Facebook started out as a social networking tool for college students. A couple years later, Facebook opened up to the general population and the entire world was introduced to each other. One member at a time. Eventually, celebrities took note and the concept of Facebook “fan” pages was born. Politicians and those running for office found Facebook to be a very useful tool in getting their names out to the voting public and getting out the vote. Not to be left out in social media, soon companies and organizations had their own Facebook “fan” or “group” pages, and the rest is history.
Now anyone and their mother can open up a Facebook page, as well as anyone and their dogs.
A new first, however, is the use of Facebook as a tool to play Identity Politics. Of all the “special interest groups” out there, only one seems to believe they are worth voting for simply because of their race, nationality or religion. It doesn’t matter whether or not their candidates are intelligent, hard working, dedicated to the community or ready and willing to serve the public. Their only goal is to get more of themselves elected.
Now, which “special interest group” do you think they might be? Let’s do Facebook searches and see what we can find.
In South Florida, it has been generally presumed that Cuban Americans are the most political of all ethnic groups, so I started with a search of “elect Cuban Americans.”
No luck there. So I searched “elect black Americans.”
Again, nothing showed up. So I thought, “Maybe that’s too RACIST,” and searched “elect African Americans.”
Nope, nothing to see here, folks.
Elect white Americans?
WHEW! Thank goodness for that because God knows that would be RACIST!
On a whim, I searched “elect Asian Americans.”
Elect Mexican Americans?
Apparently, Mexican Americans aren’t a “special” enough “interest” group, either.
I then decided to try religious groups seeking election for their religion.
Elect Jewish Americans?
Nothing.
Elect Muslim Americans?
Nope, not “special” enough to warrant a Facebook page, either.
How about the ever popular “elect Christian Americans” category?
BINGO! However, it’s not exactly saying to “elect Christian Americans” because they’re Christian. Close, but no cigar.
Thinking of a “special interest group” unique to South Florida, I decided to search “elect Haitian Americans” for the hell of it.
Well, I’ll be damned. There is a Facebook page dedicated to electing Haitians simply for being Haitian!
Not surprisingly, this group was formed only on May 14, 2013, just in time for the North Miami and North Miami Beach elections and runoff races.
Not only that, but the only photograph in its Facebook album spotlights local Haitian elected officials.
Recognize any of them? Check out our very own NMB Spork Weasel over in the left hand side. None other than L’il Frantzie P!
Oh, and by the way, notice the first and only comment posted by none other than our very own South Florida RACIST/convicted felon, Joseph Gourgue, who thinks that playing Identity Politics is a “Great idea.”
But, of course it is.
And these people think I’m the RACIST! Are they kidding or, what?
This illustrious Facebook page is COMMITTED to “help Haitian-Americans get elected across America.”
No reasons given.
No qualifications necessary.
Just “Vote for me BECAUSE I’m Haitian!”
On a side note, the Electhaitianamericans Facebook page has a cover photo of an American flag. Facebook has guidelines for cover photos, as follows:
One of the guidelines specifically states that a cover photo may not “infringe on anyone else’s copyright.” Notice the watermark on the cover photo of the Electhaitianamericans Facebook page:
“123RF®” is the Registered Trademark for 123RF.com, and using this picture is a CLEAR VIOLATION of the Facebook guidelines for cover photos.
Just like certain local “Haitian American” politicians, such as North Miami Beach councilman Frantz Pierre, and certain local “Haitian American” candidates for office, such as North Miami Beach AND North Miami FAUX candidates Yvenoline “Yve” Dargenson and Lucie “Coco Douce” Tondreau, those characters behind the Electhaitianamericans Facebook page believe that THE RULES DON’T APPLY TO THEM.
Just saying, of course.
Folks, on May 21, 2013 in NMB and on June 4, 2013 in North Miami, you could vote for actual Qualified Candidates, who also live in their respective cities, or –
You could vote for the “Haitian American” candidates just because they’re Haitian and for no other reason.
Again, I simply could not make this stuff up!
In North Miami Beach, please re-elect Beth Spiegel for City Council in Group 4 and elect Tony DeFillipo in Group 2.
In North Miami, please vote for Kevin Burns for Mayor, Carol Keys in District 2 and Jacques Despinosse in District 3.
In North Miami Beach on May 21, 2013 PLEASE VOTE RESPONSIBLY!
AND
In North Miami on June 4, 2013 PLEASE VOTE RESPONSIBLY!
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
sick !
If you want to be Haitian, go to Haiti and vote there.
I supposed that is US of America, so it’s US soil.
The just want to milk again and again the earthquake and the victims. While the Haitian government tries to take a more larger portion of the “cake” of the huge cash flow of the donations. Simply sick
Several years ago when Andre Pierre was seeking reelection he wanted the endorsement of the Dade County Police Benevolent Association. At the time I was the North Miami Police Department’s elected union representative. Mr. Pierre and his associates were lobbying heavily and pressuring me to influence this endorsement. There was an occasion where one of his political allies, Marc Paul, met with me and in the course of the conversation he stated “We just want what the Cubans have in Hialeah”. He explained that the Haitian populace wanted North Miami to be a city governed by Haitians for Haitians and he made numerous references to t”the white people” and why they didn’t want ” the white people”. I told Mr. Paul that as cities go ,Hialeah did not have a stellar reputation and that one should aspire to model North Miami after a city with the highest possible standards. He repeatedly made reference to “the white people” and how they weren’t going to take care of Haitians and he was less than receptive when I said that a politicians job is to look out for the betterment of their constituents and community as a whole.
After going before the political screening board, Mr. Pierre asked to meet with me and told me that I needed to secure the PBA endorsement for him. I informed him that this was a board decision based on candidate performance and a board vote he replied “Yeah but you have influence on it”. He followed this up by saying that he had lunched with the Coral Gables mayor that day and that their police union had not endorsed him. Mr. Pierre looked directly at me and threatened me by saying “They didn’t endorse him. Do you know how the police officers have it now? They don’t have it good now, ask them.” It was obvious that these are the tactics employed by Pierre and his ilk and anyone who votes for an individual even remotely associated with Pierre would be a fool.
In my opinion, in the last few years that I worked at the North Miami Police Department I saw the City used as a means to funnel aid to Haiti. The cities Haitian politicians appeared to use their positions to obtain money and goods that were later sent to Haiti. This was done through Christmas toy drives where Marie Steril took donated toys earmarked for North Miami’s youth and instead took them Haiti. North Miami citizens were duped into believing they were donating money to the Red Cross, when in fact the money was not turned over and no concrete information has been provided to the public about this money’s dissemination.
Police Officers were frequently used to provide escorts to City Staff on numerous trips to Haiti all on the taxpayers dime.
Police Officers were used for private functions and events which were primarily related to Haitian social and political functions outside of the City of North Miami and paid overtime by N. Miami tax dollars.
Police cars were permanently stationed in front of the mayors home when he was away on vacation in order to provide security for his house.
I could go on ad infinitum. Suffice it to say that North Miami’s voters should exercise good judgment and caution when going to the polls. For each voter that stays home and doesn’t cast a ballot, you should be hearing the sound of cash registers and your tax dollars going down the drain.
Thank you very much Cristina for shedding some light on what goes on in the shadows. It’s truly a shame that in the 21st century these games of racial politics are growing instead of shrinking. As someone who loves North Miami because it is so racially diverse, it’s hurtful to all of humanity when racial politics govern the day. To my Haitian neighbors who may read this, please know that I vote for the best candidate, period. Black or white or red or blue, it’s about the best candidate. I voted for Mr Monestime when he ran for Mayor because out of the 8 years I’ve been living in North Miami, he’s the ONLY mayoral candidate to ever knock on my door and have a real conversation with me. And I agreed and believed in what he said. I am not voting for Lucie Tondreau because I do not believe she has been a resident of this city, because of her ties to Mr Swerdlow and mostly because she’s another racial polictics player. The time for that is over. That leaves me with voting for Mr Burns, who I truly don’t believe practices racial politics and who sees a positive future for everyone in North Miami.
As a point of clarification, I can say that I I believe immigrants have a moral,social and ethical obligation to help their compatriots.
This is a country that was founded by immigrants and going back to the days of Ellis Island you have stories of families who took in their relatives,lived together until they they gained financial independence, started family owned businesses and worked in unison toward goals for their mutual success.
I do not believe that fraud and deception are an acceptable means to provide for anyone’s personal interests or that holding public office should be used to favor anyone simply because they share the same ethnicity,religion,DNA etc.
I most certainly don’t think that anyone should deliberately gain public office in order to take tax dollars from the residents of that community, use public & social services provided by the US and effectively use their position to “launder” it to another country where their true interests lie.
As a hypothetical of course…let’s say there’s a nearby fictional island named Costaguana; an impoverished island where dictatorships have been the norm and there is no true “middle class”. Financial, social and political instability abound and anyone with a few bucks can live like a king. Now you have a candidate running for office in your city who is from there. All of his relatives are there,he currently owns property there, he was raised there and regularly visits Costaguana. Holding office in your city allows him/her to travel there under the auspices of their “official duties”, he can initiate drives for financial donations for catastrophes, toy drives, influence the donation of commercial vehicles and city equipment to Costaguana and basically provide a myriad of support which in exchange can ensure back door deals that benefits themselves as well as their relatives.
Would you find it prudent to cast your ballot for them?
Hypothetically speaking……of course.
The fact that Franz Pierre has 8 registered voters using his address as their home of record should be a fire alarm for the entire community. In the last election, Franz Pierre won by exactly these same 8 votes, meaning he was obviously re-elected by his fraudulent vote margin. The 8 voters who claimed they live in his household obviously do not, and if they did, its a Code Violation for having that many un-related people living under the same roof.
At the conclusion of the election tommorrow, the North Miami Beach City Council should take up the issue of having a sitting councilman flaunt the City Code, which in itself is grounds for removal by a vote of the Council. While all his other issues, lies, and outright made-up accusations might be entertaining, they also call in question the judgement of a man who was elected based upon apparent voter fraud and seems unqualified to hold elected office.
Why would a Haitian ever think that voting for a Haitian candidate means that the candidate is qualified to represent their agenda? Just look at how Haiti is governed. The people there have been, sadly, abandoned by their politicians and right now they’re worse off than ever before. A vote for someone who cares about the entire community at large means that everyone in that community reaps the benefits. Haitian candidates who divide and conquer don’t have Haitians’ best interest at heart. Haitians should be very wary of Haitian politicians who make political promises during election time. A council member is only one vote. Unless they are constantly breaking the Sunshine Law, no council member can guarantee to deliver on any promises made during a campaign. Don’t believe the hype!
First of all, there is obviously no “Sunshine” in North Miami. I first wrote about that in December of 2011 (https://www.votersopinion.com/?p=2366) and again in July of last year (https://www.votersopinion.com/?p=5581). Under Andre’s Diktatorship, he does what he pleases, Sunshine be damned.
He also has absolutely no concern about the non-Haitian “community” as evidenced by everything Cristy wrote and all the “ethnic” programs he brings to North Miami. In Andre Pierre’s North Miami, whites, blacks and Hispanics do not count. The only thing that matters is that one can claim “Haitian” as his ethnicity. A vote for Lucie Tondreau will ensure that his legacy will continue unabated.
As a pioneer of The City of North Miami and non Haitian I truly believe Lucie is the best candidate for the PEOPLE of our city not how it looks…. I digress……. I’m excited to see you bitter people at Whole Foods with a fat ass smile on my face…. GOD BLESS
You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Far be it from me to try to tell you what to think. As for your “fat ass smile,” I have the name of a good plastic surgeon to help you with that. Just saying.
GOD BLESS!