Castro? Seriously?

This morning while having a discussion on Facebook about the way Obama is being attacked and criticized (another president task, we all know that), I read someone’s comment practically saying he’s not a good element because he was praised by Fidel Castro. Seriously? Don’t people have better things to come up with?

I know Fidel Castro is one of those people who bring shame to the human race, but I don’t believe his praise makes Barack Obama a good or bad person. Fidel Castro is, after all, another guy with an opinion. And I can clearly see why he would admire somebody who represents everything that is contrary to the previous U.S. administration. Isn’t that why Obama won the election in the first place? Yes, change was needed and wanted by the people who decided.

I understand the bitterness of the opposition is the same bitterness people who didn’t want Bush in the White House felt. It’s the same with every beginning of a new presidency; some people won’t agree with it, and will try to bring their own reasons why. It’s called freedom of speech, but sometimes I wonder if people actually read or watch the news to know what’s really going on.

I don’t think the world is blind. George W. Bush got on that helicopter and left behind a trail of deceit. An endless war that has cost the U.S. trillions of dollars. An economy crisis that is costing thousands of people their jobs, including some of my friends. He is, by all means (and I’m not saying it, the media says it), the most unpopular president in the history of the U.S.

So what is there to miss about the previous government? Or how are we supposed to believe that another Republican leader would’ve made things better? People wanted change, and they got it. I know what it feels like when a president has messed up big time and you want change. Alvaro Uribe assumed the presidency of Colombia exactly because of the same reason, and fortunately we have not been disappointed. That doesn’t mean, however, that he hasn’t been criticized. I for one am not blind to recognize he’s made mistakes, and I don’t think another re-election should be in his future plans.

To believe that it is Obama’s task to fix the problems of this country during his first week in office is idiotic. Give the guy a chance to prove every single American he can bring something good to this nation. From what I read this morning, he’s already gone from words to actions. He has to clean a big mess, and anyone who can’t see it hasn’t lived on this planet during the last 8 years.

¿Qué pasa con el mundo?

That means “What’s up with the world?” It makes me remember a song by Juanes, a Colombian singer who’s very much involved with good causes, especially peace. The song, titled ¿Qué Pasa? goes something like…

What happened, I ask.
I ask what happened in the world today.
All I see in the newspapers is the same horror stories.
Lives that fade without reason.

Why is there so much war?
Why is there so much pain?

What is it, what is it, I ask.
Is there maybe no love anymore?
And instead of hugging each other,
we kill each other and we forget how to love.

What is it, I ask.
People are killing each other,
People are dying,
And I’m here still trying to understand.

What happens with the world, that is so filthy
I ask what happens with the world
Which is so absurd, which is so glum

What’s going on that nothing good happens?
And peace never walks by…

After coming back from spending a wonderful afternoon with Spyder and Kanga I checked a few weblogs and Daniel’s last post made me think about all the craziness. We heard that people got killed today during the Black Friday shopping. That is the most insane thing I’ve heard, not only because I find it stupid to go out on such a day, but because people are so into their materialistic frenzy, they simply don’t think.

No, they don’t think about what’s been happening in India during the last couple of days. Nobody gives a crap, nobody is connected with the rest of the world. We’re all here, in our little corner, safe from everything else, worried about how much turkey we were going to get for Thanksgiving, or how much money we would save to go crazy with gifts.

So yes… ¿Qué pasa con el mundo?

Gobama!

Is it over yet?

According to the news, 73% of John McCain’s political ads contain a negative message about Barack Obama. And 61% of Barack Obama’s political ads contain a negative message about John McCain. It’s getting old and annoying. Why can’t politicians concentrate on the country they are going to rule, and the things they are going to do to fix what they think (and we see) is wrong. Oh well, what do I know?

This weekend I had the opportunity to hear a lot about politics in the 8-hour trip to and from Chicago. POTUS 08 was on our XM radio most of the time because John likes to be informed about what’s going on. And then I had to hear all of the candidates, their vice-president options and their wives. I’ve always said I don’t dislike John McCain, but after hearing his warmongering discourse and how he tries to attack his opponent in every single sentence that comes out of his mouth, I was more than disappointed.

And what I heard is probably just a tiny part of what the presidential candidates have to offer, but Joe Biden’s rally discourse in Colorado was refreshing. And Michelle Obama’s discourse in Ohio was directed to the real people who make this country without having to criticize McCain’s plan once. Sarah Palin is a joke, I am convinced, and McCain’s voice is simply annoying to my ears –and his fight, fight, fight lines make me sick.

I hope this country will seek the change it needs. I hope the people of this country will choose their leader wisely. But most of all, I hope this negative cloud goes away.

My Political Statement of the Year

I know, from personal experience, that discussing politics can get you in trouble. Especially if you are thin-skinned like me, and get easily offended by people’s remarks about your opinions. And especially because of the adamant arrogance that overpopulates the blogosphere since it’s very beginnings. I’ve been around long enough to know about all those pundits.

But now, with the election coming soon, politics is all I read about. And people spend hours, brain cells and keystrokes making their views valid, sharing opinions and, in some cases, making asses of themselves when not able to express their views as civilized human beings. Suddenly everyone is an expert in government matters, and how dare you say otherwise! It happens to the best of us; it has happened to me.

My husband remembers when I used this weblog as some kind of political outlet. Now that I think about it, I wasn’t really discussing politics but policies… those of the U.S. government back in 2001-2003 when all hell broke loose and this country ended up in a stupid war that has claimed thousands of lives and hasn’t ended. I wasn’t even living here, and I was mostly taking a personal side about what I thought George W. Bush was getting into. But politics? I know zilch about it. I simply was, and I still am, against the war.

So this week with John McCain and his Palin vice-president… it’s been entertaining. I never know who to give credit to. People seem to have taken that woman’s private life as some kind of soap-opera. Do I know about her policies? Heck, no! I should probably get informed about it all. And then there is the Republicans calling the Democrats idiots, you should know better, you are wrong, get your facts right, etc. And vice-versa.

And in all truth, who has the facts right? Certainly not us, mere citizens (or residents). In the end, we are just pieces of the puzzle, and I thank God for freedom of speech so we can somehow guide each other in this darkness politics is. What drives me nuts is the “I’m holier than thou” attitude some people take when having different opinions. But that’s the human kind for you.

I should probably spend more time learning about what these two men who are running for president have on their agendas. The problem is, there are too many sources… and I can’t even vote.