6838: Re: 6833: Back to the future? (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Bryant <gregandsusan@rainbowtel.net>

You know, I'm getting tired of these pieces of Republican,
US-corporate-interest propaganda. I read them when they appear here,
because I want to be careful to consider all views. But new as I am to
Haiti lore, I can recognize crud when I read it.

Daniel Simidor's letter to the Progressive was certainly a good example of
hateful literature. But I'll grab a few sentences from the rant from
Richard C. Hottelet, because they're currently at hand, and comment:

>His [Aristide's] refusal to consider
>basic common-sense reforms, like privatization of state monopolies that
>have long been cash cows for the rulers, led to Western nations'
>freezing some $600 million in aid funds.

I'm going to call this viewpoint "Republican" because it sounds like the
American GOP prose I'm getting used to. "Common-sense reforms" always means
any change which puts profitable business in the hands of private owners
and leaves unprofitable, socially responsible enterprise to be dealt with
by the government on what scraps of funding the ruling class allows it. And
what's the "common-sense" way to deal with state monopolies, ostensibly
socialized for the people's benefit, when the rulers are accused of using
them as "cash cows"? Turn them into cash cows for a few private elites, of
course -- putting their wealth even farther from the people.

>...Fanmi Lavalas (Lavalas Family) which is Aristide's personal
>political force.

That's a wicked spin. A party needs a good central figure to enunciate its
wishes. Yet the more effective and eloquent the the party leader, the more
susceptible he or she is to accusations of egotism, authoritarianism, etc.

>His [Aristide's] supporters are notorious for beating up the
>opposition and stealing elections. There have been some infamous
>political murders.

Does anyone on this list really need the irony of this statement pointed
out to them? I don't think so.

>The populist now-ex-priest has married and lives in a luxurious villa.

Clearly Hottelet feels that this skewed statement about Aristide's personal
life is relevant to democracy in Haiti, but I don't see how. And it never
fails to amaze me how the indignation of conservatives can be aroused by
the splendid lifestyles of their political opponents, while the conspicuous
opulence of their own favorites is invisible to them.

Greg Bryant