14255: Dreyfuss responds to some reactions to his Manigat translation (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Joel Dreyfuss <jdreyfuss@attglobal.net>

You know folks, I tried to do a good deed and it surely has not gone
unpunished. People are entitled to their opinions about Manigat. I have
my own, although except for a couple of asides, I limited myself to
giving as accurate a condensation as I could -- in four sentences
instead of the three that Lance asked. I warned that I was just listing
the "headlines." But some of the nasty reactions -- on and off this
list-- remind me of why Haiti has so many problems that seem unsolvable.
People can't seem to disagree with civility. Ms. Dorce suggests I suffer
from some mental infirmity -- or that I'm impressed by big words --
because I consider Manigat a scholar and his commentary worth
considering. I see a lot of brush-offs but I'm waiting for some serious
rebuttals of his comments.
A couple of the off-list commentators have told me I know nothing about
Haitian history -because they disagree with my opinion that Manigat is a
"noiriste." I based that on what I know about his personal history --
and because of his blanket statement that black struggles for power in
Haiti are always progressive. Maybe he isn't. Fine. But show me how.
Don't just circulate attacks on me among yourselves. The most bitter
critique: that I was educated and work in America. That's the Diaspo
thing again..and that came from a guy living in Miami!
I've said it before. I'm a journalist in the U.S. I don't make my living
writing about Haiti. I write about American corporations and information
technology for a living. I don't pretend I'm a scholar of Haiti. I've
read a lot about Haiti, written articles on the subject from time to
time and done a fair amount of reporting there and a lot of thinking
about the place. I have absolutely no political aspirations. I'm going
to keep on saying what I think in the spirit that some of what I say has
value  to people who care about what happens in Haiti. I'm here to learn
too. I expect people to disagree and take me to task.  I just wish some
of my confreres on this list would remember their manners.

Joel Dreyfuss
jdreyfuss@attglobal.net