18 Mar Aristide returns

Aristide returned to Haiti today. I made the mistake of clicking on the first article that popped up. The LA Times managed to publish a poorly written article that somehow  lack any actual analysis of any of the history or implication of his return beyond the bally-hooing of Washington. Because poor Mr. Ellingwood obviously has no clear understanding of the history of Haiti, nor any working knowledge of any of the five languages that Aristide spoke (according to him), his report sputtled out as a regurgitation of half-informed reporting attempting at a balance of which the center was invisible.

So i went to the Guardian article about his return. It’s well worth reading, if only to read the words of a the charismatic leader.

‎”Since the earthquake, the humiliation of the people under tents is the humiliation of all the Haitian people…‎Modern-day slavery will have to end today,” said Aristide. “The greatest richness of Haiti is Haitians. Remedy for Haiti is love.”

Regardless of political leanings or even of one’s personal understanding of the history of Haiti, it is impossible to not be swayed by the power in the beauty of his words. Is that what is so frightening to DC? I look back at the optimistic days of the Obama campaign – the promises of Hope and Change. Regardless of the outcome (which is still in play…i just can’t bring myself to comment on it), you cannot overlook the immense impression that words like that have on a population.

Hope. Hope is the one thing that people need, strive for, work within. Hope…the audacity of hope – of course there is fear at his return. Hope is the catalyst for change…and while it doesn’t always pan out in the ways that are imagined, it is the very act of action within the frame of hope that leads to the courage to enact change.