What is so confusing?
I read with interest your article on the confusion reigning in the minds of Haitians in South Florida, and I congratulate you for this balanced approach to news reporting.
I must say, however, that I cannot understand such confusion in the minds of people who are lucky enough to live here in a free and democratic society. If one cannot learn the true meaning of freedom and democracy while living in the United States, then serious questions need to be raised about such a person’s willingness to understand how a democratic system of representative government actually operates, and what the implications are for economic development.
The peaceful and massive demonstrations against Mr. Aristide speak for themselves against the violent reaction registered on Friday 22 by a handful of die-hard armed gang leaders known to be on the Lavalas regime’s payroll.
One can expect the American public to be confused about why any Haitian, living in the United States and well versed in his/her country’s politics and economic situation, would feign confusion about the anti-democratic practices and discourse of Mr. Jean Bertrand Aristide, as well as his current disdain for the same international community, led by the United States, that applied a crippling international economic embargo against Haiti from 1991 to 1994, at Mr. Aristide’s request, before retuning him to power, accompanied by over 20,000. U.S. troops.
Well, I am not confused. Let’s hope we do not continue to “confuse” the American public with suggestions that there exists support in Haiti for Mr. Aristide beyond the handful of well paid lobbysts and armed gang leaders who are still trying to intimidate the vast majority of Haitians with violence or other threats, even in the United States.
Parnell Duverger.