21075: Dorce:Re: 20581: Nealy: RE: 20554: Miami-Herald-Destroyed by all-or-no... (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LAKAT47@aol.com

In a message dated 3/19/04 8:01:50 PM Pacific Standard Time, David Nealy
<dlnealy@msn.com> writes:

<< Haitians in local communities, cooperatives etc. have been able to reach
 compromises and consensus to their mutual benefit. Why is this so hard for
 the PAP centered political leadership? Most important of all, will this
 change now? Is there so much bitterness and pain from past actions that
 compromise with "enemies" is unthinkable? Or can there be a period of
 calming the passions, looking for small areas of agreement (like supporting
 a free press, helping the agriculture sector, etc.) that can get Haitians
 working together again on a national basis?  <<
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The cooperation you have witnessed is between peers in local communities and
cooperatives.  It is how the majority Haitian survives.  There has never been
cooperation between the classes, with the exception of the original revolution
for independence from France and the 1919 US Marine occupation.  Both times
they united because they had a common enemy and they were fighting for
survival.  Once the foreigners leave Haiti alone, the class division is paramount.  It
never really leaves.  The middle to upper classes use the majority Haitian as
their personal human resource supply.  Period, end of story.  There is no
respect, no acknowledgement of value, certainly no affiliation as in "we are all
Haitian brothers and sisters."  Until something cataclysmic happens, a
significant emotional event perhaps, this will not change.  It is difficult to get
people to give up a birthright of entitlements just to achieve a sense of
equality on principle.  What is it for them to gain?  Self-respect?  They are
already consumed with self-love.  They see no need to change.  Let the common
Haitian change, not them.

The minority Haitian, the cream of the crop (sarcasm alert), has never felt
the need to compromise, to give and take for the betterment of the whole.
Certainly not with the hoi-poloi and not even with each other.  The opposition was
only united on one issue, the removal, dead or alive, of Aristide and the
destruction of Lavalas (meaning representation of the people of Haiti).  In no
other area was this group in agreement.  And amusingly, they too now find
themselves on the outside of the so-called government.

The educated, sophisticated, worldly Haitians should serve as role models for
the majority Haitian on how to conduct oneself in all areas of life.
Unfortunately they do serve as role models but not good ones.  They have taught the
majority Haitian to be intransigent and never let the other guy get ahead.
They have taught the majority Haitian that the win-win scenario does not exist
and that it shows weakness to compromise with your opponent.  Win-lose is where
it's at and winning by any means is expected.  Killing, terrorizing and
intimidating your opposition is how you control your power.  If you don't, they will
kill you.  All taught by the best of the best to the great unwashed.  Lying,
cheating, stealing...these are just means to an end.

The only reason we have been subjected to the righteous outrage of the middle
to upper classes regarding the methods of survival taken by Lavalas is that
the violence is returning to those from whence it came for a change.  Now, that
the elite class is running things as in the "good ole days," the violence
only goes one way, to the majority Haitian, and who cares about them.  There are
so many of them anyway...a few less is a drop in the bucket.  And thank
goodness, unlike the handfull of middle class dead (note not one elite has left this
earth unnaturally) who have names and loved ones who champion justice for
them, the majority Haitians who have died for their beliefs have no names or
loved ones.  Just numbers and some concocted demonizations to appease any
consciences, should any be found.

I write this knowing that the people I talk about will never see themselves
in this post.  It's too ingrained, their ways are too much a part of their
identity coupled with the well-fed ego (also ingrained) that says they are perfect
just the way they are and have no need to change.  Let the other guy change,
he's the one with the problem.

The only problem with backing a huge group of people into a corner is their
only way out is through you.

Kathy Dorce~