6296: Hunkered Down in Port-au-Prince: a reply to Kozyn

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Subject: BOB MAKE THIS ANONYMOUS, PLEASE

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John Kozyn writes:

  I much prefer organic intellectuals. Speaking of whom, I must say
  I enjoy reading what Hyppolite Pierre and Guy Antoine have to say.
  I also find it very interesting that no one seems to want to engage
  then in serious debate.  Silence is, indeed, a strong reply.

Well, John, you certainly are not going to get much critical comment from
anyone living in Haiti, unless it is an anonymous posting.  Just too
dangerous, as Richard Morse inferred in a recent post.  And why is it
dangerous?  I would suggest that both responsible sides of the political
debate in Haiti have failed to rein in their more hot-headed partisans. 
And how to rein them in, you ask?   A very loud denunciation coming from
the highest levels would be a good start.

My guess is that is not likely to come about, because both sides realize
the "value" of having some crazies on their respective sides.  Most
unfortunate, but that's the way it seems to be.

John further complains that Reuters even bothers to cover the DC and their
so-called 'parallel government'.  Well, newspapers sell better when there
is a conflict to report, and a political opposition provides that 'other
side' which is so important in creating this conflict.  It might be nice
if the DC could, Gore-like, accept the tainted Aristide victory...
admittedly tainted because they themselves refused to participate, but
just because they won't doesn't mean the losing minority in Haiti is
insignificant or can be ignored.    

The unfortunate fact is both the U.S. and Haiti will have Presidents who
attained their office in a disputed election.  The real tragedy in the
case of Haiti is that the November 26th election did not need to be
disputed.  By strategically surrendering on that crazy May 21st election
issue, the Aristide people could have ensured a real election on Nov 26
and not the sham event which took place.  This would have given Aristide a
real legitimacy which President Bush will never be able to muster.  
Unfortunately poor political decisions by Aristide have given his
political opponents the soapbox upon which they now stand.

----Hunkered down in Port-au-Prince



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