Was Charles Taylor Flamboyant? Or was that just a front?
Charles Taylor,
although flamboyant in public, was not truly such a showman at heart. His
actions during his regime were a front to control his people, and when faced
with legal adversity it fell quickly. He acted flamboyantly to his people and
the outside world to make himself seem strange, foreign and unapproachable. He
did a few things to make him seem more African, like adding Ghankay to his
name, but other than that, his policies were meant to separate and isolate.
Taylor made friends with politicians and business people during his time outside
Liberia, and this supports the idea that he was not truly flamboyant.
Flamboyancy would not have helped him gain the trust of Gaddafi or other
conservative leaders. Showmanship only impresses those who are already
entranced, not the skeptics.
The article cites
his capture as evidence of his showmanship, but if he had gone down without a
fight, we would not be covering him. If he did not take potentially life-threating
risks, he would never have risen to power. His suit with a red tie is also
called showmanship, but that is the norm in western courts, so it can be seen
as an attempt to blend in, not stand out, as well as an attempt to hide a
bulletproof vest like the one he arrived in. When he initially took power, he
had to act energetic and showy to gain the west’s attention and gain any
notoriety, good or bad. He wanted to stand out, and shows up in full military
combat gear or a white robe is an excellent way to do just that. After he
gained the attention, he began to scale back, while still making a point and instilling
some hint of fear into the other leaders.
