One Man's Opinion

A Chilean judge has taken the bold step of asking for the extradition of a former U.S. soldier believed to have participated in the killing of two Americans in 1973 by the Pinochet regime. An acclaimed film by Costa-Gavras, titled Missing , dealt with the efforts by the man's father and widow to find out what happened. Slowly but surely, Chile has gotten around to facing its awful past during those years. The U.S., which is so fond of demanding other countries to extradite its criminals of all kinds, has a chance now to show that it too is willing to surrender one of its citizens to face justice at the scene of his crimes. Unless...the man knows too much and will embarrass the Americans with a tale of how the U.S. government plotted against Allende, the duly-elected President of Chile, and even went so far as to kill its own citizens suspected of being sympathetic to his government.

I knew it! To me, American Airlines had to be bankrupt for a long time. Only a bankrupt airline could offer such a poor service all around. When you're so cheap that you give passengers those horrible pretzels in domestic flights and such bad meals in the international ones, that is a dead giveaway of your financial condition. Of course, it's all the employees fault. If only they would agree to eat those pretzels and that chicken or pasta for a living, those awful "labor costs" would go down and the airline would be "competitive" once again. So, just to show that AA means business, it has declared bankruptcy, so that the employees will take a pay cut and say goodbye to their benefits, while management has drinks at the Admirals Club.

You've got to love the Americans! They're so inventive and resourceful. Here's an example. Let's say you're a mediocre high school student that wants to go to college, but are concerned about not scoring well on the standardized tests you have to take to see if you're "college material." What do you do? You pay a college student to take the test for you! These people -- they've identified about 20 already in the Northeast -- shouldn't be facing prosecution, but given the American Enterprise Institute award for entrepreneurship. Americans are used to buying everything and everyone. This is just another one of those things that there's a market for. It's the American way.

I find all this "crying and gnashing of teeth" over the excesses of Black Friday shopping greatly hypocritical. The media, through its relentless advertising, has turned this into a social event that people want desperately to be a part of. Stores, of course, are mainly to blame for staging it. The government idly stands by, afraid to do its duty to, first of all, protect workers from being exploited, and, second, shoppers from being trampled. This, of course, is consumerism at its worst. It's a degrading spectacle that should have never been allowed. People are getting hurt and, as was the case of the pepper-spray lady, are hurting others in this hysterical rush to save money on good deals. Nobody does anything to stop this insanity, as if this was some act of God or nature that can't be helped. Free enterprise may be a good thing, but, like everything else, must be exercised responsibly and held accountable for its actions.

Fourteen years ago, a large group of nations came together in Kyoto, Japan to pledge their best efforts to reduce carbon emissions and other pollutants to the atmosphere. Almost all nations ratified the Protocol. The U.S. never did. For all their talk about "leading the world" in worthy causes, the Americans were unwilling to commit to reducing their share of polluting the planet. The Protocol is about to expire, and there is talk of renewing it, but how effective will this be if one of the major culprits is so indifferent to the problem? How can the U.S. tell China and India -- other major contributors to the problem --  to stop polluting, if it's reluctant to do so itself? Once again, the U.S. discourse is one thing, and its actions are quite another.

Yesterday, while Americans were stuffing themselves with turkey, six more innocent children were killed by a NATO -- that is to say, U.S. -- airstrike in southern Afghanistan. So, I suppose that's what Thanksgiving is all about: thanking God that it's not American children that are being bombed to hell.

If you're one of those people who think that the Amish are peace-loving, quaint good souls, think again. In Ohio, there's been a spate of hate crimes involving members of a separate Amish sect who have taken it upon themselves to cut men's hair and beards, a no-no for these people. In 1995, they parted ways for religious reasons with the Amish establishment and, since then, there has been tension between the two groups, erupting now in this series of violent attacks perpetrated at night in the victims' homes. What believers will do in the name of God!

Statistics point to the stunning fact that 15% of the U.S. population either goes hungry or is unsure about where its next meal is going to come from. That's almost 18 million people . Significantly enough, one out of every five children goes hungry. And it's no longer the children of the traditionally poor that are in this dire situation, but, increasingly, those of lower middle class families. All this in the bombastically-proclaimed "greatest country in the history of mankind." While its people go hungry, it keeps spending billions of dollars in all kinds of wars and military interventions with the purported objective of defending the American way of life. Really? I guess that, for a change, the American people are going to have to "invade" their own country and set new priorities, before it all goes to hell.

Embarrassing, to say the least, is the breakup of two American spy rings, one in Lebanon and the other in Iran. Once again, the CIA has messed up in an almost amateurish way. In one of these cases, the spies were uncovered because they met consistently in a Pizza Hut restaurant. In general, the spy operations were sloppy and unprofessional. I would guess that this is a result of that typical condescending American attitude towards foreigners, regarding them as dumb and unsophisticated. Not giving the "natives" credit for anything, the CIA operatives felt that they could get away with carelessness. Now, they know better. Contrary to all those movies in which American agents are always so much smarter than everybody else, real life reveals just how flawed their intelligence apparatus actually is.

It had all the elements of a storybook romance. She was young and beautiful; he was young and handsome. They looked like movie stars and, in fact, were. For those of us who grew up in the fifties and early sixties Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner appeared to be the perfect couple. When they divorced, we were all disappointed, but when they got back together, we felt that things had been put right. And then, 30 years ago, when Natalie Wood drowned, it was like a death in the family. To us Puerto Ricans, our María had died. Now, the memories have come back, and the old suspicion rears its ugly head once again. Could it be that Prince Valiant was at fault? "Please, make it not be true!"

Boy, the Catholic Church must be really desperate! When I read that the Pope was going to visit Benin, I thought it somewhat odd. Now I know the reason: Africa is one of the very few places where Catholicism is actually growing, including religious vocations. So, much as he would surely prefer that business were booming elsewhere, Ratzinger is forced to go on safari among the natives. The man is so desperate that he has been willing to make overtures to Voodoo and other aspects of African culture that, I'm quite sure, he finds not only morally objectionable, but also personally distasteful, to say the least. Remember, this is a man with a Nazi background. Enough said. Still, he has to put up with these "heresies", in order to keep his shop open during these troubled times. For that, he would make a deal with the Devil himself.

If anybody thought that Neo-Nazis were harmless kooks, they better think again, in light of the recent developments in Germany. It's become clear that they are behind a string of murders against foreigners and robberies for close to a decade now. As is the case with other extreme political views that have been in power anywhere around the world, Nazism dies hard, lying somewhat dormant, always ready to erupt again at a moment's notice. Germany must act swiftly and decisively against any manifestation of this disease, before it spreads, especially among its unemployed, discontented and alienated youth.

Will wonders never cease! It started with Warren Buffet, and now a group of millionaires has gone to the U.S. Congress asking the government to tax them more, in order to help the country out in its hour of need. What is more surprising --maybe not -- is the reception they got, which went from amusement to hostility. Here were these rich people doing what they consider their patriotic duty, and all they got was the cold shoulder and derisive comments. Of course, many congressmen are rich themselves or represent the wealthy, so they were none-too-pleased to be put on the spot. In the end, nothing will come of this. Still, it's a grand gesture that deserves recognition, and shows that not every rich person is without some conscience.

As a lawyer, I find it interesting that some Holocaust survivors are trying to sue the French railway system for its complicity in their deportation 60 plus years after the fact. Although the truth is not diminished by time, it's rather odd that someone would wait so long to hold someone else accountable for what they did so long ago. It seems to me that one would look to find that kind of relief much sooner. Furthermore, there's always the matter of proof, extremely complicated after all these years. This whole thing smacks of being opportunistic; a way to make some money off a tragic situation.

A newspaper headline that says that Jerry Sandusky admits that he showered with boys but is innocent is as damning as can be. There's nothing innocent about a very grown man showering with very young boys, especially when he also admits that there was "horsing around." I find it suspicious that a man would engage in such an activity with children not his own, unless he has an -- I daresay, abnormal --  interest in coming in contact with them. As I write this, there is a report that ten additional men have come forward with sexual abuse allegations. That makes it eighteen. Sandusky may have been a defensive genius in college football, but it looks like he won't have much of a defense in this matter.

Chile has taken up, of late, the investigation and prosecution of Catholic Church child molesters. Still, due to the fact that some of these cases are so old, the statute of limitations has run out on them. This is what just happened in a recent case of an 81-year-old priest, whom the Church has "retired" to a life of prayer and penance. Meanwhile, he goes unpunished in this world. The Church has been "soft" on pederasts, and this is another example of that practice. Significantly, the judge in this case made a point of stating that the allegations were true, but, unfortunately, he couldn't be prosecuted for those crimes.

I's been called "the dumbing down of America", a recognition of the downward spiral of American education. The average person in the U.S. is ill-informed about national and international affairs. Thus, they are easy prey for demagogues who trade in false patriotism, fear and prejudice. A recent study of political views confirms just how ignorant and gullible is the typical U.S. citizen. For democracy to work, there has to be a well-informed citizenry. The men of 1776 knew this, and pinned their hopes on it for their political experiment to succeed. They would be extremely disappointed in 2011. Ironically, with all the freedom of information and multiple outlets to obtain it, the American people have very little political culture and their participation in the democratic processes is far from what it should be in an advanced society.

For most Americans, the bottom line is always the "bottom line." No matter how painful a tragedy might be, it will ultimately be measured in dollars and cents. A lot of dollars. This is what's happening in the Fort Hood case, in which victims and their families -- 83 people in all --  are asking for $750 million in compensation for what they claim was the negligence of the U.S. Government in not stopping the shooter, a man that, had someone paid attention, showed clear signs that he posed a threat to his fellow soldiers. Putting aside the question of their right to be compensated for their loss, this sounds like a typical American get-rich-quick scheme. Seven hundred and fifty million dollars! Come on! A life can be "priceless", but this is ridiculous. People should also be allowed to sue the U.S. for all those military deaths of soldiers that get killed in  Afghanistan and Iraq, where they were taken under false pretenses.

The good news is that the Army sergeant that led others in killing three Afghans for the hell of it has been found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. This 26-year-old monster not only orchestrated these murders but also staged them to look like legitimate combat situations. The bad news is that he'll be eligible for parole in less than ten years . If I take good care of myself, I'll live to see him walk out of prison, because, deep down, he's been convicted reluctantly. The powers that be had no choice, given the nature of the crimes and the publicity that went along with it. Had there been the least chance of sweeping it under the rug, they would've done so. Imagine convicting a "boy next door" for killing three lousy    Afghans! But, things got too big and out of hand, and they couldn't allow him to get away with murder. Still, mark your calendar for the early release date.

Did anybody really believe that the Dominican pitcher accused of killing one guy and injuring another would be found guilty? The man is set to sign a $12 million contract with the Orioles. If you multiply that by 38, the official exchange rate, you get  456 million pesos . Now, that's a lot of pesos to go around. Sadly, but truly, Dominican justice is not above reproach, and money not only talks, but, in this case, "walks." It's been reported that a key witness changed his testimony in a dramatic way. I bet I know why...

The news of mishandling the remains of U.S. soldiers that come from Afghanistan and Iraq in the Delaware military airport is the latest -- most probably, won't be the last -- of inappropriate doings with regards to how the U.S. Armed Forces deal with its servicemen and women. Sometime ago, there was the scandal at the Walter Reed Hospital that, ultimately, led to its closing. Arlington Cemetery has also been in the news due to questionable procedures. All this in a country that prides itself in the way that it treats its military "heroes" that keep it safe and protect the "American way of life." This, of course, has been shown to be nothing but propaganda. The truth is and has been for some time that veterans, the dead, the wounded and the sick get the short end of the stick, once there's no more use for them as part of the U.S. war machine.

I always liked Joe Frazier much more than I did Ali. In fact, I never liked Ali at all. For all his "greatness", I found him boastful and demeaning towards his opponents. Talent and physical prowess aside, he wasn't someone that I could admire.  Frazier, on the other hand, went about his business in a quiet and dignified way, not making fun of the other guy. He just knocked him out. He never resorted to the verbal abuse that he was the target of with Ali. There's much to be admired in someone who does his job well, without humiliating others or delivering cheap shots to them. In a world where values have been corrupted, Ali became a hero of sorts. But, to me, Frazier was the better man, inside and outside the ring.

I enjoy sports as much as the next guy, but I've never understood how people can be blinded by their fanaticism towards a team or an individual. There are countless things that are way more important than the outcome of a game or any athletic pursuit. Like sex crimes against minors. It's now becoming apparent that the hero worship of a football coach in Penn State University prevented that he be properly investigated for sexual abuse of minors based on credible eyewitness testimony. Thus, he was allowed to continue his predatory practices for a long time after university officials were aware of it. There can be only one explanation for this outrageous situation: the status of college football in many campuses around the U.S. As stupid as it may sound, people who are involved in successful collegiate team sports get a free pass on a number of instances. The Vince Lombardi bullshit of  "Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing" has corrupted otherwise decen

Another Kenyan has won the New York City Marathon, and in record time, at that. A countryman of his came in second. The rest of the top finishers are all African, as has usually been the case in long-distance running for several decades now. The dominance of the African runners is an amazing turn of events, considering that they come from countries that are not well-off by any stretch of the imagination. But, they have turned their natural abilities and circumstances into a cottage industry producing elite competitors that go around the world winning consistently, with no end in sight. Meanwhile, unable to do much about it, the rest of the world just sees them running away with the gold, in both medals and money.

Who would've thought! A small town in Michigan is so broke that it turns out the lights at night . Worse than that, just so no one feels tempted to turn them on, it has pulled down the fixtures of public lighting. So, the 12,000 inhabitants make do with the light from their homes, or else, they walk around in the dark. Although this is an extreme case,  many other cities, towns and villages around the U.S. have cut back on public services of different kinds, so as to balance their budgets or, at least, reduce their deficits. If just a few years ago someone had said that this would be happening in the almighty United States of America, no one would've believed it possible.

The infant mortality rate is a very significant fact about a country's well-being. In the most recent worldwide study, the U.S. is 31st among the developed nations, hardly something to brag about. That a country as rich and advanced scores so badly in such an important matter speaks volumes about its priorities. It's been said that the measure of a society is given by how it treats its most vulnerable people. In this and other ways, the U.S. is a third-rate country. While there are many poor countries that can do no better, Americans have no real excuse for such a disastrous result. As long as health care is seen as something that the free market will take care of, there will be little improvement in this and other statistics. Only universal health coverage can provide the kind of comprehensive medical attention that will help keep the infant mortality low. But, then, that would be "socialism", a fate worse than death...

The election of Bogotá's mayor is the latest of a growing trend: former guerrilla or "subversives" taking office through the political process. Brazil, El Salvador and Uruguay are other countries in which this has happened. Where bullets failed, ballots have done the trick. Now, these people have the opportunity to put their power where their mouths were, pushing for the reforms that they --literally --  fought for. One can only hope that being in the political mainstream will not make them forget the values that inspired the selfless dedication to the cause that they were willing to die for.

As if getting killed on the battlefield in some obscure place weren't enough, U.S. Armed Forces personnel are killing themselves in growing numbers. This shouldn't come as a shock to anyone. American soldiers are all over the place doing their corporate masters' bidding, sometimes so repeatedly -- like the guy who got killed recently in his 14th tour of duty -- or in such extreme conditions that they become damaged goods and end up committing suicide. American imperialism comes at a very high price in casualties, not only for those who die at the hands of, very often, people who are just responding to the fact that their homeland is being invaded, but also those who, being sick of mind and spirit for what they have been put through, take their own lives. I suppose that many come to realize, perhaps too late, that they have been taken advantage of and brainwashed into believing that they are fighting for democracy and freedom. Faced with the awful truth, they can't take