When people are in the street setting things on fire, it's a relief to see the police arrive on the scene.
My sense of American justice came rising up in my chest. "Oh good. They are here. They can stop this tomfoolery."
We watched to see how things would unfold. Would the people protesting get more angry? Would the presence of the police get them even more excited? Would the police jump out of the car ready to get this street in order? To take control? Whip it back in shape?
The protesters graciously moved large rocks out of the street (the same rocks that they had hauled into the street earlier) so that the police could drive on the road. "That's nice of them," we thought. Then we watched the weirdest thing happen. The police slowly drove right through the mass of people...right through the fires...and kept on going down the street.
The protesters graciously moved large rocks out of the street (the same rocks that they had hauled into the street earlier) so that the police could drive on the road. "That's nice of them," we thought. Then we watched the weirdest thing happen. The police slowly drove right through the mass of people...right through the fires...and kept on going down the street.
Q: What does an American say when they see the police do nothing?
A: "Uh! What?"
5 comments:
Would you share the background on what's happening when you have time? Is this a planned protest or something spontaneous? Does this happen often in Haiti. Is it an unsafe situation or fairly controlled? Just trying to understand the context.
I found this article on CNN that describes what is happening with the elections.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/12/08/haiti.elections/index.html?iref=allsearch
Thanks Ashley!
Thank you. I wasn't aware that elections were going on right now so I wasn't sure what this was. In India certain groups of workers will go on strike all day long and everything stops when they do - they'll attack anyone who doesn't participate in the strike. We arrived in Kolkata on one of those days.
This is the same thing my friend Ginny is seeing in Jacmel. She tried to drive to a town for a medical visit, but after dodging towers of tires on fire and rocks being thrown, she decided to go back. We pray for the people of Haiti every day.
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