Election Time
Did I mention that Widson was running for national senator in representation of Lestè?
No. I chose to forget that. The elections were supposed to have happened two years ago. After U.S. marines illegal ousted the democratically elected president Jean Bertrand Aristide and kidnapping him, their Haitian underlings suspended elections. As the October date approached, twenty-eight different candidates shored up all of the support they could for the coveted position. I suspected my old “friend” wanted to enroll his unsuspecting guest in his campaign.
The pleasantries were over. Widson fed me rapid-fire instructions: “Dan-yel you are a white man. People listen to white men in my town. You must go out and campaign for me. Do you drive stick? If not no problem. I am sending for a car for you now. Do you want your own driver?” I couldn’t keep up with the bombardment of questions: “What are you wearing? When do you depart for Port-au-Prince? Can you campaign for me there? I will have my cousin pick you up. Do you need a cell phone? Do you need money? Women? How many women do you want?”
A quiet night visiting old friends and cracking jokes was suddenly transformed into a campaign opportunity. I listened to my orders intently. He sent me out with a make-shift campaign team. What had I got myself into? Wait, I never consented to any of this. And what about our watermelon? Forever the adventurer, I thought “Ah why not? Let me see how long I can ride this out before I compromise my principles. Roll with the punches, right?”
We were off. A Suzuki jeep swept us up and we sped away. I turned, waved goodbye and blew a kiss to everyone but no one could see me through the tinted windows. The driver never even introduced himself. He cranked the AC all the way up, the perfect contrast to the sleepless humidity on the other side of the tinted windows. The kompa blared out. I went from rags to riches in a matter of seconds. Momentarily I felt how Rick Ross must feel. One phone call had shifted my destiny. Excitement was in the air. I’m somebody. I’m taken care of. Who doesn’t want to be a made-man? We passed by some other homes to pick up some other “members” of the “team.” Our chauffeur George, Widson’s cousin, slowed down and called the “volunteers” over. He introduced me as a campaign boss from New York who had been sent over to supervise their activity. I reached over the chauffer’s body to extend a hand to our volunteer team. They assured me they were working their hardest as one hid a bottle of kleren or moonshine behind his back.
We continued making the rounds. In many areas of Haiti, once the sun goes down there is no electricity. George’s headlights along with candles lit up local homes where women sold griyo and bannan (Slices of fried pork served with fried plantain). Throngs of young men gathered around us on a bridge in the pitch darkness. People saluted one another but I wondered how they recognized each other. I could not see 5 feet in front of me. I shook so many hands I thought I was the one running for office. George presented me as some type of celebrity. Suddenly, I was again whisked away and then deposited in front of a local disco and introduced to a group of 15 men hanging out on the sidewalk. The disco was completely empty. No one had the money to afford the cover and cold beverages served inside. George introduced as Widsons’ right-hand man. All eyes were on me.
A Tribune of the People
I introduced myself and defined my mission in Haiti — to learn, to listen, to write, to grow and to share. I launched into my usual berating of foreigners who exploit Haiti. I knew that I was supposed to sing praises to our candidate and promise whole-sale change to one of the most exploited corners of the western hemisphere. My heart refused to follow orders. My own political training kicked in:
“Politicians play games of false promises and politricks.” “Mwen pa konfye avek politik yo. Mwen konfye ak pep-la. Se selma pep-la ki ka sove pep-la. Ki sa ki Dessalines toujou ap di. Nou beswen yon lot dechoukaj.” (“I don’t trust politicians. I trust the people. Only the people can save the people. What did Dessalines teach us? Only masses of people can effect deep-rooted change. Radical! That means to lift things up from the roots. That is the only change I believe in.”)
George tugged at my arm: “Ok Dan-yel time to get going. Say bye to everyone.” “But George I am just getting started,” I retorted.
The crowd was fired up. We were all having fun. I redefined what it meant to be a politician. I paraphrased Amilcar Cabral and his explanation of what it means to be a revolutionary:
“We always should say what is. Honesty is first and foremost. We cannot make promises but rather chart out what it will take for a united people to make gains through struggle. A real leader of the people does not aspire for anything for himself. He aspires for everything for everyone. “A tribune of the people,” a re-imagined, re-defined “politician” responds to everyone’s pain making connections between the struggles of battered women, landless peasants, irate students, slum dwellers and every other oppressed group.[1]
My instinct was to lump Haitian politicians who sold out into my invective. But I learned a valuable lesson on prior occasions. It is ok to insult foreign devils but leave their local sycophants and puppets alone. You never know whose territory you are in. You never know who pays whose salary and who wants revenge against who. On another occasion in Site Sole — Port-au-Prince’s sprawling slums that constitute the largest ghetto in the world — the political bosses of the local gangs pressed guns to my head for committing this misstep. That is a story for another time but the lesson was clear: focus your harangues on the foreign bloodsuckers.
By this time George has grabbed my arm trying to lead me away. The crowd cheered and the youth threw up some fists. The Rastas in the crowd wanted to hear more of the white man’s denunciation of Babylon.
In the last exchange, I had not even mentioned our dear candidate’s name. Widson’s wanted to hustle me but I had thrown a wrench in his nascent political machine. I guess just the mere presence of the white man somehow connected to Widson was still worth some political capital because we were off to our next campaign stop. But not before George passed me the cellphone. My would-be sponsor again admonished my every action.
[1] Term coined by Vladimir Lenin in What is to Be Done?
I can’t help but wonder why you took it upon yourself at first to counter Widson’s political intent? I know you said your heart refused, but given the hospitality from your friend and his family, it was an almost owed favor against personal ideology. In any case, a situation like that gives little time to connect all the pieces, but rather go by instinct and learned lessons.
It is true that, according to the article, “Only the people can save the people.” The people are the ones who elect the officials to lead them. Another thing that stood out to me was the part of the article that stated that the gangs in Port-au-Prince had put guns to Professor Shaw’s head. That is crazy. There must be a clean up of the gangs and other criminals from off the streets.
This part of the article has a strong message behind. It is some what disturbing that Widson would want to take advantage of his friendship with Shaw for his own personal gain. He was basically trying to bribe Shaw into speaking for his campaign. How easily it was to have him surrounded by his family in the hotness and in just a second have him step into a car that had the commodity of having AC. This article showed Shaw’s integrity, and how he stayed true towards his own beliefs. These people don’t need any more false promises, they need to feel empowered. if someone can make changes its themselves, they have to revolt and stand up for their rights. They have to unite and stand up for themselves.
This was an interesting article. You were helping Widson to become senator for his people. The line I liked the most in this article was “You never know who pays whose salary and who wants revenge against who.” because its true there is always someone paying someone’s salary and someone always wanting payback. I think it was brave of you to go out there and support Widson the way you did. He must have been happy to have a friend and someone from the United States to be there for him and talk to the people of Haiti. Also I agree with what you said that “only the people can save the people” that’s why in any government they should listen to the people.
“Dan-yel you are a white man. People listen to white men in my town. You must go out and campaign for me… Do you want your own driver?”… Do you need a cell phone? Do you need money? Women? How many women do you want?”
They only listen to White men?! It’s sad how the world views the white-man, and how superior the white man is. Widson knew you yes, but no one knows you enough than yourself. I’m sure his ideas were just as good as yours, but because your skin spoke the language only ‘superiors’ would understand, he asked you to “help” him. Also, he offered all the offerings he assumed all white men wanted. He assumed because your skin was very much lighter than his, your necessities were much different than his, and that that would please and satisfy you.
Reading this article, i felt like Widson was using you as bait. One thing is to help him out with his campaign and election. But to command this and that left and right, dragging you all over the place,i felt like he wanted to see what the people had to say, and have you as a messenger. Why couldn’t he go out there the way you did to campaign for himself? Was he scared or something?
People rarely want to hear the truth or make light of the truth. “It is ok to insult foreign devils but leave their local sycophants and puppets alone”. I feel like in a country like Haiti many people are left in the dark when it comes to the truth. Many people are filled with the ideas that the local politicians feed them. By you speaking some truth to these people the gangsters became afraid of loosing the grip that they had on the people.
After reading this article I take my hat off to you. You stood by exactly what you believe in, you didn’t let any politician mask your views. You told the people exactly what you felt would move their spirits and told them what you felt was the truth. One person can influence a generation, you were definitely that person that day. You were rebellious by in a special way because you didn’t harm any one or break any laws you just stood up to the politrickery.
Reading through the second part of this article I began to think how bad the Politian’s are and the false promises they have made too many people in Haiti. I wonder what promises were made, after the tremendous natural disaster occurred. Reading this part were you spoke with the man and how he believes in the people and thinks that people can help other people, not politicians, shows me that there is individuals who know what is best for their fellow neighbors.
Redefining what a politician is would start an uproar anyway you go. Being that this is Haiti and their government is really strict the uproar would shake the country. If enough people had this mindset Haiti would be a totally different country. Giving politics in general a different name would make the world feel more like a democracy. Every politician feeds the public the lies of what their going to do to change the community but they never put in action the steps they are going to take to make the country a better place. What you did in your campaigning would win anyone in the community’s support.
It’s very unfortunate that someone you considered a friend would put you in this position. However, the way in which you put your new “position” to your advantage was brave. Even if it may or may not have cost you a friendship, you spoke the truth to the people of Haiti and told them what they needed to hear, not what they wanted to hear. That is the true way to gain respect.
After reading this part, I think it was nice that you helped your friend. Sharing your thoughts can lead the people into thinking better. I agree with you when you said “A real leader of the people does not aspire for anything for himself. He aspires for everything for everyone.” A leader should always think and put their people at the top so the people will like him as the leader.
Takes a lot of courage to go to another country and talk about politics to a crowd that can or would believe you because you are a ” white man” and because ” people listen to white men in my town”. I completely agree with “It is ok to insult foreign devils but leave their local sycophants and puppets alone. You never know whose territory you are in. You never know who pays whose salary and who wants revenge against who.” Because being that you were not from that town nor the country, you have to be really careful who you offend trying to help a friend run for national senator.
As i analyzed this article, i came to an understanding that even those with good intentions have to use same tactics as those without. Your friend may have best intentions for the people, but he has to one up the others by in turn asking you to help him. I feel as if he made a little mistake by trying to bribe you with pleasantries such as women,etc… The thing that stood out to me was that, even at the sight of slight hope the hearts of those people lit up like stars in the sky during nighttime. This shows me that they still have hope and most importantly a will to fight.
The reading shows how politics is in Haiti. I feel that your friend used you as a face for his campaign because he knew that people will listen to a successful white men rather them another an from their village. This just shows how outside parties have a influence on political issues in other countries such as Haiti. Don’t get me wrong I respect you for what you did it takes someone with big thoughts to do what you did.
“Politicians play games of false promises and politricks.” Mr. Shaw is brutally honest and straightforward. I love that despite he was campaigning for Widson’s political participation in Haiti, he was true to the people of Haiti. Mr. Shaw reminds me of a quote from The Kite Runner, “And that is the thing about people who mean everything they say, they think everyone else does too.” I wish our politicians were that true to their people.
The passage was very entertaining because of your whole experience in Haiti. It must of been very dangerous in Haiti but at the same time very safe with your own personal escorts/detail. With your experience one can conclude that the people take pride in what they represent whether it’s good or bad. With your freighting experience one can say that it doesn’t matter where you’re from, if you disrespecting what their leaders or what they represent the people will defend it. Something like this could’ve happened to anyone in another country as well. The people looked up to you as a political leader during the campaign and I think you won some votes for the campaign other than those who stuck a gun in your face.
This article can give a clear understanding of who Professor Shaw is as a person. You stand up for what you believe in and you know exactly who you are and the mission you wish to achieve. Even though you are campaigning for a friend without even consenting to it you still stand behind your belief and not the political propaganda. Widson probably wanted you to say something else lift up the people give them false truths but you did not do that. you gave them your truth. which is the real truth in many circles. people don’t want to hear lies although they find comfort in them but how can you deny someone who tells it how it is? You knew your stance and you played it well to not ruffle any feathers within the territory you were in. It takes a Different type of political view to do what you did. unfortunately their are not nearly enough people willing to take that risk.
I applaud you in not going back on your morals to help a friend. He was using you as bait for his own agenda. If the people there knew what you did I am positive they would be extremely grateful. The fact that you never even mentioned his name was amazing. In many countries politicians leave the people in the dark and feed them information they want to hear but never follow through. By not siding with Widson and sticking to your beliefs you spared the people of Haiti more lies.
This article just shows that despite people thinking Haiti is such a different place from the US, but in the area of politics it’s not. Widson was using his connections to get ahead, just like any other North American person running for office would. But I think he should have asked Professor Shaw to be a part of his campaign team first. The fact that Widson just appointed him was not fair and led up to the situations stated in the article. But like other countries the government is corrupt and everyone is trying to find reasons to stay afloat.
Reading this article professor Shaw opens up your minds and eyes to the games of politics or as he would say “politricks”. It’s odd and not appropriate for his friend to be saying such things, such as “Dan-yel you are a white man. People listen to white men in my town. You must go out and campaign for me.” Its a method of tricking people of their trust. Even more to use the “white man” as a way of betrayal and manipulation
Well that was fun! He practically ambushed you. Shame on him for using your trip as a way to further his campaign. Even if his goal was to fulfill his promises it was unfair of him to use your friendship to get you to run around “endorsing” him.
In Haiti they always use the politriks on the people to gain their capital. They think the white man is the answer for everything.
I like better part II is very interesting story