The Forum > Article Comments > The kidnapping of Haiti > Comments
The kidnapping of Haiti : Comments
By John Pilger, published 3/2/2010The theft of Haiti has been swift and crude.
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Posted by Arjay, Thursday, 4 February 2010 10:25:15 PM
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TurnedRightThenLeft:
'All we did was say we don't agree with Pilger's more extremist conspiratorial theories.' Far from an accurate summary of what you said. You didn't even get so far as to say that you disagreed - let alone why - with the article's substance. Rather than getting on the moral high ground, I merely criticised your writing, not to discuss (or argue with) the article, but merely to denigrate the author in such a way as to dismiss the topic itself. Why not just stay away? The only commenter I mentioned who gave any sign of having read the article was Chris Lewis. Street and KenH provided mere wild denigration, and you, based on the asserted premise that Pilger is 'utopian', clearly deduced that you could dismiss the piece. Your argument about him goes thus: he is utopian therefore 'whoever he is writing about won't measure up'. Inverted reasoning? Actually, Pilger often found that things were not as benign as they seemed or were portrayed to be, and therefore became a critic. Yes, a crusading one, perhaps. It's fashionable to disparage what he does - an 'extremist' you call him - yet there are few journalists who have had the sheer temerity to investigate and stick their necks out like he has. I wouldn't put him on a pedestal, but I believe he is more likely to be correct than the press agencies' anodyne 'reportage' you get in the MSM. The labels 'utopian' and 'political commentator' (are there really only TWO kinds?? Oxymoronic?) are absurd. There are plenty of articles to be found about the 'dark' side of what seems to have happened in Haiti for the last 200 years; I don't think they can all be dismissed as 'anti-western... utopian... cynical... dribble...lunatic pap', as his denigrators here describe him. If everything by Pilger must, ipso facto, be discounted, try these: http://tinyurl.com/yf8ujj2 http://tinyurl.com/ylfpsj4 Both by Marc Weisbrot, of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research, in Washington, DC http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/14/haiti-history-earthquake-disaster by Jon Henley, who is also not John Pilger http://www.markdanner.com/articles/show/156 by Mark Danner. I doubt you'll read them. Posted by Rapscallion, Thursday, 4 February 2010 11:40:36 PM
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Rapscallion
I do read Pilger's articles, and I do think it is important that the negative aspects of power and history are highlighted. My problem with Pilger, who is longstanding and acclaimed journalist, is that he needs to add a further dimension to his work; that being to show us how a better world can be achieved rather than just pointing out his extreme biased position. You, and many others, may find him illuminating, but I find his commentary pretty ordinary. You are right, I am defensive of the West because I do think it has done a reasonable job in recent decades given the way the world has been throughout history. Maybe Pilger, who specialises in criticism, may want to balance the ledger a bit more with criticism on the non-West. Believe me, as china rises, he will have much more to cry about. Posted by Chris Lewis, Friday, 5 February 2010 7:38:34 AM
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Rapscallion
I think a key point that annoys me and others is that Pilger appears to wait to any issue to arise to sink the boots in. Now I realise that we, who love to give our opinion and tell anyone how it is, need material to write about, but Pilger's opportunism wears a bit thin. He could have used the Haiti situation to herald a new dawn in how the west treats such poor nations. This would allowed him to bring up the past, offer reasons why more needs to be done, and offer ideas rather than mere criticism. Now I am sure Pilger has many good reasons to live in a western society. We do discuss key issues and we know that change can occur if public opinion is galvanised. So he should utilise these reasons to spread a positive message that makes appeal across the political spectrum. We who defend the West (rather enthusiastically) also want ideas to balance national and international considerations. Sure, I and others struggle for effective ideas as our realism tends to be a bit gloomy, but perhaps a man of Pilger's experience can lead the way rather than rest on his political opportunism to highlight the gloom and doom associated with the West's flaws. Believe me, the Pilger approach is all too easy in Western societies that tolerate and respect dissent, albeit that Pilger does it in a most articulate way. Posted by Chris Lewis, Friday, 5 February 2010 8:40:28 AM
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Pilger is not an extremist in defining the source of the problem.Every Govt in the West is under the control of a corporate elite who determine our leaders,where the next war will be,the price of energy,creation of money,debt,and how much you on averge will earn.
With all the techno advances since 1980,our real living standards have fallen.We now work harder and longer for less.