8224: Re: 8220: 8191 Mambo Racine and AIDS (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Racine125@aol.com

<< I think Americans who act like Mambo Racine should be denounced.  The 
first 
 part of her statement shows that the Cite Soley clinic had a thorough 
 knowledge of the population it was serving.  The second part about the lack 
 of treatment shows that the clinic did not have the means to treat AIDS.>>

They certainly had the means to tell people who tested HIV+ they had the 
virus!  They had the means to do HIV prevention, HIV education... the only 
response to AIDS is not pills, and THAT needs to be denounced.

  
<<She  acts as if there are international conspiracies to exterminate 
Haitians.>>

Not Haitians in particular, BLACK PEOPLE IN GENERAL.  It is a verified FACT 
that in South Africa, there were experiments going on to develop diseases 
that would kill black people only.  Why does this surprise you?

<<When a Haitian doctor like Dr. Boulos has a clinic in 
 Cite Soleil that becomes unacceptable.  The reason many find it unacceptable 
 has nothing to do with the Mambo's allegation of contamination .   Every 
time 
 a Haitian tries to build something private to serve other Haitians, people 
 find it suspicious.  Many hold the belief that "Depi nan ginen, neg rayi 
neg" 
  and they cannot believe that good work can be done by a Haitian without 
 exploitative motives.>>

Nonsense.  This sort of generalized non-reason had NOTHING to do with the 
criticism leveled at Boulos or at Johns Hopkins.  And I am not the only 
person to have criticized this program, the outcry reached levels that forced 
Johns Hopkins to respond publicly.

<<They believe that only religious people can do good  work, especially if 
they are Americans.>>

LOL!  Surely you don't think I am taking up for missionaries.

<<If a Haitian does good work it embarasses the government because a working 
non-religious institution proves that good work can be accomplished by 
Haitians.  Immediately, the government and other jealous lazy people are out 
to get you and destroy you.  >>

Oh yes, that's it, I'm a jealous lazy person, that's why I'm suspicious of 
organizations that give injections from numbered vials to numbered people and 
then track the spread of AIDS.  Helllooooo?

<< Unfortunately Dr. Boulos's clinic in Cite Soley has been destroyed.>>

Dr. Reginal Boulos was run out of Cite Soley by the people of Cite Soley!  
Remember that much publicized incident in which a car carrying Tipper Gore 
was stoned by crowds there?  I was there, and no one had any idea that Tipper 
Gore was in the car, they were going for Boulos, who was riding with her.

When Boulos declared that he might run for President, the rage of the people 
of Cite Soley reached fever pitch.  A four by four belonging to him or his 
organization was trashed, and many people accused Boulos of supporting FRAPH, 
which seems to have been true.  A common complaint was that he would hire men 
to do manual work, and then when it was time to pay off the crew, a gunman or 
two would magically appear and Boulos would "have to flee" - although no one 
ever shot at him -  and take the payroll with him.  He never arranged to pay 
later, either.

Boulos was also believed to be responsible for a fire in Cite Soley prior to 
the military regime, which residents believe was set to intimidate unionizing 
nurses.  I was not there at that time, but I did talk to one of the women who 
was leading that movement, and she was very clear that threats were made by 
Boulos' people just before the fire.

<< What has replaced it Mambo?  Where do the people of Cite Soley get their 
health care?  >>

Are you suggesting that it's okay to give people AIDS as long as you give 
them a little food too?

Furthermore, no one was "given" health care.  Food was distributed but health 
care was always fee-for-service, meaning no money for the fee, no service.

 <<My grandfather and both my parents, 
 and 3 of my sisters went to the Haitian medical school as did Dr. Boulos.  
 Most people I know believed that Dr. Boulos' clinic in Cite Soley was doing 
 outstanding work.   >>

No disrespect intended, but from your statement, your people came from the 
same socio-economic class as Boulos and had the same interests to defend.  
Most people I know, namely the impoverished people of Cite Soley, positively 
hated Boulos.


Peace and love,

Bon Mambo Racine Sans Bout Sa Te La Daginen

"Se bon ki ra" - Good is rare
     Haitian Proverb

The VODOU Page - http://members.aol.com/racine125/index.html