12960: Re: 12923:The "Elite" of Haiti -Dorce to Racine (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LAKAT47@aol.com

In a message dated 8/28/02 10:54:16 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
Racine125@aol.com writes:

<< Again I repeat that this was not true of each and every person I met.  But
when Christmas came, not one of these so-called "elite" families bothered to
invite me or any of the other foreign single women teachers to their homes
for dinner or even holiday cocktails.  That honor was left to my maid's
common-law husband, whose family received me with more politeness than was
shown to me by most of my students' parents. >>
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Though I have not lived in Haiti, only visited, this is my very experience
with the groups you speak of.  It did not take long to separate the wheat
from the chaff.....and believe me the quality comes out heavy against the so
called elite!  I, too, found politeness, generosity, kindness and good humor
in the majority Haitians that I met.  No airs, no posturing, real people.  It
doesn't take long for people to reveal their true selves.  I found very
little of interest or value in those who felt themselves above other
Haitians.  And what you said about what little they have produced to
contribute to the culture of Haiti is so true.  They seem to have made a
cottage industry out of feeling superior.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
>>I hope that with the development of democracy and civil society (no pun
intended), the elite class of Haiti will also blossom into a social class
which uses it's many gifts to contribute to the social and cultural life of
Haiti.>>
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>From your mouth to God's ears.....but don't hold your breath.

Kathy Dorce~