Mini-Trip to the Holy Land

As stated in a previous post, I've been termed self-loathing because, amongst other reasons, I:

1. Don't consider myself Jewish, and
2. Don't like Israel. At all.

As for item 1, it is explained, to a certain degree, in the post I mentioned ("On Jews and Being Jewish"). As for item 2, well, the evidence just seems to mount, year after year, as to why Israel is not the victim it always claims to be. One example amongst many -and the many can be found in the link to the If Americans Knew website I've put on my blog- is this one, where the Israelis are planning a renewal of Jaffa by simply expelling its Palestinian residents.

A few years back, if someone told me that I was a self-hating Jew for doubting Israel, I would've been a bit shaken. However, as I keep reading about the state of Israel, I become surer by the day that if not supporting what said state does means I hate myself, then so be it.

Brazil's Forced Democracy, continued

However, to be fair with Brazil, our American friend's democracy is pretty fucking shitty. Actually, to see just how incredibly crappy it is, one should notice what it is exactly that has been making headlines when the country is near the brink of financial and economic disaster. Please, folks, follow the link and be awed at the awesomeness of American stupidity.

Albeit late in the game...

America's top news show helps us understand some aspects of the financial crisis and of those who are at the helm supposedly trying to solve it.

Brazil's Forced Democracy

Today, at around 15:45, I was forced to vote. Not that I wouldn't've, since I think the voting process is worth one's while, but being forced to vote (or forced to justify one's absence from the voting booth) is nothing short of pathetic; it is the acknowledgment by our political class that our democracy is a sham, that people would refrain from voting in droves if they had the opportunity. This country is a fucking joke, there is not a pubic hair of seriousness to our public lives and affairs. Our political institutions have as their sole goal their own continuity, and those that participate in them are, when not absolute scum, well-meaning individuals who face impossible odds when they attempt any positive change. Our political class takes positive and negative freedom and mixes it all up into whatever stew will guarantee them a job for the next four years and therefor some immediate monetary gain and a few more years at the possibility of racketeering or trafficking of influence.

It's not like our American friends to the north are any better, but they at least have democracy at the local levels, electing judges, sheriffs, and what-not. All we do is either elect clowns or those who are flat-out the scum of the Earth. I'm tired of this shit, but quite depressed at the notion that it is, at least from my perspective, impossible to change. But that's why we have meteors, I suppose.

An Interesting Primer

The following article is a great intro to the reasons why we are facing such a crap shower, as commented in my previous post.