7468: RE: 7454: Re: 7438: Haiti violence spreads to provinces (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: "Steber, Maggie" <MSteber@herald.com>

from maggie steber:  i have to support my friend here and say that it is
outrageous that a parallel government was set up 1) in the first place, and
2)so quickly. for all the reasons amy wilentz states, i agree that it is
outrageous for a popularly elected government to be challenged so. plus
gourgue, who i guess is a good man, and many of the other opposition figures
are politicians who have been around forever. if the Haitian people didn't
elect them before now, they are not automatically privileged to break the
law and challenge the rightful government. whatever anyone thinks of
aristide, he is the peoples' choice. whether there was coercion to vote for
him, he is still the peoples' choice. and i'll bet many Haitians, the good
majority of them who live in the mess of downtown Pt-au-Prince and in the
slums, are furious that these men are trying to depose--once again--the
person and what he symbolizes so many have died for. my wish for aristide is
that he is wise in this time. he does not need to hurt anyone. no one can
threaten him, his position is strong legally and in the popular sense, and
he can afford to be patient and a true leader to his people. this is a real
challenge for him. he needs to understand what leadership is about, be the
Christ-like figure he used to represent, and keep his people calm. they are
in the driver's seat now. drive the car somewhere better than where was.