BBC Time
Good morning, have been having problems with blogger so couldn't get on from home. Somehow my connection is restored now.
Watching BBC this a.m. I learned that a leftwing candidate, Correa, is leading in the polls in Ecuador's presidential election. "Rafael Correa, a former finance minister who has been pushing for Ecuador to default on its obligations for more than a year, leads in polls ahead of the Oct. 15 vote."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&refer=latin_america&sid=aFgNBapP958k
Interesting news, and, of course, like 'dominoes', Latin American voters are turning to socially responsive governments. Having a background in Costa Rica, [ex-grandfather-in-law was Ambassador], I am, I believe, more aware than many Americans of the abuses those countries suffered from this country in our more jingoist escapades, winding up with Ollie North and the Iran/Contra affair. Costa Rica's president during that time, Oscar Arias, got a Nobel Peace Prize after ejecting our forces from their unauthorized use of Costa Rican bases to carry on a war with the Contras just over the border,in Nicaragua. If you want to know more, I will just give you the Wikipedia link; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_Affair
For most of their history, of course, Latin American nations were controlled by the European element who invaded after Columbus (re)discovered this continent - and Spain sent forces to dominate it and extract its wealth. The native population is gaining more influence now, and its power is turning toward the long-dispossessed. Of course, there are excesses and they include the 'repatriation' of property - which this country views as theft from its rightful owners. For some idea of what the native population thinks, you might consider that in this country, our native American tribes are in some instances suing for their own property, sometimes successfully.
[see http://www.narf.org/pubs/ar/sar00.html]
While our administration gives a cold shoulder to the socialist tendencies of the left-leaning governments that are emerging, it is doing this country no good by failing to befriend Latin America's strengthening native populations. A wall along the Mexican border is just another sign to the burgeoning native population that the U.S. is dominated by the ignorant, unfeeling towards the rights of everyday citizens. The response is not a strengthenening of our relationships there.
No surprises there. After November, hopefully, there will be a rebirth of social conscience in our government. And after 2008, we may be able to return to some respectability as well.
Hope you're out there working on it.
Watching BBC this a.m. I learned that a leftwing candidate, Correa, is leading in the polls in Ecuador's presidential election. "Rafael Correa, a former finance minister who has been pushing for Ecuador to default on its obligations for more than a year, leads in polls ahead of the Oct. 15 vote."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&refer=latin_america&sid=aFgNBapP958k
Interesting news, and, of course, like 'dominoes', Latin American voters are turning to socially responsive governments. Having a background in Costa Rica, [ex-grandfather-in-law was Ambassador], I am, I believe, more aware than many Americans of the abuses those countries suffered from this country in our more jingoist escapades, winding up with Ollie North and the Iran/Contra affair. Costa Rica's president during that time, Oscar Arias, got a Nobel Peace Prize after ejecting our forces from their unauthorized use of Costa Rican bases to carry on a war with the Contras just over the border,in Nicaragua. If you want to know more, I will just give you the Wikipedia link; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_Affair
For most of their history, of course, Latin American nations were controlled by the European element who invaded after Columbus (re)discovered this continent - and Spain sent forces to dominate it and extract its wealth. The native population is gaining more influence now, and its power is turning toward the long-dispossessed. Of course, there are excesses and they include the 'repatriation' of property - which this country views as theft from its rightful owners. For some idea of what the native population thinks, you might consider that in this country, our native American tribes are in some instances suing for their own property, sometimes successfully.
[see http://www.narf.org/pubs/ar/sar00.html]
While our administration gives a cold shoulder to the socialist tendencies of the left-leaning governments that are emerging, it is doing this country no good by failing to befriend Latin America's strengthening native populations. A wall along the Mexican border is just another sign to the burgeoning native population that the U.S. is dominated by the ignorant, unfeeling towards the rights of everyday citizens. The response is not a strengthenening of our relationships there.
No surprises there. After November, hopefully, there will be a rebirth of social conscience in our government. And after 2008, we may be able to return to some respectability as well.
Hope you're out there working on it.
posted by Diane at 6:13 AM
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