No Crying For Them, Argentina

Argentinians, of late, find fault with almost everything that their government does, so I suppose that the awarding of pensions to aging writers in Buenos Aires will send many through the roof. Likewise, the possibility of extending the benefit to the rest of the country's writers. And yet, Argentina is to be commended for such a bold step, recognizing in a truly meaningful way what writers really represent for a country. The history of Latin American and world literature cannot be written without the names of the great Argentinian writers.

This gesture is all the more significant at a time of economic hardship, when the temptation is to cut social programs and assistance of all kinds. The government may have made mistakes in other areas, but this time it has set an example for the rest of the world. Instead of "crying for them", Argentina has come to the rescue of its writers, an essential part of their culture.

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