LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Awful Day, Deeply Depressed

Mz has been informed by the NVC that he has to come up with another $500 for fees for more paper processing before K is given even an interview date (she's 6 years old!) for getting a visa to come to the U.S.

M has now been in Haiti for two full months. She and Mz have been a separated marriage because of these stupid rules for a little girl with parents who are in the U.S.

In the meantime the violence in the streets over President Preval arbitrarily extending his term as (like Bloomberg did and Giuliani wanted to do) is great -- people protesting are being shot. Everyone's sick, there's no medicine or medical care -- where ARE all those personnel who have made such big media noise about how they've gone to Haiti to provide medical care? They sure as hell ain't anywhere around in Port-au-Prince's soleils it seems. Mz is facing eviction because he just can't seem to make enough money to keep supporting everyone he's supporting.

This is a cold, dreary grey day. And I'm looking at never-ending stacks of papers written by indulged bigoted conservative guys who insist that what they FEEL is fact, and racism doesn't exist, it's just a bunch of whining by black people who are too lazy to work.  While they've never had a job in their lives and their parents are paying for their education.

Then there's the BP Oil Blowout Catastrophe and their shameless campaign to wiggle out of liability -- even to hiring shills that National Public Rhetoric is all too happy to give mucho tiempo to say: "Poor poor poor BP!  Do you know how much money they're losing every day that this leak goes on?  You can't expect them to pay compensation and liabilities and all that too.  They've already paid enough!"  I am NOT making this up.  I heard this on ATC last night.

2 comments:

Foxessa said...

At least we were able to provide Mz the NVC fees so they are paid.

But now it's $500 for the DNA test kits, which is a crony racketeering deal put in place by -- why yes, the bushie regime. You must have a dna sample in order to get a visa, and you should have the test completed with the results in hand when they finally deign to give you an interview for your visa. So both M and K have to be tested in order to supposedly prove they are related.

The catch? You can ONLY used kits from a federal authorized list of laboratories, who are, why yes -- designated friends of those you know who.

We found a lab in New Mexico; now we need to find the $500 -- we're working on it.

K. said...

Their only feelings come in the context of themselves. They never extend to empathy.