7339: Re: Re. #7309: Anonymous, please (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: mark gill <doctorgill@clas.net>


>
> From: Bruce Wharram <bruce.wharram@sev.org>
>
> It seems to me that we have gone down this road to some lengths
> previously, where "Missionaries" appeared to get the brunt of numerous
> derogatory comments in January 1999

.............this post from Bruce highlights my concern about an anonymous
poster who issues "dark sayings" about missionary groups, non-profits, et.al
that go to Haiti for nefarious purposes and "enslaves" the
locals............if someone wants to excoriate some group that has either
been in Haiti, or is there now, that is fine........we have seen a lot of
such discussion, as Bruce points out.........but, to hide behind being
nameless opens the door to any sort of "charge" one might come up
with..........

let us hope that the frequently used gimmick of "rumoured dark sayings" can
be avoided.......i had quite enough of that over the years while living in
Haiti..........

and, to the Anonymous poster, of whom i am supposed to respect and admire
(which may very well be completely true), i am fully aware that there is
animosity on the part of some Haitians toward those who come to Haiti to
"help"...........i am fully aware of the controversy......i am fully aware
of the history of this subject, and the ambivalence with which some, or
many, have toward groups who arrive and stay.............

and, may i please say that i know of any number of such groups in Haiti,
both American, Swiss and French, that i thoroughly abhor, given their
arrogance toward Haiti, their ignorance of the Haitian people, their false
sense of superiority..........at the same time, i know many Haitian groups
who treat the "peasants" the same way.................actually, i think
many, if not most, on this list know the same thing............

but, if i want to chastise the Turnbulls, for example, i am going to do so
openly........if i think they are enslaving the people they are supposed to
be "helping", i will say so openly............

the problem with anonymity is that it quickly leads to being able to say
anything, with no accountability...............again, let us hope we dont
fall into that trap again...........

mark gill