13130: Dorce posts:Re: 13098:Thor Burnham on the elite debate (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LAKAT47@aol.com

In a message dated 9/8/02 4:47:12 AM Pacific Daylight Time, thor burnham
<thorald_mb@hotmail.com> writes:

<< "Piggish elite"?

 Are Thor Burnham, Kathy Dorce, Kathy Grey, Richard Morse, Daniel Simidor and
 Gary Pierre-Pierre members of an elite? the world elite? the educated elite?
 the Diaspora elite? the financial elite? the religious elite? the technical
 elite? the media elite? the U.S. upper middle class? the Haitian middle
 class? or the Canadian middle class?
 If you are on this list it is probably safe to say you can be categorized in
 some kind of elite. >>
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
No Thor, none of the people you mentioned in the above group (especially me!)
would I put in the category elite.  If you mean are we outstanding in any
way, I would say a resounding YES!  But in the way we are discussing ....we
mean the ruling elite of Haiti.  Not the smartest or the best or the richest
or the most educated.  I'm not talking about that kind of elite......I guess
I mean the ones who are elitIST....the ones who divide Haiti.  You know, I'm
not saying you Thor, but it is very disingenuous of most of the people on
this list to sound confused about who exactly IS the elite in Haiti when it
is a historical fact.  Every living soul in Haiti knows who and what L'ELIT
is.  It is important in this case not to see individuals because we know not
all wealthy or educated Haitians are elitist....though most are.  We have to
look at the big picture.....what is the group dynamic in Haiti?  Who has the
power traditionally?  Do the "people" really have power now, with Aristide in
the president's chair?  Does Aristide really have the power?  If not, who
does?  Who's pulling the strings?  Whoever is, does not have the best
interests of Haiti at heart.....they have self interest at heart.  And the
people know it.  They may be unhappy with the lack of progress during the
Aristide presidency (should we blame him alone for that?) but they don't know
who else they could depend on if not him.

All the people you mention, Wyclef Jean et al.....here is my answer to your
question "are they elite?"......If they stand on the backs of poor Haitians
to make their fortunes to the continuing detriment of those people and the
country, AND they hold themselves above those same people, saying one group
is important and entitled and the other group is useful only to serve the
needs of their betters and otherwise they are subhuman and worthless, then
yes, they are elite.  If not, they are worthy standouts and lucky to have
made their fortune without selling their soul to the devil or hurting anyone.
 Maybe lucky is not the word....talent and character is probably the reason
they are outstanding.  It's not so tough to understand....what is the reason
for the obfuscation?

Kathy Dorce~