An Inclusive Litany

1/3/94

Randolph Ryan in The Boston Globe, October 30, 1993, discussing allegations that would-be Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide exhibited tyrannical and mentally unstable tendencies, having given speeches in favor of setting political enemies on fire:
But what about the CIA allegations? Is Aristide emotional? Yes. Has he been depressed? Possibly. Has he been prescribed an anti-depressant? Who knows? Who cares?

The CIA says Aristide is a rabble-rouser? Yes, at heated moments he has told followers to give as good as they get. During the coup in which the generals overthrew and almost killed Aristide a couple of years ago, a Macoute chief died in a jail cell, shot by a guard. Did he die, as the CIA claims, by Aristide's order?

I guess it's possible. But it still proves nothing to me about Aristide's fitness to be president. It proves that sometimes Macoutes die as Macoutes live. That can't be called lawful, but is it unjust?