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Showing posts from January, 2015

"Charlie" Goes to Cambodia

I suppose it had to happen. People will "push the envelope" of freedom and rights, all decency aside. Three French tourists went to Cambodia and took nude pictures of each other in front of a famous Buddhist temple. They got off lightly with a suspended sentence, a fine, deportation and a four-year ban from going back. Of course, the Charlies of the world must be up in arms about this latest abuse against the right to bare oneself anywhere, especially in the vicinity of churches or temples. After all, being naked does no harm to anybody, so why forbid it? It's just a way of expressing yourself, and we've been told by those who know about these things, that is something you don't mess around with. So, tomorrow, at a church near you, take your clothes off, for God's sake!

Damning Testimony

As I said day before yesterday, Guantánamo is a moral quagmire for the U.S.  A former chief prosecutor there has said that there is no justification for having the detention center. There never was one. In fact, he resigned his post there because he  would not use "evidence" obtained by torture, including waterboarding. He has also confirmed much of what the former detainee who has published a book about his experience there has revealed. People of conscience continue to denounce Guantánamo, but American arrogance pays no mind to it.

Viva Puerto Rico Libre!

Yesterday was a big day for our struggle for independence. For the first time, an independence leader was allowed to speak to an organization that includes all the heads of state of Latin America and the Caribbean, CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States). Rubén Berríos Martínez, President of the Puerto Rican Independence Party, made a very moving and persuasive statement in favor of our decolonization, urging our  Latin American brothers and sisters to act forcefully for our liberation from American colonialism, reminding them that Latin America will not be completely free and whole without a free Puerto Rico, as Bolívar would have wanted it. Let's hope that their solidarity with our cause helps us achieve our right to be free and independent, as all of them are and as required by international law.

[No] Good Men

Maybe it's because the American presence in Guantánamo has never been right, but the place has increasingly turned into a symbol of the moral debacle of that nation. The imposition of an American base there since the beginning of the 20th century was compounded with the placing there of the now infamous detention camp that has shown the world the U.S. true colors. Now, the plot thickens. The body of a civil employee of the naval base has been discovered. A preliminary investigation reveals that his wife was having an affair with the commanding officer. The man has been relieved of his duties there and transferred to Florida. The official line is that the dead man committed suicide, and the top Navy man had nothing to do with his death. He has only been disciplined for the adultery. Really?  

A Discredited Political Script

Have you ever noticed that the U.S. will invariably accuse governments that are not to its liking -- especially in Latin America --  of being involved in drug trafficking? From Fidel Castro on, through  Nicolás Maduro, leftist leaders are either drug kingpins themselves or protectors of drug cartels. It's such a childish and discredited ploy, that it deserves no further discussion.

What [Flies] Around...

Isn't life interesting! The U.S. Government has taken the lead in the use of drones for all sorts of purposes, not all of them good or positive. So, the incident of a small drone invading the White House airspace and perimeter seems like the kind of poetic justice that often happens in cases in which someone engages in negative actions. Americans have taken advantage of their vast resources to develop technology that enables them to overpower others and impose their will on them. But, it seems that this is coming back to haunt them, because others can play the game also, and, as the saying goes, "what goes around comes around."

Freedom of the Press...According to "Charlie"

Here's an interesting little footnote to the Charlie Hebdo saga. In 2008, Maurice Sinet, a political cartoonist who worked there, published some articles and cartoons about Nicolas Sarkozy's son Jean converting to Judaism , in order to marry a Jewish heiress. This was judged anti-Semitic , and he was fired by the magazine that now portrays itself and is defended around the world as a bastion of free speech and freedom of the press. He sued Charlie for wrongful termination of employment and won. In the meantime, he had received a death threat attributed to the Jewish Defense League. Just so you know.

Huckabee, the Huckster

Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, is calling for state resistance to what he anticipates will be the Supreme Court's favorable decision on gay marriage. Not only is he saying that state governments should disobey the Court's ruling, but he has gone on to question the whole concept of the Court's legitimacy as the final arbiter of constitutional law and fundamental rights in the U.S., belittling the Justices and dismissing narrow-margin decisions as somewhat illegitimate. And this guy is thinking of running again for President of The United States of America!

The Ten [Suggestions]

Here's another religious "oops." A Baptist preacher in South Carolina told his congregation that the Ten Commandments were just "sayings" or "promises." When all hell broke loose at this faith faux pas , he did what any "good Christian" would do: blame the Jews; in this case, one who, allegedly, told him that there was no Hebrew word for "commandment", so there could be no such thing as the Ten Commandments . Due to the very strong reaction to his message, he went back to check, and now admits that he misinterpreted what he was told, not an uncommon experience for those who presume to know what God has said and done.

The Joke's on Him

Another caricature has shown the world what's behind the mask of many who pretend to stand up against "murderous" Islam, in the name of Western civilization. A leader of a German anti-Islamic movement showed his true colors by posting a "selfie" posing as Hitler. A couple of years ago, he had also posted a picture of a Klansman, purportedly humorous. The man claims that both are instances of political satire, in keeping with the Charlie Hebdo defense for hate speech. Fortunately, even those in his corner found that he had gone too far, which forced him to resign. As his spokeswoman has been quoted: "While every citizen has the right to engage in satire, insulting foreigners is not satirical." Ja!

"1984" in 2008

Now that everyone is so outraged at the Charlie Hebdo massacre -- as well they should -- and calls are made to defend civilization as we know it, we should not forget certain things that have happened or are still going on that deserve our attention. For example, how the U.S. and the U.K. have spied on, precisely, that press they now defend so vigorously. As far back as 2008, we now find out that the so-called American and British intelligence services collected e-mails to and from journalists and their news organizations, as well as those of U.N. officials and just simple folks, many of which had no value whatsoever. It was an exercise in fascism, pure and simple. Think about that the next time you hear leaders of both countries beat their breast about freedom of the press and human rights.

Lies My [Defector] Told Me

Western democracies are always so eager to believe the worst about authoritarian regimes, that, whenever someone badmouths his own country, they don't bother to check his story too much. Instead, they are hailed as heroes or martyrs of freedom and human rights. This has come to pass in the case of a North Korean who had a book written and a documentary made about his ordeal at the hands of the brutal regime in his country. Not surprisingly, given the fact that North Korea is the current World Enemy No.1. Great. Except for the fact that the guy has begun admitting that he has lied about a few things. Only after some other refugees had questioned his veracity about some of the things he claimed. Now, he says that he changed some details that were too painful to reveal, but he refuses to talk about it further. How convenient! Sooner rather than later, we'll know the whole truth because, understandably, some people feel betrayed or duped by this guy, and they will investigate t

A Respectable Minority

It seems that not all French people are or want to be " Charlie." A recent poll shows that 42%  think it's a bad idea to keep teasing Muslims with Muhammad cartoons. Although it's a minority, it's a sizable one that will surely grow as time goes by and responsible and sensible people continue to speak out in favor of self-restraint and sensitivity, values that are just as important as free speech and freedom of the press. Even if one were to hold that one has the right to offend anyone under any circumstance -- a questionable proposition, at best -- having the right to do something does not mean that one should exercise that right, regardless. There are situations in which a person who has the right to do something chooses not to, for a host of reasons, even if he would prevail in a court of law. The law is not the be-all and end-all of human existence. The ultimate goal should be to promote peace and harmony between everyone, not score points in a debate in a

The [Handsome] American

The death of Robert White, former American diplomat in Latin America, is food for thought. The man had his heart and mind in the right place, and did his best to convince his government to "seek negotiated solutions to all conflicts, maintain a moral component in its dealings with all regimes and respect the will of local populations." Evidently, his counsel fell on deaf ears all these years. In 1981, he said it best: "U.S. policy toward Latin America can be summed up in three words: fear of revolution. Because we feared revolution, we consistently opposed the forces of change while uncritically supporting dictatorships and small economic elites. We blinked at repression and participated in the perversion of democracy throughout the hemisphere." How tragic that this vision has been the dominant one throughout U.S. history, and these words of wisdom went unheeded for most of the 20th century and the 21st century up to the present.

Hear, Hear!

I like the Pope and his take on a host of things. I like him even more, after reading what he had to say about the  Charlie Hebdo affaire. In a no-nonsense approach, he has said that, while violence is inexcusable, it's understandable and entirely predictable when you provoke others in things they hold sacred. And then, in a very human way, he "warned" that anyone who would dare curse his mother would get punched on the nose by him. God love him!  

Arid Zona

Arizona -- need I go on? -- has passed a law that requires high-school students to pass a civics test, in order to graduate. (Of course, we all know the real purpose behind it, don't we?) Here's the thing: the passing grade is 60 out of a 100 . Well, I don't know, but this looks like a "D" to me. Evidently, Arizonians are not too confident of their people's knowledge about history, politics, the law and such matters that are part of a civics curriculum. Probably, some of their elected officials would flunk the test, if the passing grade were higher.

I Won't Be Charlie

I suppose that there are people who have a death wish. Even those who support the French satirists will come to realize that Muslim-baiting of this sort cannot continue. It is simply untenable to go on provoking Islamic people in this way. Let's get one thing clear: there are no absolute rights . Every freedom or right has limits. People have begun to make the point that in Europe, including France, negating the Holocaust is a crime. Why can't someone express that outrageous opinion, and yet make fun of a deeply-held religious belief? Either both things should be allowed or none should be permitted. The double standard is clear. Different media around the world have abstained from publishing the latest cartoon, surely out of concern for their safety, but also because, as The New York Times has argued, they will not publish something that is "offensive and gratuitous." Eventually, if the French cartoonists insist on this course of action, others will come around to

"Jane Doe"

In a sort of "no-win situation", the American government is now saying that it should have sent a more important person to the Paris march. In other words, its Ambassador to France isn't good enough. The fact that the Ambassador is a woman, who is 64 or 65 years old , in the current political and social climate, would make it doubly offensive. Can you imagine how embarrassed  and humiliated -- to say the least -- the poor woman must feel having her own country disrespect her this way in front of the whole world? I think that, in this case, the U.S. should have done what it usually does: thumb its nose at the rest of the world, and not  accept that it had "erred."

Fidel to the Finish

My father used to say that, when you get to a certain age, you don't get your picture taken or go on TV: the ravages of time are not to be shown off. Maybe this is what's behind Fidel's disappearing act for the last 12 months, something that, once again, has fueled the speculation that he is dead. That and the fact that a namesake of his in Africa -- no doubt named in his honor --  has died. This time, though, there was very little interest in "Little Havana" in Miami, where most of his enemies-in-exile have lived...and died. As an expert on Cuba has admitted: "Now, I think that people are beginning to accept that Fidel has won." On all counts, I might add. Just ask Obama.

Putting His Money Where His Mouth Is

Putting his money where his mouth is, Uruguayan President José Mujica has donated throughout his mandate some $400,000  out of his salary to a housing program for poor people. The man, who has become famous for living very frugally, has once more given an example to the rest of the world's leaders, who talk a lot but do very little, personally, to change things. He remarked that it's easy for a president to raise taxes and put other people to pay for social programs, but he feels a moral obligation to contribute with his own money to the causes in which he believes. What a guy!

Dead Right

I'm all for free speech and freedom of the press. I'm even for dark humor and satire; in fact, I practice it frequently in my writing. But, there should be limits to what one writes, especially when you know that it will provoke a very violent reaction. In a perfect world, one should have the right to make fun of anything and not be "punished" for it. But this world is far from perfect. Everybody knows that there are people who see it as their duty to avenge what they see as blasphemous. It's a fact of life. To deliberately provoke those people is really insane and highly irresponsible because it creates a dangerous situation, just to prove the point that one should be free to be insensitive and stupid. 

"We Don't Do That!"

This is a first...I thought. "Two in U.S. Face Charges After Coup Attempt Fails in Gambia." What? Two Americans accused in the U.S. of planning to overthrow a foreign government? Isn't this the "American way"? Then, reading on, the mystery was solved. These two guys are not real Americans , but Gambians who are American citizens, a distinction that, in cases like this one, makes a world of difference. The real news story would have been that true blue, boys-next-door types had been indicted for doing what any red-blooded American does on a regular basis: depose and overthrow foreign governments that the U.S. does not like. So, by throwing these two Gambians to the dogs, the Americans can claim that they will not tolerate that their country be used for such nefarious purposes as intervening illegally in other countries' affairs. Really?

The Dark Truth

The attitude towards illegal immigrants is colored -- pun intended --  by racism and xenophobia.  Let's be honest: If most illegal immigrants were white, blond and blue-eyed, this would not be an issue. There would hardly be laws about it, and their enforcement would be very lax. We would not see any street demonstrations against them, and politicians would not pay any attention to the matter. It is only because "illegals" are, invariably, black or dark-skinned, and come from poor and backward countries, that there is such a strong reaction to them. White people are terrified to have them in their midst because they might "contaminate" the gene pool by mixing with whites and breeding with other non-whites, thus increasing the dark-skin population. All the other reasons put forth against illegal immigration are just excuses to cover up the racism.

Mall Madness

I thought that it was just my neighborhood shopping mall that was going down the tubes, but, from what I've read, it's a general trend in the U.S. Puerto Rico, being a copy-cat country and colony of the U.S., is part of that unfortunate development. Here, as there, there are too many malls with too many stores for too few consumers with too little disposable income to support a high level of spending. What I find absolutely astounding is the fact that, insanely, they keep building these huge malls destined for bankruptcy. Well, that's capitalism and free enterprise for you.

Bad News

If you go by most of American media, the rest of the world is always in dire straits. Be it China, the European Union or Japan, news is never too positive, especially as to the economic situation. Americans seem to need to feel reassured that no one else is capable of challenging their status as the world's biggest and most prosperous economy. Should there be some other nation doing very well, this is portrayed as a fluke or a passing phenomenon, not to be taken seriously. So, any sign of economic trouble abroad is magnified and over-analyzed, in order to prove that there is a debacle coming, and that only the U.S. will remain standing when the apocalypse takes place. Such are the musings of the prophets of foreign economic doom in American media.

The Right Thing

The decision not to prosecute John Hinckley for murder for the death of James Brady 33 years after the shooting is the right one. Although, technically, there may have been a causal relationship between the two events, there had been too many intervening events throughout all those years, for it to be the cause and effect that the law requires. Although he lived with a lifetime of health problems that stemmed from the shooting, the fact is that Brady survived a very long time, dying at the ripe old age of 74. The fact that Brady's family supports the decision not to prosecute Hinckley for murder is a sign of it being the right thing to do. So is the fact that Hinckley was declared insane and has spent 32 years in a psychiatric institution.

Mayhem in Making Merry

I've never quite understood why people behave like maniacs on New Year's Eve and those first moments of the new year. What does using all kinds of explosives -- some of them dangerous --  and even firing guns and other weapons into the air has to do with anything? I can understand that one feels joyful at having survived disease, old age, crime or accidents for another year, but, should one behave like a lunatic because of it? Of course there's the alcohol factor. Most people who engage in these antics are inebriated, intoxicated or plain drunk. But, still, there is a particular kind of insanity that manifests itself at this time of the year, when people turn into mindless thrill-seekers who go berserk for no good reason, causing death and destruction with the excuse of making merry.