My days accumulate and my comfort in asking about politics increases, positively correlated to my curiosity. The news is on all day basically, if it's not music videos that my hostess is watching. Passing through the city by colectivo, by subte, or on foot, political activism is blatant.
Protest/ Challenge Banners posted in the famous Plaza de Mayo: the location where the mothers of the desaparecidos from the Guerra Sucia used to go to demand of the government (during the military dictatorship) the return of their sons and daughters. Now, they continue to go every Thursday at 4 PM and protest in the same fashion, for the same thing. Plaza de Mayo is directly in front of La Casa Rosada, which is where the President works. (Casa Rosada = Pink House...)
Graffiti near Plaza de Mayo. (Unfortunately some of these words are slang/shorthand, so I don't understand them, but you can clearly see on the left that it says "Nestor Vive" - Nestor Lives - and Evita's name at the bottom) Obviously with political intention. Government buildings throughout the city have graffiti all over them with regards to student protests, Evita, Nestor etc.
The issue with Las Malvinas (Falkland Islands) is escalating between Argentina and Great Britain. Argentina wants to have sovereignty over the islands, the colonialism Great Britain displays is long turned sour, and the Argentine's want them back. There was the Falkland Islands War about 30 years ago that ended badly for Argentina, and this resurgence of nationalism is increasing, especially seen through manifestations- protests where veterans of the war and other supporters band together and push for more talks and greater emphasis on reclaiming the islands.
This photo of a poster promoting the desired Argentine sovereignty over Las Malvinas in the foyer to the Casa Rosada. It is quite the topic of news lately. I attempted to go for a tour, but it was a spontaneous decision and would have taken too much of the daylight that had previously been reserved for market eye-shopping (aka not buying anything yet...). Surprisingly, it was easy to get into the Casa Rosada, a simple x-ray machine for my purse and a metal detecting archway for myself. The President doesn't actually live there, but, I didn't know at the time, she was in the office. There is a flag on the top of the house that is raised when the President is in La Casa Rosada (I found that out at home later).
US EMBASSY VS DECEASED DICTATOR
If you've read my entry "Attention Getters", you know about the US Embassy coming and talking to my class. I have a story I'd like to pass on that the Diplomat shared. He recounted something that he was working on earlier that morning: a bar fight between an Argentine and a US citizen (obviously, because he was a victim of a crime abroad, he needed help from home). So, basically these two guys get into it, unfortunately for the US citizen ...
Interjection: I will now stay away from saying "American" because Argentine's and other South American's get offended that we say we're "American" exclusively meaning "US Citizens". The reason? Aren't they from "America" too?
Now back to the US citizen, the poor guy...
he became involved with a rugby player in some kind of tiff. The rugby player allegedly grabbed a beer glass and smashed it on the US guy's face/neck almost cutting the jugular vein. Therein was the crime. Naturally it would seem easy to press charges against this man for cracking a glass in a guy's face, but it isn't. The US Embassy is doing what they can to protect the US tourist, but the rugby player turned out to be the grandson of a dictator from Argentina's military government and the Dirty War. Argentina is protecting the player from charges because of his government connections and legacy, even though the Dirty War is condemned as wrong and inhumane.
Where is the ethical leadership of the government! How can this player be protected from justice with such infamous connections to the Dirty War: it seems to expose the government of Argentina in a compromising light, almost of corruption. This residual power is strongly opposed by the US Embassy in this case. Alarming at the root of this, is that it wouldn't matter whether or not the victim was a US citizen or not; the mere fact that this assailant is protected because of Dirty War power is astonishing. Sounds a bit like coercive power* to me. #FrenchandRavensTaxonomy
IT'S UP TO YOU, AND YOU, AND YOU: POWER TO THE YOUTH
My intensive Spanish teacher is pretty young. Probably 35 at most. We got to talking about politics in class the other day, comparing what life is like in the US and what it is like in BsAs specifically, and she was pretty emphatic on her opinion about political activism.
I guess I'll act as the facilitator here, and pass on some brain stimulation. Here is what she said:
...with regards to their president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and then generalizing to all presidents of any country
"Es un presidente por lo que hace." (They are president for what they do.)
She was shocked that so many US students that she saw studying abroad wearing shirts emblazoned with the name of presidential candidates BEFORE they were elected president; she asked the students, why do you wear a shirt that supports the candidate, they haven't DONE anything yet!
...a personal charge to each student
"Tienen que luchar para hacerse un país más justo." (You must fight to make yourselves a more just country.)
We were talking about college, and how the University of Buenos Aires is a free university; yes, the students DO NOT have to pay. Of course they must be accepted, but it is free. We also discussed socialized healthcare, and how healthcare is also free in Argentina. (Mind you, there are taxes that must be paid, but the government takes care of the healthcare bill.) She was beside herself that US citizens had to pay taxes and $40.000 for school and healthcare bills! So, she charged us that we must fight, the youth of our country must gather together and challenge the government with what we want. It's pretty empowering to hear this and the stimulation is motivating to make change.
Leadership*: Observe the situation. See if you need to take action or sit back and watch.
#HailPeterNorthouse
Angela
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