8287: Of ECONOMIC ASPHYXIATION (and other oppressive feelings) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: karioka9@cs.com

 In "ECONOMIC ASPHYXIATION + POLITICAL ISOLATION = INCREASED SUFFERING FOR
 8 MILLION PEOPLE," we are told that everything that could possibly go
 wrong in Haiti these days is the fault of "a tiny minority" called the
 Democratic Convergence.  The author is especially incensed that the
 "international community" is paying more attention to that tiny minority
 than to the needs of the 8 million sufferin' sucketash that the new
 Lavalas government is oh so desperate to help.

 It is one thing to say that the OPL-dominated 46th Legislature had
 paralyzed the government during most of the Preval years, and had thus
 got in the way of the $500 million of "international aid" coveted by the
 Lavalas "big eaters."  But when the pesky 46th Legislature is replaced
 with a unanimous Lavalas legislature, when Messieurs les Ministres
 diligently put forward their proposals to unleash the coveted aid, then
 what?  Suddenly, the so-called international community takes back its
 carrot (the coveted millions), and the poor ministers are left "pantan"
 (in shock).  "We'll get back to you" is not exactly what they had
 expected to be told.

 But whom does our author blame for this crippling disappointment?  You
 guessed right: the Convergence "tiny minority."  Yes, but how can such a
 tiny minority, so utterly rooted out from the government, still wield
 such occult power?  Could it be that the "international community" never
 meant to part with its millions in the first place?  Or could it be that
 the Lavalas regime provided the pretext for such reversals, by exhibiting
 its hegemonic ambitions too openly?  The author could never contemplate
 such impure thoughts.  The holy Lavalas regime and its sainted leaders
 are beyond all corruption and magouy (tricks), and only a Convergence
 stooge could possibly suggest otherwise.  ("I told Preval and [former
 Secretary of State for the police] Bob Manuel that their own cars were
 used to transport drugs," babbled Lavalas Senator and former interim
 chief of police Dany Toussaint in one of his recent diatribes.)

 Sometimes, the very words we use can limit our understanding.  For
 example, one can feel betrayed when "the international community" lets
 you down.  We actually invite such disappointment when we unwittingly
 call countries like the U.S. or France Haiti's "friends," as in the
 phrase "les 4 pays amis" or "Haiti's four nation friends."  Ben Dupuy
 (who is now on a pendulum shift from Lavalas) speaks instead of an
 "international consortium," and calls the OAS "Washington's colonial
 ministry."  (Teach, Ben, teach!)  Feeling let down lately because U.S.
 imperialism didn't come to your rescue?  Ah, such a simplicity of ideas
 lurking in that very feeling!

Daniel Simidor