13131: Dorce posts:Re:13101: Durban on Elites (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LAKAT47@aol.com

In a message dated 9/8/02 9:07:22 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Lance Durban
<lpdurban@yahoo.com>writes:

<< To be effective any Haitian leader must not only bridge the gap
 between the elites and the masses, but try and close it.  >>
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
How do you erase generations and generations of this social conditioning that
even effects how the poor view themselves and each other?  They believe they
are less because all their lives they have been treated that way.  This
socialization needs to stop if the two sides are to become united and work
effectively together.  There is no respect from the top down.  I don't even
hear it here, with many saying the people do not know what's best for the
country so a benevolent leader (I'm not saying the "D" word!) should decide
for them.  "Democracy will not work here."  I don't believe that.  We knew
that the ruling class would not give up without a horrendous fight.....why
are we surprised now?  They are doing everything they can to see that
Aristide looks like a failure.  Yes there is corruption, yes Lavalas as a
party has been found wanting.  But Aristide's hands have been tied since the
beginning.  These people do not care if Haiti is further damaged and more
people die, they do not want Aristide to succeed.  You can see, I don't think
they are in the least the intellectual elite!  In the US we have a
proverb......Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. (It means don't hurt
yourself to prove your point)  I'm sure someone could come up with a
corresponding Haitian proverb!

Kathy Dorce~