13851: Schuller Re: 13817: Arthur Re: 13813 Chamberlain on Pina on Lavalas on Bin Laden (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Mark Schuller <marky@umail.ucsb.edu>

In my fieldwork this summer, upon learning that i was from the U.S., most
Haitians expressed their sympathy for the events of 9-11.  I can remember
only one young man who admired (but did not support) Bin Laden for his ability
to expose a weakness in the empire (his words).  This young man was **NOT** a
fan of the Lavalas government.

Regardless, i have serious doubts as to the mainstream U.S. reportage.  Let's
say, for the sake of argument, that one youth was shouting out against U.S.
imperialism and rhetorically supported U.S.'s Enemy Number 1.  Why was this
chosen to be reported and not others?

This is the second time that the war-crazed U.S. media have made explicit use
of post 9-11 tropes on Haiti.  First, the desperate Haitians reaching Key
Biscayne a few weeks ago represent a threat to national security.  Now, by very
sloppy and incomplete reporting, Aristide has been linked to Osama Bin Laden.

I am reading the mainstream U.S. coverage of the months leading to both the
coup and the dechoukaj.  The parallels are stunning.  I must say that i am
alarmed, if for no other reason that the U.S. may be trying to add Haiti to
the Axis of Evil.  Sealing the border at the D.R. may be the first step in a
larger campaign.

None of this is to dismiss the popular movement in Haiti.  Regardless of how
many people are mobilizing, clearly, they and their concrete demands need to
be taken seriously.  It's just odd how some actions or movements can go
unnoticed, while some seem to play right into Washington's hands and can be
exploited for the detriment of Haiti.  It's like Nicholls said... "no one who
is at all familiar with the history of Haiti can fail to see how hostility
between blacks and mulattoes has frequently opened the way to foreign
intervention in the affairs of the country."  Substitute FL and CD or OPL, and
the analogy holds today.