may never see them
but I think that my unborn kids will and their kids will definitely dig
it ).
How do you fix a country, without recreating the same power structures,
that is simultaneously the Wild Wild West, a Drug Trafficking Zone, a
Police State, a
Neocolony in the backyard of the most powerful nation which rules this
hemisphere. Don't forget to add sabotage from inside and outside.
Nearsidedness is mild in
comparison to the other ills that could plague us. I haven't forgotten
that Rome wasn't built in one day to use a cliche. With so much going on,
can we think of the
future.
My critiques come from the fact that I have a lot of hope which stems
from people who want to see their kids grow and realize their dreams
rather than relive the
misery they grew up knowing or people who know that it can't keep going
like this and whatever happens something new will emerge. If they can
believe in
something they cant see despite their realities then hell yeah!!!! One
interviewee told us "we can't see the changes because we have such a
heavy burden, it's really
hard to see the small steps that have been and are being made". I happen
to be one of those people who believe it is the steps or cricks that will
lead to cracks
which will eventually shatter the mirror. So don't assume that I devalue
the recent changes that have occured. I just think that it's gonna be a
wild ride for a while.
As a good friend says "you can't have change when everyone is
comfortable".
I do have a question for Poincy. Since there is no magic wand to fix this
whole mess. The state is non responsive and will never be according to
Corbett and you
see the state as monitor/regulator, how will we make the Privates become
providers since they have also become a structure, concerned with
recreating itself?
Haiti does not have a history of philanthropy so what are we talking
about here? Retributions? Redistribution? Total privatization? Welfare
systems... Please share
Finally, just for clarification, Bob are you saying that dialogue is
non-progressive and a waste of time. I stress it everyday for one reason
and one reason only.
Those of us with ties that bind there (whether native or not, nwa ou
blan) are all in this mess together and none of our hands are clean like
Sweet Honey in the Rock sings. So if we don't continue to dialogue (even
some of the trivial stuff), how will get to the point where we will have
even more
intergroup dialogues among those who have never stood together anba tonel
la. For three days mid-july (14,15,16) Quisqeya hosted the first
national congress of
young people. They came from all over. They talked amongst themselves
about numerous issues. The intent was that they'd eventually make
recommendations to
government about some of their concerns. I eagerly await for updates on
that effort. No matter what happens it was a very necessary first step.
My mission as I embarked on my last voyage to Haiti was to capture the
hope that I know lingers there on film. I met young old and middle age
people who were
as frustrated as they were optimistic, what many of them shared was an
organic understanding of the country's condition and why the future looks
bleak. In some
places the hope was real clear in others it was wrapped with frustration
and then there were places where there was none. People just desperate
for a way out. I
was surprised to hear any of them say in 10-20 years Haiti will be good
again. They plan to come back home. I call it nearsided hope-- hope,
despite the present
state of things and the chaos they forsee in the short- term... Change
have been made and there is more to come they believe. Give it time one
of the touristart
artist said. "Ahhhh ma che peyi ap chanje wi pa koute sa yap di lot bo
lap chanje pitipiti" and that's enough for me
Max ResPekt
gu
*****************************************
Dr. Gina Ulysse African-American Studies Bates College
Lewiston ME 04240 Ph: (207) 786-6436 Fx: (207) 786 8338
*******************************************
HAITI: EXPLODING THE MYTHS
SEPTEMBER 28-30, 2000
BATES COLLEGE
LEWISTON, ME
More to follow