Brush with Haiti by Kathleen A. Tobin Page A

administration was taking the country and how its steps were affecting the world. The north of Haiti seemed so isolated, so insulated, with daily needs detached from global practices, I thought. But I knew that was not the case and at that moment it was difficult to call myself an American.
    "We like Americans, we just don't like your government's policies," I had been told repeatedly in conversations with Europeans and Latin Americans. I had grown grateful for their sentiment but not completely satisfied. After all, if this is anything close to a democracy, are we not responsible for our government? Our Haitian hosts knew that perhaps no one in the room had voted for Bush. A significant number of Catholics visiting Haiti included progressives committed to peace and justice. And the bishop did not hesitate to criticize the Bush administration's approach to foreign affairs. When it became clear he was in like-minded company, he retreated to the adjoining room where there was a computer. He had printed a copy of Bush's State of the Union Address, and quoted from it. It was filled with fear mongering and essentially said that he would take action regardless of what the United Nations advised.
    I realized just what far-reaching effects this would have on the world. In the past there had been numerous acts on the part of the United States directed at Haiti and surrounding territories. Though protested by some, at the time they were rationalized. As time went by, public outcry grew. Those who studied the history of U.S. foreign policy honestly acknowledged similarities in current developments. On this occasion, when it appeared U.S. policy had nothing to do with Haiti, the reaction there was clear. To engage in war without provocation was reminiscent of past actions and an affront to all who respected peace. The bishop of Fort Liberte expected more from the world's most powerful leaders.
    Two months later, the United States followed through on its threats to attack Iraq. My daughter and some friends had spoken out against the war in her high school, as did some colleagues and I on my campus. We argued with reason why this was a mistake politically, economically, and morally. We were by no means the most vocal of the pending war's critics, but our position was clear. When the attack finally did take place, I had resigned myself to the fact that the Bush administration simply could not be deterred. Katie, on the other hand, was demoralized in a way that only an 18-year-old could be.
    The following day she asked ifI would take her shopping for a prom dress after dinner. She was not obsessed with prom, but it was her senior year and she looked forward to going with a friend. He was a great guy, very smart, and hilarious, and I knew they would have a good time. It was still some time away and we were in no hurry to get a dress, but she was scheduled to leave the following morning along with her brothers to spend spring break in Palm Springs with their grandparents. It almost seemed like a task she wanted to check off her to-do list, but I also think she wanted to get the war off her mind. I agreed to take her for a quick trip into the city, thinking we could just get some idea about styles and how much this was going to set me back. I also decided that her brothers were old enough to be home by themselves for a few hours, knowing that their father and my mother were nearby.
    It was good to be in the car alone with her. Time can slip away and I had heard that car rides with one child at a time give parents a chance to talk and listen, and she was more or less captive. By the time we reached Soldier Field, we had touched on a good variety of topics. But it was clear she was still pretty downhearted. After some time of sitting in stopped traffic, I realized something was wrong. We were at a complete standstill. Several black, unmarked police cars sped north on the road's shoulder, next to us. I could not imagine what kind of emergency had