Oscar Valdes

Hatred That Does Not Heal

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

Earlier today, Brandon Elliot, 38, an African American male, was arrested for the assault on a 65 year old Filipino woman near Times Square in New York just two days ago. He has been charged with assault as a hate crime. He had been living at a nearby shelter.

The video, shot from the lobby of a residence in front of where the attack took place, shows Mr Elliot shoving the woman to the ground, then kicking her in the head. She was on her way to church.

The cruelty of the act is horrifying.

Mr Elliot had been on parole since 2019 after serving 16 years for the murder of his mother in 2002 when he was 19 years old.

The Filipino lady was identified as Vilma Kari and has now been released from the hospital.

Mr Elliot will be put on trial and convicted. Maybe he’ll never again see the outside of a prison.

And I wonder, did this man, taken into the prison system as a 19 year old, ever learn anything in the 16 years he was incarcerated?

Was he still beating up his mother when he shoved and kicked Vilma Kari?

Did he get the help he needed while in prison?

I ask you to please pause and think of this. Do we not have an obligation to educate those who commit violent acts?

Did Mr Elliot get psychological assistance to resolve the issues that led to the killing of his mother? Did he get help to bring light to the matter? Was he taught how to make a living upon release?

Prisons are well known for not providing such assistance. Well known for pretending to do so but not committing to helping heal the offender. Well known for punishing and brutalizing the inmates, numbing them to their pain and that of others.

And it keeps happening with our tacit approval because we don’t want to look at the ugliness that goes on inside those walls, as if we believed that such ugliness would be good for the inmates.

Mr Elliot’s actions showed complete disregard for the consequences. He acted in broad daylight with no intent to cover his tracks. In other words, he didn’t care.

What takes anyone to that point, after spending 16 years in prison?

Pause and reflect on it.

The pain Vilma Kari has been through is enormous and I am so glad she has survived. She is a strong and courageous woman. But if prison had done their job this would not have happened.

Very soon Mr Elliot will go on trial. He will be convicted and receive a long sentence.

But next to where he sits during his trial, there should be another seat, a vacant one, where society should be sitting, because we should be on trial, too.

Mr Elliot will return to prison and we will say to ourselves that justice was done.

But justice was not done.

Oscarvaldes.net

The China Problem. Money is Free Speech

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

China has become a challenge to the essence of your system. A challenge far more subtle than the one that Fascism and later the Soviet Union presented to us during the last century.

Before us now stands a nation which has risen faster than any other. A nation that has used their market power (at 1.4 billion people, more than three times our own) and unquestionable ability and made itself the most desirable destination for businesses the world over.

The prospect of being in China is so enormously attractive to business, that most will look the other way when the matters of suppressing the Chinese people’s free speech and the repression of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang are raised.

Money talks, reason the Chinese autocrats. And for business that is what is most important.

The Chinese autocrats are careful observers of our system and have learned that it is money that wins elections in America. If you don’t have it in abundance, then you can’t win an election in this country.

In America, the Chinese autocrats are convinced, money is the true free speech. (they are trying to convince their own citizens of the same)

China needs only to look at the electoral contest for the US Senate in the state of Georgia earlier this year. If money had not poured in from the Democratic Party coffers, the Republican party would have won at least one of the two seats at stake and then held a majority in the Senate. President Biden’s hands would have been tied, with no other recourse than to try and convince Mitch McConnell to let the administration pass a bill or two.

China knows that our system is riddled with malfunction.

It has taken forever to address racism in our land and violence tied to it is widespread.

Legislators (in both parties) will do whatever possible to rearrange the boundaries in their districts to ensure their supporters are in the majority and thus retain their seats.

There is a vast number of highly paid lobbyists in congress doing whatever they must to win favor for their business interests.

The Chinese autocrats know that the injustices in our system will not go easily away and may take decades to fix. They can see it in their own Hong Kong – where the financial sector is vastly rich but the rest struggles and housing is punishingly expensive.

And so China has come to feel certain that their political system is superior, and will eventually lead them to become the world’s most powerful nation.

So long as their people remain productive and hungry to become wealthier, China will have the most attractive market in the world, and western business interests and their lobbyists will do whatever is necessary to keep pouring in.

With their growing riches, the people in China will continue to bow to their leaders and accept the electronic surveillance of their activities, while looking the other way when dissenters and non conformists in their midst are caught and silenced.

The prospect of world supremacy is now within reach, says the Communist Party to their people, and if some don’t get to see it, then their children will, so every sacrifice is worth it.

And America, like Britain and other European powers before her, will accept that its time has passed, all the while muttering to ourselves, ‘but isn’t money free speech? Or did we get that wrong? Did we let our soul end up in business’ pockets?’

And we will remember Teddy Roosevelt,

“The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first and love of soft living and the get-rich-quick theory of life.”

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

We talk frequently about how we can rise to the occasion and indeed have done so often. But China’s challenge is quite different. They are aggressively seeking markets everywhere, Africa, the rest of Asia, Latin America, even in Europe, while saying, ‘Like what you see? It’s our political system that makes it possible. Be like us, adopt our system and riches will be yours too.’

Implicit is the message, ‘Money rules. Make that your focus.’

But isn’t that what most of us believe also?

The Chinese have, very cleverly, adopted a most tangible aspect of our system – the importance of money to reward productivity – and then paired it with an equally appealing notion to many. ‘Leave the political thinking to us. Don’t trouble yourself with such cumbersome thoughts. Let us all make lots of money, but let it be clear that such money will not allow you entry into the higher ranks of the political system that rules the nation.’

‘There will be no Donald Trumps here in China’s system – people making their fortunes in business and then parachuting into political leadership. The highest posts in our system are reserved for those who have devoted themselves from an early age, to the business of running a nation and apportioning its fortunes.’

‘Why should riches and politics, both, be the privilege of the very talented or very persuasive?

‘If we divide up those two realms, we will all be better off. Politics must be a discipline separate from the accumulation of riches. It requires special talents to better distribute the wealth. That way it is done fairly, and not according to the wishes of the person who made the money and whatever biases they may have. We communists say, come to China and make money, but we will keep enough of it for the government to better spread it around and make the nation stronger and fairer.’ (later on, we’ll want more of what you’re making, but not now)

If China can keep money from corrupting the communist party, they will be very hard to beat.

But they can be beat.

How?

By using our liberties to strengthen our nation.

China is exposing our weaknesses. Our challenge is to correct them quickly enough.

Why is it that the richest nation in the world has such problems with poverty, with access to medical care, with providing quality education to all our citizens? In New York City, year after year, the school system cannot deal with the blatant segregation that keeps Blacks and Hispanics marginalized.

Why is it, that racism has been allowed to fester in the country for as long as it has?

Why is it, that in the richest nation in the world there is so much violence?

What is wrong that we feel such distrust for our fellow citizens that we must keep ourselves armed to the teeth and cannot consent to regulations limiting the purchase of weapons?

The rest of the world looks at us and says, ‘yes, America, you have shown much creativity in many fields, but there is something very flawed about you. We would like to try out the Chinese model instead.’

The rest of the world looks at us and says, ‘yes, America, you have great companies, Apple and Google, Amazon and Facebook, Intel and Qualcomm, Disney and Netflix, but in a very short time, China has come up with Alibaba, Tencent, Huawei and they are a force in electric vehicles and a leader in artificial intelligence. Yes, the Chinese have stolen technology, but they are creating their own, too.’

The rest of the world looks at us and says, ‘There are imperfections to both systems, yours and the Chinese, but the Chinese model seems to work faster, so we may just go with them. Do understand that we, too, are in a hurry. And our people will accept that some freedoms will be restricted and deferred.’ (never mind how long)

For the first time ever, then, the rest of the developing nations in our world are seeing close competition between two systems that believe in markets and want to pursue maximum riches.

And while China keeps rising in spite of their freedoms being severely curtailed, to those who point out the contradictions in our system, we answer, ‘The path to equality of opportunity is most desirable but tough. We’ve been at it for a while but have not been able to prevent the wealthy from dominating politics to secure their privileges at the expense of the rest. But we believe that, eventually, we will have a fairer nation.’

Eventually? When will that be?

Can we in America take the challenge that China now poses and speed up our renewal?

I hope so. But China will keep beckoning and whispering in the ears of businesses, ‘come, my friends, make money and trust that you will be able to go back and hire lobbyists and finance campaigns to keep yourselves in power. But you must not say a word about the ‘reeducation’ of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the suppression of freedom in Hong Kong or our plan to retake Taiwan.’

‘Trust us,’ says China to our businesses, ‘the soul of America is in your pockets. We will help you keep it that way. Shake that money and all will listen. It’s the money folks that are the true gods of this world and money the true free speech. Never lose faith and may the best nation win.’

And if we here in America fall for it and forget that free speech is the right to dissent, even if we are wrong, then we will play China’s game. If we forget that free speech must always respect other people’s rights, whether we approve of them or not, then we will play China’s game. And so fall under the spell of autocracy and dictatorship – governments that make gods of their leaders and compel the person to bow.

Soon enough the Thought Police will come for our neighbor.

‘Did you hear what happened to Fred?’

‘No, what?’

‘He was down at the pub and talked too much.’

‘How so?’

‘He was being critical of our leaders.’

‘Hmm… you know… I warned Fred about that. He’s a good guy… has a good business… makes money…. has a nice house,too… what’s the point?’

The point is we tarnish our humanity when we surrender our right to express our own thoughts.

With our humanity tarnished, we then become less creative, lose personal power and diminish our capacity to fully love.

No amount of money will make up for it.

Oscarvaldes.net

Alexei Navalny. The Hope for a New Russia

A man of enormous courage, who has for years campaigned against the corruption and despotism of the Russian government, deserves the world’s full support.

As of today, he is still in prison. And the sad likelihood is that Putin and his collaborators will make up new charges to prevent him from being released. Ever.

Why? Because Alexei Navalny is too much of a threat.

The mention of Navalny stirs up in Russians the possibility of a new and better world.

Putin cannot accept that.

A nation with a history of great achievements, has lain in a semi dormant state, unable to fully develop its tremendous capabilities, while under the control of Vladimir Putin.

Imagine for a moment, all that the Russian people could be contributing to the world, where they to be living in a political system that allowed for the free expression of ideas.

The arts would then blossom, and so would technology, industry and science.

The lights shining from Russia would be seen by all nations.

So, yes, we need people like Navalny to stir us up.

As we speak, in not far off Myanmar, a dictator is now butchering its people, shooting dissidents in the head. Why? Because he must remain in power.

In Hong Kong, protesters are being put in jail because Xi Jinping is convinced he must mold all Chinese in his own image.

In Xinjian province, the government has been forcibly reeducating Muslims so that they, too, become more Chinese.

Isn’t it amazing how some people can persuade others to remain silent, and surrender their ambitions of personal fulfillment, not just for a little while, but for a lifetime?

Putin could change this for Russians at any time. If he believes that most Russians are with him, then why not hold free elections and let them decide?

But he won’t because he’s afraid Russians will choose Navalny over him.

So he prefers to keep things under his control so he may govern until his death, maybe 20 or 30 years from now.

What’s lost in that deal? That generations of Russian people will not see their possibilities fulfilled.

But that is not a concern for Putin. Power is.

Just like it is for Xi Jinping. Or General Hlaing in Myanmar.

Putin will not step down from his position unless forced by ill health or the Russian people revolt.

So, yes, Alexey Navalny is a threat.

He is a threat because he has the courage to dream. For himself, for his beloved Russia and for all of us. He has become an inspiration to men and women the world over and so become part of us.

What a distinction. What an honor.

As stated in Wikipedia, ‘Navalny was nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize by multiple Norwegian members of parliament.^[359][360] An Internet petition to the Nobel Committee in support of Mr. Navalny’s candidacy has been signed by over 38,000 people.^[361]’

I am here adding my name to such petition.

Oscarvaldes.net

Cc Editor of the New York times, the Washington Post, The Economist, Amnesty International.

Open Letter to President Trump. On Asian Americans

Dear Sir,

I was glad to hear that you came out asking people to not hesitate and take the vaccine against the coronavirus. It will make a tremendous difference and, no doubt, save lives as a result.

Thank you for that.

I would now like to ask if you would be so kind as to put out a general appeal to all people to please refrain from showing hostility to Asian Americans.

The number of hate crimes against them has increased.

Your having called the corona virus the ‘Wuhan virus’ has not helped. You labelled it as such because you thought it would boost you in your campaign. But that is now over.

Members of the World Health Organization have travelled to China to investigate how the pandemic started. It will take time, maybe even years, before that matter is fully resolved.

And, for sure, Asian Americans have got nothing to do with how the pandemic came about.

Nothing at all.

They are our brothers and sisters, our friends and neighbors, doctors and nurses, engineers and technicians, scientists and artists, servers and cooks, workers in all fields of endeavor, contributing their best effort to the progress of this nation.

And yet, some people, angry with all the restrictions and losses the pandemic has forced upon us, and unable to reflect on the complexities involved, have chosen to act irrationally and vent their anger on Asian Americans.

There is no justification whatsoever for such violence.

As you well know, we have a long history in this nation of targeting minorities with tragic consequences. You, yourself, have done so. But perhaps you can now rise above it and plead for thoughtful and considerate behavior.

People are capable of evolving and finding their better selves. We all are. You, too.

You didn’t get reelected but you still got 74 million votes.

A call from you to show moderation and respect for others, no matter how superficially different they may be, will likely do us a lot of good.

And help us on the path to greater self knowledge for, as they are us, we are them.

Thank you, Mr President.

Oscar Valdes

Oscarvaldes.net

Letter sent to President Trump. Mar a Lago Resort.

1100 So Ocean Blvd

Palm Beach. Florida, 33480

Georgetown Law Makes the Wrong Call

In an article published yesterday in the New York Times, Sandra A. Sellers, a law professor of almost 20 years with the school made the following statement to another professor at the end of a virtual class. The professors were unaware that the recording had continued.

“You know what? I hate to say this,” Ms. Sellers said on the video. “I end up having this angst every semester that a lot of my lower ones are Blacks — happens almost every semester. And it’s like, ‘Oh, come on.’ You know? You get some really good ones. But there are also usually some that are just plain at the bottom. It drives me crazy.”

The remarks were deemed racist by the Black Law Students Association which called for the professor to be terminated. She resigned. Here’s the link to the article. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/11/us/georgetown-university-sandra-sellers.html?smid=em-share

I read the professor’s statement and my impression is that the university overreacted.

Ms Sellers is an experienced professor. She’s making an assessment of her students’ capabilities. In her class, there have been some Black students who have not performed to her expectations. But some have. ‘You get some really good ones.’

When professor Sellers says, ‘It drives me crazy,’ I hear despair rather than a racist sentiment. Unfortunately, she didn’t act on it.

Since she’s had this impression for a while, she should have brought it up to the administration and asked for additional assistance for the students. That would have been more fruitful than sitting on her frustration.

I do not think her statement constitutes ground for her dismissal.

The sentiment she expressed may be present in other teachers. The lack of students’ performance may be present in other classes.

Because of systemic racism, some students may not be well prepared and will need help.

Georgetown Law can provide that help and should.

Ms Sellers statements are reason for Georgetown Law to do some serious reflecting.

Are they giving a pass to some Black students because they are Black?

If so, that doesn’t help anybody. It doesn’t help Black students because if not properly prepared they will have problems in the fiercely competitive workplace.

The task of the university is not to react unthinkingly to an accusation of this type, but to examine it in detail, and make sure that any Black student who shows problems with their studies gets all the help they need to be the best they can be. At the university’s expense.

That’s how we overcome systemic racism.

Professor Sellers should be brought back and put in charge of groups for professors to air their views. In private. Without a video playing.

Oscarvaldes.net

Andrew Cuomo and The Allegations of Sexual Harassment

It’s been hard for most of us men to learn but learn we must. Women are fast moving into positions of leadership in whatever fields they enter, and they demand that they not be objectified. (as in seen only as sexual beings).

The message is clear. We, men, have been slow to get it.

Women are saying, respect me for what I do, for what I contribute, and do not sexualize me. And, should I choose to be sexualized, I will be sending you a clear signal for you to proceed.

Women are saying, I have a right to look as good as I wish and still expect to not be objectified.

Because Mr Cuomo did not get the message, a competent and sometimes brilliant governor is now standing on the edge of a long political career.

The fact that he has political power made him overconfident and, according to published reports, he overstepped the line.

He still has a chance of not being pushed over the edge and keep his office, but it will take some daring on his part.

Here’s my advice:

Accept every allegation that is true and apologize.

Ask to meet with each person who has complained about his behavior – with a witness for their side and one for his – and express, face to face, how much he regrets that he was the cause of the distress inflicted.

Vow to embark in an effort to help other men avoid the mistakes he made. For instance, the Governor could start a foundation/program to teach men in positions of power to restrain from sexualizing their employees. The Governor would then become a defender of women’s rights and help them develop the voice that would put an end to misbehavior the very moment it happens. Not wait and let it fester.

In their quest for autonomy and affirmation in the workplace and in life, women may sometimes hesitate to assert themselves when confronted with unwanted sexual advances, but it is clear they eagerly wish to be able to speak on the spot if an advance is not to their liking.

Women have all the right in the world to feel they are in control of their bodies at all time.

We, men, have got to learn that.

I believe the Governor has the capacity and emotional fortitude to do this.

But he must act quickly.

If he does, he may well stay in power and even rise further.

And his example help other men.

Good luck.

Oscarvaldes.net

Biden Talks to King Salman

On February 25^th, President Biden made a phone call to King Salman to discuss state matters.

Present in the Oval Office for the call were Vice President Harris, Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, and Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor.

The king and the President had already discussed Iran and Yemen, with Mr Biden emphasizing that Iran would not be allowed to have nuclear weapons which would pose a threat to the kingdom as well as other neighbor countries.

President – King Salman… we will be releasing an intelligence report on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in Ankara, in October 2018.

King – We have been expecting it.

President – I want to make clear that the question of human rights will be high on my agenda during my term. We owe it to the world. From the start, I have sharply disagreed with the way my predecessor handled the assassination of Mr Khashoggi, a US resident and respected journalist and contributor to the Washington Post. It is inconceivable for us that such action would be carried out without the Prince’s consent.

King – I understand.

President – King Salman, did you know of the operation?

King – I did not.

President – For us to keep quiet about this would make our nation an accomplice. We cannot tolerate that.

King – I understand. As you know, Saudi Arabia is trying hard to become a modern nation, but there is much work to do. As long time allies, we ask for your patience and tolerance.

President – I welcome your government’s opening up opportunities for women. And the release of the young woman activist who had been held for a year. But she still will not be allowed to travel abroad.

King – Mr President, give us time. We want to join the rest of the world, we do. My son, the Prince, has good ideas. Due to my age, I am now 85, I’ve entrusted him with the day to day operations in the Kingdom, but I assure you that I have now resumed oversight of key decisions so as to prevent a repeat of what happened to Mr Khashoggi.

President – That is welcome news.

King – I have also considered, the possibility of reparations for the family of Mr Khashoggi and his fiancée and intend to pursue the matter.

President – I hope you will. It will not bring back Jamal Khashoggi but it is an acknowledgment of responsibility.

King – Yes. The actions were committed by Saudi Arabians in positions of influence, by Saudi Arabians in my service.

President – Thank you, King Salman. I look forward to a fruitful relationship. We will talk again. Best.

King – Good bye for now.

They hang up

Oscarvaldes.net

General Hlaing and The Prisoner. Myanmar

Eighteen people had been killed the day before as government forces shot into the crowds of civil disobedience participants. And yet the protest movement did not yield.

Nyan had been arrested in the street as he withdrew from the charging police and had stopped to aid a fallen protester.

He was now sitting alone in a windowless cell, his back against the wall, face in his hands. Nyan was a civil engineer in a government office that built bridges throughout Burma. He was 39 years old, married and the father of two.

There was a sink and a toilet, no bed, and a single light bulb overhead. He had been fed once – a piece of bread and a small portion of rice – in the twelve hours he had been detained.

A cut on his forehead where he had been struck hard by a wooden club was swollen but had stopped bleeding.

He reviewed in his mind why he had done what he had. At first, his wife, a pharmacist, had hesitated to support him, but he had insisted. The nation needed everyone, he had argued. The military should not get away with shamelessly disregarding the results of an election where the National League for Democracy had won a clear majority and then put their leader, Aung San Suu Ky, under house arrest. Freedom had a cost and it was for the citizens to pay it.

‘If something happens to me, the children have you,’ he had said to his wife, Shway.

‘I have a bad feeling about this, Nyan, I don’t know why.’

‘Be brave, my love, we want the best for our children, don’t we?’

They held each other in a tight embrace as their children, 3 and 2 years old, stood by, anxiously.

The young one started to cry but the older one put her arm around him.

‘Nyan, you’ve protested several times already,’ said Shway. ‘Let others do their part too.’

He drew back to look at her and said, ‘They’re counting on me… I can’t let them down.’

She looked him in the eye, uncertain she would be able to see him again, and nodded.

‘I understand,’ she said softly. ‘Go, then… but first embrace your children.’

He turned and knelt before them, then held them both in a tight embrace.

‘I’ll be back,’ he said. Then he rose and walked out.

Nyan raised his head and rested it against the wall behind. His arms and back ached from the blows he’d received but he didn’t think anything was broken. He knew that some people had been killed in the protests but didn’t know the exact number.

Now he heard the clank of metal on metal as the door was being unlocked.

As it opened two soldiers entered, one with a machine gun in his arm pointed at him, another with a can from where he sprayed a mist into the stale air of the cell. It smelled of fresh linen.

The two soldiers stood before him but said nothing. Then an officer, dressed in a spiffy uniform decorated with medals, stepped in. He was wearing his military cap.

Nyan was surprised. He recognized the man immediately. It was General Hlaing, leader of the military junta that had staged the coup.

The general stopped right in front of Nyan.

The two men locked eyes.

‘We met before,’ said the general.

Nyan remembered. Two years before, the General had made a surprise visit to the Ministry where Nyan worked and the two men had shook hands.

‘Why are you doing this?’ asked the General.

‘In defense of our freedom,’ said Nyan. His voice was firm but there was no anger in his words.

‘You have chosen to jeopardize everything you have, for what?’ replied the General. ‘To be part of a rabble, part of a mob with complete disregard for what the military have done for the nation?’

Nyan looked down for a moment. When he answered he looked the General directly.

‘We are fighting for the right to choose our leaders, the right to express our ideas and let others express theirs. That right should be respected at all times.’

The General listened calmly. ‘My father was a civil engineer too, in the same Ministry you know work.’

Nyan was quiet.

‘There was fraud in the election in November,’ continued the General. ‘That’s why we’ve had to intervene, to protect people’s rights.’

‘There’s a parallel, isn’t there?’ returned Nyan, ‘between what you’ve been saying since your party lost by a wide margin, and what happened in the United States with Mr Trump. He, too, from the start, kept talking of fraud. I wonder if he was your inspiration.’

The soldier with the spray can stepped forward. ‘Do not be disrespectful,’ he said to Nyan, menacingly.

But the General scowled at the soldier and the man quickly backed off.

‘In America, there are safeguards against what you’re now doing,’ said Nyan, ‘not here in Burma. Here, our votes are not respected and we have to put up with your desires to be king, and for your son and daughter to have large business interests that could only be had because of your influence.’

The General showed no emotion but he was now steaming inside. How dare this insignificant prisoner, whose life he held in his hands, speak to him with such insolence.

The General closed his eyes. Whenever he felt like striking out in anger, he closed his eyes and that helped him regain his composure. He liked being composed, or the appearance of it, especially when he had to be ruthless as he was tempted to be right at that moment. It was up to him to do what he wanted with Nyan. Up to him to have him disappear if he chose to. Just like that, for he, General Hlaing, was now the undisputed ruler of Myanmar. He had staged the coup on February 1^st and the next day he had created the State Administration Council and put himself in charge.

It was not the first election that the military’s party had lost. They had lost, too, in 2015, when long time dissident Suu Kyi had risen to power even though the military refused to allow her to have the title of president. And then the following year, in October 2016, as if to establish clearly who was really in charge, General Hlaing’s troops had violently pushed the Rohingya Muslim minority out of Rakhine State near Bangladesh where many sought refuge. The actions had been deemed genocidal in intent by most of the world. But the uproar had passed. Everything passed. The world would soon forget about his small nation again, leaving him free to rule as he wished.

Myanmar was his. He owned it. It was his to do what he wanted when he wanted. And he was not about to cede that privilege to people whose brains were addled with notions of democracy.

The world belonged to men of power and he was one of them. He and Xi Jinping and Putin and Duterte and Kim Jong Un and El Sisi, Assad and the Saudis too.

He was sure that China would be supportive of his coup. In fact, all of them would.

When he opened his eyes, the General asked his escort to leave the cell.

The two soldiers were hesitant. Nyan was not cuffed or tied down to anything.

‘Leave,’ the General repeated.

The two men exited.

The General took off his cap and brushed back his hair. He had a pistol strapped to his side. He was a good shot, he reminded himself. If Nyan made the slightest move he would put a bullet in his head.

‘I like power… always have… which is why I went into the military. It makes me feel alive… I’m 64 years old and in good health… I could live another 30 years… so why not do it while I’m exercising power? Why share the cake if I can have it all? Suu Kyi may win elections but I can impose my will. There’s something sublimely intoxicating about that.’

‘It doesn’t bother you that the nation as a whole is damaged by having one man in power doing as he wishes?’ asked Nyan.

‘Damaged how?’

‘Just like we need physical exertion to develop strong bodies, we need political exertion to grow our minds and learn to repair social injustices, injustices to which we’re all so prone simply because we’re human,’ replied Nyan. ‘We need political discourse to expand and affirm ourselves and so enrich the country.’

The General moved his head slightly but there was no change in his expression.

‘There are so many countries where democracy leads only to paralysis,’ said the General, ‘which is why China has opted for autocracy. Look at how well they’re doing. Their example is teaching us all the right way to do things. Soon they will surpass America in every way.’

Nyan folded his arms as he kept looking up at the General.

‘Your forces have killed people… shot and beat them… does it not bother you? Can you sleep at night… knowing that because of you there will be children without fathers or mothers, or brothers or sisters? Have you not thought of all that you’ve had, all the privilege you’ve enjoyed all of your life? The protests are not meant to strip you of your place in the military, but to insist that you respect the will of the people, that you protect the results of elections. The protests are meant to curb your excesses, your vanity, your grandiosity, your disregard for the rest of us. The riches you’ve accumulated, are they not enough for you?’

The General had not moved at all since he planted himself in front of Nyan. Now he took a small step back. He put his cap back on.

‘The weapons you use to repress us are all very modern,’ resumed Nyan. ‘The guns, the cameras, the cyber weapons. And the new armored vehicles cruising our streets were made in Israel… we can tell. So they found a way to circumvent American sanctions.’

‘I want the best for Burma,’ said the General.

‘You do not want the best for Burma… you want the best for you and the military,’ returned Nyan, ‘and you’re willing to brutalize us to achieve your aims.’

The two men looked at each other for a moment.’

Then Nyan asked, ‘What will happen to me?’

‘I will give you two options… leave the country… or stay and cease to be political.’

Nyan hung his head.

But he didn’t need much time to deliberate. At 39 years old he had a clear idea of what to do with his life. He believed in the protests. He believed that, eventually, enough of the men who were now siding with General Hlaing would realize that the blood in their hands was the blood of their brothers and sisters, their fathers and mothers, and confronting their fears would choose to turn against the General. Nyan believed that the spirit of revolt against injustice that filled every Burmese when they set out to participate in a protest, would one day convince their oppressors that they were on the wrong side of history and would then join the fight against tyranny.

The General rested his right hand on the handle of his side arm. ‘You can take your time before giving me a reply.’

‘I don’t need more time,’ said Nyan, ‘I reject both options… and choose to fight you.’

The General didn’t change expression at all. But he, too, had made up his mind. The struggle for the soul of Myanmar would rage on.

He moved to exit the cell but stopped.

Without turning back to look at Nyan he added, ‘You think the world will come for you?’

‘I have no illusions,’ replied Nyan.

‘Then why throw your life away?’

‘I’m not throwing my life away… I love my people.’

The General paused for an instant… then… ‘yes… love,’ he said softly, almost to himself.

And he exited the cell.

The door slammed shut behind him.

Oscarvaldes.net

How To Best Treat the Highly Gifted

By acknowledging their talent and granting them the opportunity to develop what nature gave them. But not at the expense of those whose gifts are not as manifest or who have less ability.

Who is highly gifted? Anyone who displays an ability that makes others stop and notice.

As the exceptional gift is nurtured and expressed, the person is rewarded by further acknowledgment, thereby confirming that they are on a fruitful path. The experience is empowering even if material riches were not to follow.

The fact that a person does something well does not mean they will have enlightened opinions on other subjects. Being deft in one area and obtuse in another is a common occurrence.

The highly gifted are not self sufficient. They rely on the rest of us to further facilitate their particular talent. Interdependence is a fact of life.

When we recognize the gifted person’s ability we are saying, ‘You have something special. Thank you. May you go on to fulfill your promise.’

We then must turn to ourselves and ask, what gifts do I have? For all of us have something that, if one commits to, will likely become a source of much satisfaction.

Say that a person identifies a talent for doing electrical work. If developed, such ability will be a source of pride. Such person can say to themselves, ‘I’m a good electrician. People whom I assist are most gratified by my work.’ That person can then look at someone highly gifted in whatever area and say, ‘my gifts are not of such magnitude as yours but they are gifts, for I can solve problems and am self reliant and competent as a person.’

There is a freeing effect that comes from acknowledging that others have powers we may not have. When we say, ’you have discovered yours, I will discover mine,’ such acceptance will bring us much peace and enjoyment.

Now say that a person has marked intellectual limitations but they find they are good at cleaning offices. In fact, they take pride in it. There’s a dignity that comes to a person making an effort to contribute to the extent of their abilities. If it is something the person values and helps them contribute to the community at large, it becomes a gift.

The highly gifted should not be insulated by preferential treatment because they may then forget the plight of the less able.

Nature chooses to give a very special gift to some and not to others. A pretty woman will favor a man and not another. We have no control over that. It is the woman’s choice and nature at work. If we don’t accept it, then we succumb to envy or resentment and in doing so waste precious time needed to find what is truly ours.

For a society to be well functioning, it is essential that ample educational and training opportunities be granted to all its citizens. The highly gifted will find their way and in the process learn how to value the work of others.

Some years ago I saw a documentary on a school in a Scandinavian country, not sure which. The clip I recall showed students of varying abilities working side by side in the same classroom, and the better able taking some time to assist those who were less so.

I suppose one could say that to maximize efficiency, all the less able should be put in a different room and assigned to a teacher specializing in instructing them. But something vital would be lost. The less able are likely to be soon forgotten – perhaps even devalued.

And the very gifted may soon forget how lucky they are.

Oscarvaldes.net

Courageous Resistance in Myanmar

After the military disavowed the elections where they were badly outvoted this last November, they have seized by force what government they didn’t previously control and imprisoned Suu Ky, the leader of the winning party (National League of Democracy) on February 1.

The rightfully enraged people of Myanmar have stepped out against the military in what has been called a Civil Disobedience Movement, with large numbers of government employees joining in the protest.

It is hard to say what other nations are now doing behind the scenes in an attempt to counter the military coup, but there is no question that the people of Myanmar deserve the full support of the rest of the world.

What can the rest of us do to show our disapproval of the military’s actions and our solidarity with the people of Myanmar?

Speak! Write to your representative, your senator, your president, and ask that our nation do something tangible to halt the brutal force with which the military is sure to treat Myanmar’s outraged citizens.

Speak!

Raise your voice.

Do not be silent.

The courage of Myanmar’s people is the answer to tyranny anywhere.

Oscarvaldes.net