7246: Re: 7235: Morality and Scholars - Bebe replies (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Moibibi@aol.com


> Why do alpinists climb Mount Everest, or why did we travel to the 
> moon some years ago, we often ask? The answer is simply because > they are 
there. Many of us study Vodou because it exists, 

writes Professor Desmangles.

I find such comparison shocking, to say the least. It ignores the very fact 
that Hougans and Manbos are people.

Comparing Mt Everest and the moon to people raises serious moral questions. 
In fact, it is upon such consideration that our ancestors were brought to the 
New World and sold as slaves, as tools (animated tools) to be used for the 
enrichment of the people of Europe. It used to be, in these times, totally 
"justified" as if the colonialists were using a hammer, a shovel or even a 
donkey (this last one was animated too!) The colonialists didn't owe anything 
to the hammer, to the shovel nor to the donkey for the work performed, not 
did they owe anything to their slaves, our forefathers. 

In other words, we, Vodouists, are in for a long haul before scholars see us 
as human instead of cows to be milked mercilessly.

When Professor Desmangles ends his post asking :

>  Why shouldn't Haiti, its people and its culture help scholars understand 
many of the ultimate dimensions of contemporary life? 

The answer should be found from the mouth of J. F. Kennedy: "Ask not what 
your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country." 
 
Bebe Pierre Louis
"Le yo bezwen m, yo rele m Papa, le yo pa bezwen m, yo rele m fatra…" extract 
from a Vodou song.