Posted on 03/17/2011 1:22:04 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Actor Danny Glover has taken on a new role - as international statesman.
The "Lethal Weapon" star traveled to South Africa late Wednesday to escort exiled former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide back home.
Aristide has been issued a diplomatic passport after seven years in exile but has encountered resistance to his return to Haiti before a presidential run-off election on Sunday.
Glover questioned why former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier would be allowed to return, but the twice-elected Aristide would not.
"People of good conscience cannot be idle while a former dictator is able to return unhindered while a democratic leader who peacefully handed over power to another elected president is restricted from returning to his country by external forces," Glover wrote on the website of the TransAfrica Forum, a group he chairs.
There has been speculation that the U.S. has pressured South African officials to slow Aristide's departure until after the run-off election.
But South African officials said they could not block him from leaving.
Haiti has been in a state of upheaval since a devastating earthquake last year killed hundreds of thousands. Recent elections have been marred by allegations of fraud.
The situation was thrown into further turmoil when Duvalier inexplicably returned to the country after more than two decades in exile in France.
Aristide remains one of Haiti's most popular politicians despite being in exile since 2004 when he fled from rebels approaching the capital.
He emerged as a leading voice for the poor in the popular revolt that toppled the Duvalier family's 29-year brutal grasp on power.
But Aristide was first ousted from power in a military coup in 1991. He was returned to power in 1994 following U.S. military intervention.
Cito/APDanny Glover is trying to help ousted ex-Haitian President return to his homeland.
Jean-Bertrand Aristide has been in exile for seven years.
Billions of dollars in aid couldn’t be reached from Africa.
Don’t we have snipers anymore? Painting Glover with Aristide’s brains might settle him down some.
He’d just frame them like he did in “The Shooter”
Send in the Marines!
Better yet—send in Glover and the rest of the Hollywood goofs costumed as “Marines.”
Not sure why Aristide was the darling of the American left despite everything. Does anyone know the back story? Is it just that he was a leftist monster who managed to get elected, and that makes him special?
Still hasn’t cleared would probably be a more accurate statement.
Roger Murtaugh: Of course I’m black. That’s why I want to go to South Africa.
Roger Murtaugh: [louder and more militant] To join my oppressed brothers as they take up the struggle against this racist, fascist, White Minority Regime!
Leo Getz: Racist White Regime!
Roger Murtaugh: One man, one vote!
Leo Getz: One man, one vote!
Danny Glover... traveled to South Africa late Wednesday to escort exiled former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide back homeIt lists him as an actor, but he's a no-talent racist hack with a speech impediment.
You have made a correct assessment.
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