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#5210: Re: #5175: Re: #5164: Re: #5148: Babydoc is American, Dato , is Haitian... (fwd)
From: ROODY BARTHELEMY <kreyolco@hotmail.com>
Haitians have never referred to Jean-Claude Duvalier as "Baby Doc" This is
true!
Haitians have never referred to Jean-Claude Duvalier as Baby Doc; not even
in private. The reasons are simple:
1) even in Haiti and in private, Baby Doc was already too revealing a
derogatory reference for those who had the courage to stand against the
regime. They had enough imagination to just not want to stick with such
sensationalist nickname (in private, above all) though cunning it sounded in
English.
2)Although there were many other nicknames used to refer to the
boy-president, Jean Claude's official nickname was already known by the
Haitians who usually call him "Dato". In private, unoffically, he was
called some other names that I don't have to mention here.
3) Thinking of Jean-Claude Duvalier from a not yet diasporically
acculturated or assimilated Haitian perspective, the nickname of "Baby Doc"
would be the least on the list. On a sociolinguistic point of view, "baby
doc" transliterates and translates a little doctor for the Creole mind, not
a doctor's son. On an historical and political standpoint, the nicknmame
frankly contradicts the perception Haitians have always have of the man:
Although the son of a doctor, the guy was far from portraying one, in terms
of intellectual ability. He was rather seen as an exceptional student, an
EH or ESE type of nerd. Later on, as president, he will be known more for is
epicurean tastes, being mentioned as a womanizer, cocaine user, and even as
homosexual, not mentioning his reckless speed-driving passion.
The name Baby Doc was indeed invented by the U.S. prolific and
sensationalist media in search of a condescending and quick term as a
summary that could translate news from Haiti under the Duvaliers (father and
son).
Born under that regime, I have witnessed most of the atrocities and
misfortunes it generated for the Haitians of several generations, including
my entire one, my whole nation. From 1978, when Jean Dominique was already
a well-hatred and tracked down official target, to 1987, when Regala
commandoed the stoning of our small newspaper's office in Ruelle St Cyr, I
have directly lived some of that regime's misery under the form of direct
persecution. I do not remember when I have had the occasion to have heard
Haitians, in private or in public, using the nickname of Baby Doc to refer
to Jean Claude Duvalier. If we look at some videos about the reactions of
the people of Haiti, and the general epithetes used when referring to Jean
Claude, you will easily confirm my point. But now that there has been so
much popularization of this funny name, and due to the forcible
americanization of Haiti, it may not be surprising to know that the nickname
of Baby Doc is actually currently used to refer to our lad.
Ayibobo!
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