Stop naggin' me

February 4th, a day that will be inscribed the history records.  Never before the people has shown its rejection to one of the players in the armed conflict.  Thousand, even millions walked through the streets of the cities and even in some far corners of the world.  Hope has rekindled for the people that wants the construction of a new society.

I have to admit that I didn't participated in the manifestation, and in someway I'm sorry that I didn't.  But I think that my rejection to this manifestation does not shadows my desire for a tolerant and equitable society.  We don't need to shout this desire, we only have to take personal steps to achieve it.

The consequences of this mobilization are still to be seen.  As in other occasions, the Colombian people has let pass by historic opportunities.  Several scenarios can precede the manifestation.  The first is the continuation of the mobilization, the discussion, and the rejection to not only one, but all of the violence generators, including the government.  The second is the continuation of the mobilization, but biased towards one side of the conflict, forgetting the deep social and economic causes, the roots of the conflict.  The third is that the energy of the movement fades away, like smoke in the wind.  The memory of manifestation will be kept in the books but not in the minds.

I hope the first scenery is the true one.  If we really want a deep change in our society, the true path is the deep discussion of our social realities and the proposal of solutions that allow a true constitutional social state, based in the most basic laws of coexistence.  Nevertheless, my knowledge of the Colombian nature shows me that the other options will be the true ones.  The Colombian people walked on the streets the 4th of February, but without making a deep judgement of the responsibility of each citizen in the conflict.  Only came together as a mass-media lobotomized blob, without self critique, but tired and full of rage against the enemies of the state...  I wrote this post hoping that in the next day I watch the news and read the papers, to see how the other part of this conflict, the accomplices of barbaric actions, celebrate a success with this mobilization.

In Spanish here

I'm going to make my position clear first.  This post does not implies that I approve all what Senator Córdoba has been doing in the last few months, but I must admit that she is a very determined woman spite the assaults that she is victim of.  Also, I must say that I did saw all the speech that the Senator made in Mexico and she made a few good points (here for those that want to watch it - In Spanish).  Because most of the people does not want to inform themselves more than what they see in Caracol and RCN, they do not get into a civilized debate.  Here are the consequences of saying phrases like "she earn it" (from the mouth of minister Holguín, one of the most harmful politicians in Colombia now):

The famous TV scriptwriter, Martha Bossio, experienced a few days ago a episode that left her very impressed.  She took a cab and the driver, who was a talkative one, told her that a few days ago he had picked up Piedad Córdoba, and he used the opportunity to insult her and call her a traitor.  And not only did he insulted her, but when the senator told him that she wanted to get off, he ignored her and left her in an unpopulated place.  The cab driver told the incident with pride as if he had done something worthy of praise.  The scriptwriter was in shock by the passionate and aggressive nature of the driver.

Taken from the Cambio magazine

To our anonymous cab driver hero, I "thank" you for being a vendetta driven person, for being one of many that call themselves the good Colombian guys, that love this land and its president to blood and fire, and act in such full of hatred way.  Your actions show the civic mind of many of my countrymen that are capable of doing worst things, and others that already made them.  You make me ashamed.

In Spanish here

After writing this post, I reached to the conclusion that I would be very hypocrite if I assist to this manifestation because it became what I feared the most.  An approbation of the current government's hot headed supporters.

Because we must change our double standards and recognize that NOT ONLY THE FARC are to blame for everything that is wrong, but also are responsible those who with their support or indifference have allowed the most vile forms of crime.  We cannot go to the streets like cattle, so the next day these people gets boosted up with pride.

I hope that someday, we will change our perception of the situation.  We must drop the blindfold.

Image from: http://ginebra-valle.gov.co/sitio.shtml?apc=I----&x=1471930

First, the name of this post represents the detriment of the blogsphere contents.  Soon, this media will become what Chats are:  A place where no intelligent or interesting arguments are developed, but only writings of shallow, full of hatred and revenge nature.  God, please save me from the blindness that exist in my country and is fueled by the government and the guerillas.

When we talk about politics or religion we get into difficult territories.  These two subjects are closely related to the most deep beliefs of each human being, and when they are placed in front of different ones, some people might assimilate the positive, other just ignore it, and others try to destroy it.

For me the others' opinions allows us to get a different insight and test our thoughts.  We are not always right, and a new opinion might give us a broader image of the situation.  This view is not always truthful because when we listen to an opinion we are receiving subjective information, that we must analyze in depth.

The blogs have become in true opinion forums, radical and moderated, but now we are making them the newest arena in the politics battle, where the personal opinions of a few, are becoming the rock in the show for those that can not withstand diverging positions.

The human being is irrational and because of that, capable of making mistakes.  Ask the people to separate their feelings from their beliefs is impossible, and because of that, we will continue seeing opinion blogs being shut down by the intolerance.  The first step for the construction of a true democracy is accept the different points of view and not allow that the basic instincts clouds our analysis capabilities.  We must to encourage the possibility that different views can coexist, even thought they might be uncomfortable.

This is the main reason to not support Mr. AUV.  He and his advisors dislike diverging positions, and make believe the population that an attack to he or his government is an attack to the country, inducing resentment in the people that does not give Mr. Uribe an human nature, but an immaculate, sin and error free.

At the same time, the "left" wing governments are not sugar coated.  For example, our eastern neighbor where openly opposite communication media are shut down.  (I must say that not a single socialist government has been open to opposition.  Few examples are China, the USSR and Cuba where government censorship is carried out).

We must remember that our biggest asset, our freedom, is threatened by both sides of the political spectrum.  Some in this case would consider a third radical pole: the anarchy.  But I don't think that the ignorant masses are capable of self government...  If with our limited civil liberties the crime is king, what could we expect of a government free society?

When are we going to withstand diverging opinions? Perhaps never...

Image from: http://jars80.wordpress.com/2007/06/02/en-venezuela-no-hay-libertad-de-expresion/

In Spanish here

It is somehow pleasurable for me to write something in English.  I guess is the enjoyment that I find when a part of my brain that usually does not get used very often (the part that learned how to think all the time in English) is reborn.  When I write some words, like now, I find out that my brain again only thinks in this foreign language and not translates Spanish ideas.

Right now, while I take a break from writing my thesis, I wonder if I will ever fulfill my goal to learn French and German until I'm 30 years old.  I know the deadline is getting closer and I have not made any progress.  I think that it might take at least one year more to achieve it, but I'm sure this is something that I can do.