READERSWRITE
JUNTOS, TODOS AND ISAAC NEWTON!
The gravity of the general situation in Argentina at this point, and my personal feeling that things will definitely get worse before they get better, have carried me toward the conviction that the only way things can be turned around will be thanks to Isaac Newton and the other meaning of the word gravity, the one which refers to the force.
The reason I have come to this conclusion is that it seems quite impossible that any one of our political groups can, on its own, make this country come out of the morass in which we find ourselves. Put in practical terms, whichever one of the forces wins the coming elections will have to reach an agreement on a measure of governance with at least a part of the opposition, due to the force of gravity and whether it likes it or not.
The extraordinary thing that will most probably happen is that, as a consequence of gravity, we will see a realignment of the political forces which right now still seems to be science fiction. For instance, shortly after Congress reconvenes we will probably see the Juntos versus Todos rivalry transform itself into Reasonables versus Fanatics, or Pragmatists versus Ideologues, or Republicans versus Bolivarianos, or anything else, call it as you wish. This will be unstoppable, not only because of Newton but also because of the extraordinary growth of social groups which basically don’t respond to the leader of either fronts, and which are acting more and more on the borders of anarchy.
Yes, you’ll be seeing rival congressmen suddenly starting to vote together to stop the populists from overthrowing our institututions, the end result of which would be the submersion of the Republic under a tsunami of violence.
As I see it, the inevitable big division will come inside Frente de Todos, whether in government or in opposition. Juntos stands a very much better chance of staying in one piece but – even if it wins the elections – it will need the backing of the more reasonable part of Todos to turn around the bad situation we are in. Yes, the rift ( grieta) will unfortunately be with us for a long time, but its topography will forcibly be changed... and you can blame it on Sir Isaac Newton!
Let us push and pray that, in the final instance, reasonability outweighs madness! I certainly believe that Newton will give us a hand, but it’s going to be a long haul which will require that we all become more stoic and realise that he can’t do it all on his own!
Because, “It’s the Republic, carajo”! Harry Ingham City
THE REST IS SILENCE
I was literally struck by her short but powerful speech. Let me quote 16-year-old Greta Thunberg’s warning to world leaders (and all of us), at the UN climate summit: “My message is: we’ll be watching you.” The audience chuckled and clapped. “This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school, on the other side of the ocean. Yet, you come to us, young people, for hope? How dare you! You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet, I’m one of the lucky ones. People are suffering, people are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money, and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you?” Cue more applause, but no laughter this time. “How dare you continue to look away and come here saying that you are doing enough when the politics and solutions needed are still nowhere in sight? You say you hear us and that you understand the urgency, but no matter how sad and angry I am, I don’t want to believe that, because if you really understood the situation and still kept on failing to act, then you would be evil, and that I refuse to believe… You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you, and if you choose to fail us, I say we will never forgive you. We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up, and change is coming, whether you like it or not.”
I wasn’t there, but – as an adult – I can’t help feeling ashamed. Hamlet would put it this way: The rest is silence… Irene Bianchi Ringuelet, La Plata www.irenebianchi.com.ar
BATTLE OF THE BULGE: PART LXII
One month to go until the next key presidential elections, in Argentina.
Incumbent President Marci’s chances of re-election look slim indeed, as a steep economic recession shows scant signs of abating. Only hope is that the fear of a return of arrant populism on the part of Her Nibs may tip the scales, at the last moment. ‘Veremos!’
Bust wishes, David Parsons Via email