#1903: Re: #1895:Re: #1891: U.S. tourist shot dead in Haiti: Jewel replies to Poincy

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: jewel <redlion@ufl.edu>

I agre with you in all your points.
This election is masquerade. I think again we are playing the dog that bites
his own tail ... we keep turning in circles.
It is so sad and frustrating to people that actually care about our country
that are sitting on the sidelines and looking. They are either too
discouraged to do anything, or to scared to be killed trying.

I laugh when I hear Americans talk about terrorists and such. To myself I
think, at least these people are fighting for a cause they believe in. True
terrorism lies in countries like Haiti where the only cause behind massacre
and violence is the advancement of certain individual's political and social
status.
The ironic thing is that these political elements that sparc the blood
thirsty frenzy we are witnessing come from the same background as the people
who fall victim to the violence. This is where I agree with you as to
refrain from any voting system until our population is educated enough. It's
true, democracy as the western world intends it does not fit every one, and
it should not fit us if only for one reason: that we are not a western
country. We don't have their culture we don't have their resources and we
surely don't have their per capita gain... so why should we follow their
political system? This is to me an other form of mental slavery.

However, though the idea of blocking the political arena is logical in many
ways, there is still one problem. Who is going to run the country?

We have had the proof that if we designate one of the masses, there is a
great likelihood that we would fall under an other dictatorship that would
only serve to advance this particular individual's social status. Allowing
him/her to have expensive clothes live in a large house and marry into some
type of bourgeoisie which he/she had been longing for all their lives.

What is the other alternative? To put an educated bourgeois on the throne of
our republic?

 You would sooner have a black man president in the United States. There is
no way a minority bourgeois, most probably light skinned, would ever have a
chance in ruling the country. It would systematically be perceived again as
the Rich taking advantage of the Poor, no matter what that person would do
good or bad.

Now in case you weren't following, we have a serious problem here. Our
society is so prejudiced that even if we could find some middle ground
educated Black man to head our country, deep down, he would be too happy to
have the opportunity to humiliate the bourgeoisise. And then, ironically
enough, he would want to incorporate the same faction of society which he
tried to alienate. We have the example with both Duvalier father and son,
and with other more recent political figures which I will not mention
because I do not wish to start any arguments with proponents on this list.

This is our situation as I see it (granted there are certainly other views
just as valid that I respect all the same).
I am a natural idealist. I wanted to serve my country by bringing much
needed healthcare once I graduated from college. But then I look at what
happened to this young doctor that got assassinated last year and think
"Lord, you've put me here for a reason, but I am more useful to you alive
than dead!"
And it's true. I'm not sure I want to take the risk of driving down to my
clinic one day for someone to be annoyed at the light skinned lady doctor
that always thinks she's all that because she went to school and lives and a
nice house and SHOOT me! No way! I'm not going to go through 12 years of
medical shooling for some moron to kill me because he doesn't like the color
of my skin!
This may look like I am digressing but I am not.

The future of our world lies in the hands of idealists. In the hands of
people that are willing to work just for a cause. I am one of those people
and a strong believer in education and equality. However, when things get so
bad that even people like me think twice, then we know we are in trouble.
Because it's not those that are worried about stuffing their pockets
(politicians and bourgeois), or those who are starving to death who will
take our place.
Money corrupts and hunger blinds.

Again I state, we as Haitians are not brought up in an environment to
recognise ourselves as entities. We are always waiting for someone else
(i.e. USA or Europe) to clean up our mess in our own home.
Tell me does this make sense. If you spill a glass of orange juice on your
counter, would you go to your neighbor and ask him to not only wipe the
counter but scrub it clean? And then actually expect him to do it. No way !
If your neighbor comes into your how claiming to help you, it's so he can
see what you have that he can steal. In Haiti's case, the situation is
worse. Nobody stole anything, yet we willingly gave up our self respect all
wrapped up wth a pretty bow.

Haitians! when will you see that the white man does not respect you when you
prostitute yourselves to those who offer the most money (or visas). When
will you recognise the richness of our land and start building a future for
our children on OUR land. When will you stop giving up your qualified youth
to the powerful nations of the world because you cannot give them an
acceptable life.
When will you realize that to be a people, we do not need the validation of
the United States, France or any other Nation in the world because we are
Haitians. When will you break the chains of slavery that entangle us in this
web of misery and self disrespect.

As says  "Redemption Song" from the great Bob Marley
 " Emancipate yourself from mental slavery.
    None but ourselves can free our minds."

Emmanuelle A. Zennie