A BRUSH WITH ARISTIDE Público Deposited
The E-Sylum: Volume 7, Number 11, March 14, 2004, Article 23
A BRUSH WITH ARISTIDE
Last week we mentioned the money stash left behind by
President Aristide on his hasty exit from Haiti. David
Lange writes: "I have my own numismatic tale relating to
the recently ousted President Aristide.In 1994 I was living near San Francisco and serving as
president of the California State Numismatic Association.
I was also serving with Don Kagin as the numismatic
representatives on the M.I.N.T. Committee (Maintain and
Improve a Numismatic Treasure). This committee was
formed by San Francisco's mayor and California's senators
to reopen and revitalize the recently closed Old San
Francisco Mint Museum.For one meeting at city hall I arrived about a half hour early
and was asked to have a seat in the mayor's outer office
waiting room. I was alone there, but just a few moments
later two black men arrived and sat down nearby. They
conversed briefly in French, which suggested to me they
were probably from one of France's former colonies. One
of the men, who was carrying a two-way radio and various
other gadgets, was soon motioned inside the mayor's office,
leaving me alone with the other fellow.It was at that moment I recognized my companion in the
waiting room as President Aristide, who at that time was
beseeching the USA to restore him to the presidency to which
he'd been elected a few years earlier but from which he had
been recently forced to flee for his safety. There were
countless death threats against him at the time, as well as
demonstrators both pro and con in the streets of San
Francisco and other American cities.We spoke briefly, just the sort of polite conversation one has
with strangers in such awkward moments. A few minutes later
he was gestured to come inside the mayor's office, while I was
asked to be patient during this slight delay. Just as he
disappeared, some of my fellow committee members began
arriving, and I got caught up in our M.I.N.T. discussions.It was only after I left the meeting a few hours later that I
realized I'd had a brief brush with history. No one had frisked
me or sought proof of my identity. I was not asked to wait
outside in the hallway. I was simply left alone with this seemingly
marked man. Had I been an assassin I would have had no
trouble completing my mission.In this age of terrorism I imagine things would go differently
today. There would be security all around him to keep
strangers like me away, but such was not the case ten years
ago."[Well, you just never know where an E-Sylum item will
take us. We have a well-travelled group of readers.
-Editor]- 2004-03-14
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