I’m just curious, has anybody else around here noticed that we’ve successfully managed to take over yet another country? Our great nation has, in fact, orchestrated a coup d'état right under everyone’s noses and kidnapped a fucking president and nobody seems to give a rat’s ass. They aren’t even pretending to deny it! Ok, it’s true, they are trying to say that Aristide boarded the US planes on his own free will. This is the part that the mainstream media like to pay attention to. But they are leaving out the fact that the US has openly admitted to prompting his resignation. According to Roger Noriega, assistant U.S. secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, the whole thing went down like this…
US – You know, the “rebels” funded by US tax dollars and armed with US guns are on their way to kill you and your wife. Don’t count on your security guards helping you out because the White House has already put in a threatening call to stop them. We’re gonna stand back and watch you die unless you sign a letter of resignation and leave Haiti immediately.
Aristide – I will leave Haiti, but I will not resign.
US – So you choose death?
Aristide – where are the papers?
US – Right here bitch, we’ve had them drawn up for weeks. Now get on the plane.
Aristide – where are you taking me
US – None of your damn business.
Clearly this is the abridged version, but it’s not too far off. Read the transcripts for yourself. That’s the scariest part. The accounts from US officials aren’t very different from Aristide’s account of what happened. The disagreement is over semantics like “encouraged under pressure and fear for one’s life” versus “kidnapped and held against one’s will.”
So why isn’t anyone paying attention? Our government, which is supposed to hail Democracy and justice, just kidnapped a democratically elected president. Several members of congress are outraged and have called an investigation. Yet, when I bring Haiti up with friends or colleagues – all of whom are well-educated, social justice minded people, nobody seems to know what the hell I’m talking about. Now, I know I’m kind of a news junkie, but this is getting ridiculous. Is taking over nations such a routine practice by this point that it’s not even worth our time to take notice?
Was it just me or did Kate Winslet's character in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" remind anyone else of Erica?
Posted by: Will on March 22, 2004 01:16 AMi fail to see what that has to do with Haiti. but thank you. kind of. =)
Posted by: erica on March 22, 2004 04:41 PM