democracy – Page 4 – Oscar Valdes

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

Elsa and Xi Jinping (8) Racism in America

Dear Xi,

Hope this finds you well.

Democracies are, indeed, problematic, and the process will often appear to be wasteful and even chaotic. But give a closer look and something else will be found.

Societies, like individuals, are in a constant search for higher integration.

In the individual, the pressure is to integrate the emotional and the intellectual, for the greater the integration the better the overall functioning and hence, personal satisfaction.

So, too, with nations.

In America, while making significant advances in science, technology and industry, we have not kept pace in our collective emotional development. Thus, the profound dysfunction of racism.

At the core of racism is the premature closure of the inquiry into what it is to be human.

When one looks at someone superficially different than one is and, failing to remain open to what that person may offer, devalues them instead, then one turns oneself into a hindrance to one’s personal development and the larger group we belong to becomes the poorer for it.

Racism is an ugly blemish for each of us individually and for the nation as a whole.

It has held back the development of the discriminated against and of those doing the discriminating.

America is guilty as charged as being a racist country and yet, we are a democracy.

We are both racist and democratic. There is no contradiction there.

We are profoundly imperfect and still a democracy.

People can protest in favor or against racism and the government will not censor what they have to say.

But is this useful?

I hold that it is because it keeps the problem on the table. It does not push it down and out of sight. If we can see the problem, then we are more likely to know its true extent and thus talk about it.

The racist in America can go on believing that White is better than anyone else, but it is to their detriment. In holding on to such belief they harm themselves for they are deprived of the richness that expanding their understanding of others brings to their own existence.

They lessen themselves by their own hand.

You may ask, if not prohibiting such beliefs is favorable, how come racism is still present in America?

Good question.

Racism is still present in our land because there has not been the leadership to emphatically and consistently say to all Americans, ‘it is wrong to be racist and we must make it a priority to overcome it.’ Then go about the process vigorously, without fear they will be voted out of office.

Racism is still present in our land because there have not been the same opportunities for the development of Blacks that Whites have enjoyed. Lacking those opportunities, the rest of the nation has not seen all that Blacks can do.

Racism still lives in America because many Whites have not confronted their fears that Blacks may show abilities they do not have.

And so Americans are poorer because of racism. We are weaker because of it.

The good news is that things have been changing.

Let me turn now to the question of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang province. They are Muslim and have their own language and your leadership has settled on a policy to reeducate them against their will, forcing them into special camps.

China is wrong to pursue such policy.

It is one thing to tell the Uyghurs, ‘we need you to learn Mandarin because it will allow you better opportunities for advancement in our nation and we wish for you to be part of us’. It is quite another to force them to abandon beliefs they have grown up with and long cherished.

You may be thinking that in another generation or two, Uyghurs will forget about their origins and embrace only Chinese values. They will not. And they will not because it has been forced.

Blacks in America will never forget that they were enslaved, bought and sold, abused, lynched and treated like chattel. They will take advantage of what opportunities are opened, but they will never forget having had their growth stunted, generation upon generation.

Uyghurs won’t either.

So learn from us. Don’t make the same mistake we’ve made. Change course and woo the Uyghurs into your society, not force them.

The way you have chosen to treat Uyghurs derives from the power your government has amassed and from the lack of resistance of your people. You have chosen such actions because Chinese have lacked the free speech that could have brought you to your senses.

By depriving yourself of the dissenting opinions of other Chinese, you miss out on the creative solutions they may have offered.

You do not own the truth. Neither you nor your politburo nor the Chinese Communist Party. Solutions need to be agreed to by the majority of the people of a nation because they have to live with them. Allowing them to have a say in the nation’s choices is essential for the emotional and intellectual integration necessary for the healthy civic growth of a country.

Should you persist in your present course of forcibly reeducating Uyghurs, China will live to regret it. Power unchecked by dissent or free speech leads to abuse that is never forgotten and instead festers like an infected wound.

Will America ever conquer racism? I believe it will. In fact, we have no real choice. Should we not conquer racism we will be unable to compete effectively with you.

Americans understand the challenge you represent and we will rise to it.

Best

Elsa

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Xi Jinping Replies to Elsa (7) Our Model vs Yours

Dear Elsa,

There are many advantages to democracy and I am glad you in America are satisfied with it.

We in China like what we have and see no reason to change it.

In years past many of our citizens left to study abroad and some did not return. But now, seeing the clear progress our nation has made under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, more and more are starting to come back. They are not under any pressure to return. They do so because they want to be part of one of the greatest experiments in social, political and economic organization the world has ever seen.

Nowhere, ever, has a project of this scale been tried out and because of it, Chinese feel very proud.

In a very short period, historically speaking, we have transformed our vast nation. We have become a power in science and industry, and soon will become the leading economy of the world.

There is no stopping us.

How can you argue with this kind of success?

If the great majority of people were not happy they would not be working hard. Sure, there are some dissatisfied too. There will always be those.

Is there corruption? Yes. But if you are caught you are punished severely, not just given a slap in the hand like in America.

One of the most important steps forward for the Communist Party was the recognition that money is a wonderful incentive. In the earliest periods of social organization under the rule of the Communist Party, money was criticized. But that has changed radically.

Now anyone with good ideas can make good money in China, so long as they play by the rules we set. We do have capital controls, for instance, so we let you take some of the money out of the country but not all, for we need it to run the nation.

Anyone can build a great company in our land, but they will have to allow for supervision by members of the government. This makes for discipline and helps avoid excesses.

People with money in our country cannot simply decide one day that they want to run for president. That will not happen in China.

But it can happen in America. And Elsa, that is not good.

To be part of the governing body in our land you have to have been educated as a party member and have spent a lifetime serving the people. You cannot, like Mr Trump, decide one day that you want to be president, just because you were bored building hotels.

In your country money buys the elections. If you do not have money then you cannot pay for advertising and the people will laugh at you. It doesn’t matter how competent a person you may be, people will say, ‘show me the money!’. Do Americans not have firm convictions of their own that they have to go by what advertisers tell them?

And it is that same money that opens doors for people to make deals so they can turn around and have even more money.

So what happens to the average person? They get left out. They are not heard. Sure, the politicians go around shaking hands and asking questions and kissing babies, but in the end it is the people with money who influence the big decisions. The rest is a good show.

There is another more problematic side to democracy. People have trouble getting along.

In your congress, for instance, one half thinks the other half does not know what they are talking about.

And after more than two centuries as a nation you have yet to solve the racial problem. What does that tell you about democracy? All those years and you could not come to the table and acknowledge that Blacks are just like Whites. (We can discuss the Uighur problem another time).

Elsa, China is the future. Our political system is the future. And we Chinese designed it.

America is in decline. How else can you understand the lack of a coordinated effort in handling the coronavirus, the assault on the capitol, the continued bitterness between brothers and sisters.

Politics is a sport in America and much energy is wasted because of it. Not in China. And because of it we will surpass you.

It is sad to see your fast decline. You still have a few decades left but, unless there is a miracle, I do not see your citizens ever uniting. They do not want to. Texans believe that your God looks on them more favorably than on Californians, and vice versa.

Elsa, the world is now looking to us as we shine a bright light on the path to follow.

If you have not visited our great land, please do so and witness history in the making.

Best

Xi Jinping

Chairman

People’s Republic of China

Founded Oct 1, 1949

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The Best of Russia is Now in Prison

Alexei Navalny, the courageous political dissenter, was just sentenced to a 3 ½ prison term for not complying with the terms of his probation, which he could not because he was in a German hospital recovering from an attempt to kill him with the poison Novichok, a nerve agent available only to government agencies.

Russian authorities deny any involvement.

Governments across the world have called for his release.

What has Alexei Navalny been asking for?

The freedom for the Russian people to elect who they want.

That is all. And for that he is being punished.

All he has said and fought for, while putting himself in great danger, is that Russians should have a right to choose who is to govern them.

Vladimir Putin, who has been in power since 1999, says No.

No, because he believes he knows what is best for Russians. No, because he likes being president very much – he is now in his 4^th term – and he would miss the office if he has to step down. No, because he is convinced he has all the answers for his people and why bother with elections, it is such a waste of time and energy.

Alexei Navalny has dared to disagree. He says Russians are afraid of Putin and insists there is no way forward for the country but to overcome their fears and challenge him.

Of course, Mr Putin could, at any time, take a different position and say that he is willing to face Mr Navalny in an election, and let all Russians decide. He might even win. Russians may prefer to see him be president for life. But that is not what we’re seeing. What we’re seeing is that he would rather not take the chance.

Is he afraid he might lose?

That Alexei Navalny has faced his fears and started a protest movement shows that he is a special person. People like him are a gift to their people and to the world. A gift because they have dared where others have not. So they ought to be supported because their courage will make for a better life for the rest of us.

While he is in prison, someone else needs to step front and take over the leadership of the movement he’s started.

Russians should not stay quiet. Alexei Navalny lives in every Russian.

And every Russian has to find a way to free the Alexei Navalny that lives in them.

We, in the Free World, must do what we can to stand in solidarity with our Russian brothers and sisters.

We, in the Free World, must do what we can to keep Alexei Navalny alive.

Oscarvaldes.net oscarvaldes.medium.com oscarvaldes@widehumr

Letter writers of the Free World. Speak up!

Elsa and Xi Jinping (6) Intellectual Property

Dear Xi:

I would like to return to the topic of the theft of intellectual property and forced technology transfers, a matter of great concern for all of us.

I did not find your answer to be satisfactory (letter of January 16^th/2021). You said that all Chinese people know that such appropriation is justified, as the price foreigners have to pay for the privilege of doing business in China and having access to its superb labor force and vast markets.

I disagree.

You could have said to foreign companies, ‘our growing nation needs to build technology expertise to prepare for our future. In exchange for granting you full access to our markets for 5 years, we would like for you to allow us the use of your knowledge at no cost for a subsequent 5 year period, after which we would enter into an agreement where we would pay you a percentage of the average cost of your licensing fee.’

And maybe that amount could have been deferred for a length of time, to be payable for instance when China reached a certain GDP per person.

I can see how there would have been political pressures from within not to enter into such agreement, given your development needs. But don’t you think that being open to some form of payment, even if deferred, would have sent and could still send a signal to the world that your country was willing to play by the rules?

The observance of rules is key to mutual respect among individuals, groups and nations.

Intellectual property rights act as powerful incentives to creativity. They must be preserved.

And here I must return to your censoring of speech.

When speech is censored, there are fewer voices and ideas in the public arena. Nations are poorer, not richer for the lack of free speech.

Free speech does not hinder but increases the economic, industrial, military and civic growth of a nation, while helping to keep a proper balance between all areas of development.

If you had free speech, the question of paying or paying under certain terms for the use of intellectual rights could have been openly discussed and a different approach found.

So long as mutual respect is observed, there is no reason for free speech to be impeded. The task of enlightened government, through its laws, becomes one of ensuring that mutual respect is observed at all times.

You say that every person wants to be king. Maybe. But say it were true, still, as people evolve, they must learn the value of limits and realize that others have abilities, beliefs, property that they don’t have, and that to acknowledge such difference is essential to personal growth and satisfaction.

Your fear of free speech interfering with the growth of China is misplaced. Discipline is essential, but discipline can be had without censoring free speech.

The good news is that there is still time to make necessary corrections.

And doing so will be telling the world that China is here to be all that it can be, certain in the knowledge that the strength and creativity of their people assures them a bright future.

Best to you

Elsa

PS:

Let not the past hold us back, let it not torture us, but instead serve as marker of how far we’ve come. Keep moving forward.

Open Letter to Vladimir Putin

It is imperative that the life of Alexei Navalny be spared. He has proven himself a man of great courage in daring to expose corruption in your country and in his willingness to challenge you and your party in elections.

Russia is underperforming as a nation and it seems obvious that the restrictions to free speech and enterprise that your government enforces are the direct cause of it. The challenges to development that the world faces need the contribution of all available talent. Russia has a long history of great accomplishment in science, industry and the humanities. The world needs those contributions.

As of today, Mr Navalny remains incarcerated. He should be freed. He should be allowed to lead his political movement and offer alternatives to Russians.

Why is it that you’re afraid of what Mr Navalny represents?

You think he might defeat you in the elections? Then that would be the expression of the will of the Russian people. Why shouldn’t Russians have a right to express themselves freely?

Mr Navalny’s recent poisoning with the chemical Novichok was intended to kill him. It is a miracle that it didn’t. You denied your government’s involvement but why haven’t the guilty parties been found?

Do you think that the world will forget? It will not.

In the minds of the free citizens of the world you stand as a symbol of oppression not of enlightenment.

But it doesn’t have to stay that way. You could change course. You could hold free elections and let Mr Navalny run against you.

Wouldn’t that be truly revolutionary? Putin versus Navalny for the presidency of Russia.

As it is, you are running out of time. Persist in your current course and history will not be kind. It will remember you as a symbol of political backwardness.

But change your approach and your nation will move to a new level.

Dare to open your country politically and what will follow will likely astound the world and we will all be grateful.

Thank you

Oscarvaldes.net / oscarvaldes.medium.com / oscarvaldes@widehumr

Letter writers of the Free World, please join me in writing to Mr Putin in defense of Alexei Navalny.

Elsa and Xi (4) In A Democracy We Can Change Our Minds

Dear Xi:

Thank you so much for your reply. I was not expecting it.

Tomorrow is a great day for America. The nation gets to see a new president take office. We chose a different one because we disagreed with the direction Mr Trump was taking us in.

We didn’t like that he showed no inclination to bring us together as a nation. With him it was all about pleasing his supporters. But America is composed of many groups, all of which must learn to work together.

We didn’t like that he didn’t show competence in handling the pandemic.

We didn’t like that he tended to dismiss our longstanding allies, underestimating the work that had been patiently done over many decades.

We didn’t like that he got us out of the Paris Accord on climate change when the entire world is making efforts to stem global warming.

We didn’t like the way he was addressing our racial issues.

Xi, we could remove Mr Trump, because we have a democracy and the president is up for reelection every 4 years. And even if we liked a president, they wouldn’t be able to serve more than two terms.

Why do we do this? Because we know that human beings are fallible, all of us, and renewal is essential to our survival.

So, even if the Chinese like you a lot, they should have a right to hear other viewpoints and decide if you are the person to continue leading them forward.

There are so many examples of human beings’ propensity to think they own the truth. But truth about anything is hard to own. The search for it takes time and we must be open to hear other opinions.

Science teaches us a great deal about this. To explain natural phenomena, scientists first come up with a theory. Then people set out to prove it. So long as research shows support for the theory then it is valid, but the moment new evidence is produced that disproves the theory, then the theory can no longer be supported and scientists have to come up with another one.

Science teaches us, then, that living with doubt is essential and so is the working to resolve it.

In a democracy, we can change our minds. In a democracy we accept that mistakes are part of growth and that we can rectify them.

This is why I was so disturbed when you decided to eliminate the limits on your presidency.

I understand that China has suffered from many invasions by foreign powers and that the Chinese people wish to affirm themselves in the world, but why should freedom of expression be sacrificed?

Just like inventions come up that help us do things better and more efficiently, so too with leaders. Others will come up who have a better idea to lead us forward.

To let the process work, we need freedom of speech. When speech is censored, those imposing the restriction are saying they are afraid of free thought and will use whatever force at their disposal to suppress it.

But that blocks the forward path of the nation.

Are you so afraid of what your people will think or say that you have to censor them?

To censor speech is to do to a mind what locking a child in a box will do to stunt their growth. The child will not have a chance to grow and when he or she is let out of the box their bodies will be deformed. It wasn’t so long ago, that some women in China had their feet bound to prevent their growth.

There is no justification to censor speech in a nation with the abundance of talent and creativity that China has. To do so is to stunt its development. To do is to deprive not only China of its possibilities, but the world’s as well.

Xi, you are now a respected leader. You have helped lead a nation to economic and military might. But the nation’s civic growth is just as important if it is to achieve a proper balance.

I am sure Confucius would agree.

The good news is that you can still change direction. We will all be most grateful. And in the eyes of the world you will have a very special place.

I look forward to hearing from you again,

Very best to you,

Elsa

oscarvaldes.net oscarvaldes.medium.com oscar valdes@widehumr

Trump – The Day After

He’s in the Oval office and his adult children, Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr, are seated across.

He’s in a sad, pensive mood.

Both Facebook and Twitter have banned him from their accounts for the remainder of his term.

Some of his staff have resigned.

The phone is not ringing like it was before.

The TV is muted but still the scenes of the chaos from the assault on the Capitol the day before are replayed.

He looks at his children. They’re all quiet.

Trump – I didn’t intend for it to get out of hand. But I was well aware that the electoral ballots were being counted.

Ivanka – It was horrendous… the disrespect of the Capitol… I could barely watch it.

Donald Jr – You didn’t intend for it to get out of hand…

Eric – Right… it just happened… it was a patriotic demonstration… people need to be able to protest… it was probably some communists in the group masquerading as your supporters that stirred up the rest. We’ll have to investigate.

Trump folds his arms.

Trump – I suppose… I wanted to write my own ending to my presidency… not wait till Inauguration Day.

Ivanka – That you did.

Donald Jr (glancing disapprovingly at Ivanka) – It’s not like this is the end of his political career.

Ivanka – I think it is.

Eric – What? No. Dad… this will blow over… look at all the Senators who have come out in favor of overturning the election, even after the riots.

Donald Jr – There were too many irregularities…way too many… it’s not the end. It can’t be.

Ivanka – Excuse me, but I don’t see what’s the point of glossing over the issue. This is the end. That’s it. No more.

Eric (miffed) – The end… after 74 million people voted for him?

Donald Jr – Of course it’s not the end.

Ivanka rises and walks off a few paces before turning to her brothers.

Ivanka – Just what are you doing? You’re not helping anybody here. This is not what dad needs now… not what any of us needs now.

(she now faces her father)

What you needed from us after the voting ended and it was clear Biden had won, and still you kept denying the evidence, was for all of us to have come together, sit you down and just tell you, ‘Give it up, dad… you lost… and the longer you keep denying the truth, the more likely you will be of doing something stupid, really stupid, which is what yesterday was all about.

Donald Jr (jumping to his feet) – Stop it, okay, stop it now! You’re being disrespectful.

Ivanka (firmly) – No, you stop. Since when is telling the truth disrespectful?

Eric – You’re getting hysterical.

Ivanka (calmly) – Isn’t it really easy to call me that, Eric? What about what I just said we should’ve done?

Eric – Dad had it under control all along.

Ivanka – No, he didn’t. He never did have anything under control. And he didn’t because he didn’t muster the guts to do it.

Donald Jr – Don’t talk like that!

Trump – Let her talk.

Ivanka returns to her seat. She leans forward and then, holding her face, struggles to hold back her tears as she looks directly at her father.

Ivanka – I’m sorry dad… but you screwed up… you really did… this is big… really big… and there’s no turning back, is there?

Trump nods slowly.

Trump – No… there isn’t.

Ivanka – There will be no more presidential campaigns for you… no more rallies… you’re done politically… and maybe even as a businessman…

Donald Jr – What are you saying?

Ivanka (ignoring her brother, still looking at her father) – Who’s going to return your phone calls?

Trump is silent.

Ivanka – And all because you couldn’t process the pain of your loss… all because you couldn’t pause to admit your mistakes and learn from them.

Trump now rises. He crosses to the window and looks out. The sun is setting and the city’s lights are turning on.

Trump – There it is… isn’t it? As simple as that.

(pause)

I’m going to miss Washington. Yes, I am. The thing is… I had great moments as a president… I’ll never forget those moments… but I failed overall… and I did because I gave up on trying to reach out to the other side. If I had… I would’ve learned as I went and I’d have won the election. Take the Covid crisis… if I had just let the doctors take over and tell us what to do… instead of me fighting them all the way… then it would’ve been different. But I had to hog the mike. I had to be the one always in front of the camera. I was too insecure to let it be otherwise.

He turns around, walks back slowly to his seat and sits down.

Trump – Ivanka raises an issue I had not thought about… caught as I was in my own anger… I may have damaged the Trump brand… and that may affect your careers.

Eric – Never mind that, dad, we’ll deal with it.

Donald Jr – It’s not over. Give it some time… and you’ll be able to run again in 2024. And beat Biden.

Eric – People love you… and they will forgive you.

Trump leans forward and looks down at the ground for a moment. Then he looks up at Ivanka.

Trump – What do you think I should do now?

Ivanka – Apologize to the nation.

Trump – Apologize?

Ivanka – Yes, dad. If only for your dignity… for your self respect. You need to go on national television and apologize to the nation for all your mistakes. And maybe… maybe… you’ll find forgiveness.

Trump – All my mistakes?

Ivanka – Yes. You don’t have to mention all of them, I suppose… but just say that you’re sorry for all your poor decisions. You should include yesterday.

Trump – You think they’ll vote for me again?

Ivanka – Dad… forget about running again… what we’re looking for is for you to show humility… and maybe find forgiveness.

Trump – My political career is over?

Ivanka – Yes. Over.

Trump – I destroyed it myself?

Ivanka – You did.

Silence for a moment.

Trump – Do you still love me?

Ivanka – I do. I wish though… that I had been more forceful in trying to get you to listen to me. I regret that.

Trump – You tried… many times… but I didn’t get it. Thank you. I appreciate your words.

Eric and Donald Jr look at it each other, uncomfortably.

Ivanka – Dad… I think we should leave you alone now… so you can start working on your apology to the nation. There’s no time to waste. You must act now. I’ll be glad to read it before you go on the air.

Trump – Thank you,

They all rise and he hugs each one of them.

They exit.

He remains standing for a moment and, after the door closes, he goes to his desk and sits down. He picks up pen and paper. He looks up at the portraits of past presidents. Then, he starts to write.

‘Fellow Americans…’

The End

Elsa and Xi (2) Autocracies Don’t Work

Xi didn’t answer Elsa’s letter. She doesn’t even know it had reached him. Still, she decides to write again.

Dear Xi:

I trust you will get this letter. The previous one is probably stuck somewhere in traffic but I don’t give up easily. I just keep trying.

The rise of China has been fantastic. In a very short time, since WWII, you have steadily improved and become a powerful nation. Your people have reason to feel very proud of their accomplishments, same as the Japanese, the South Koreans and the Taiwanese (more on the last in another letter).

Before you came to power, there were many leaders before you that directed your nation’s growth. They deserve a share of the credit. Deng Xiaoping was of great relevance.

At this time you are speaking of China’s quest for world dominance. You may not use those words but your actions point to that.

This worries me.

You have altered China’s constitution so you can be reelected again and again. That is not good.

Autocracies don’t work. Just look at Russia. No one doubts that Russians are smart people but they have consented to a system of government that has hindered their political evolution. Boris Yeltsin deserves much blame for this, for it was him who chose Putin as his successor. Sadly, Yeltsin drank too much and that affected his judgment. Why else select the chief of the KGB, the secret service at the time, to be the leader of a nascent democracy? Ah, life is full of errors like that. If a man with a belief in democracy had been chosen instead, Russia would have been a different nation today.

Autocracies atrophy the potential of nations. In your own country, had Mao believed in the importance of the transfer of power, he would not have committed the grave blunder that was the Cultural Revolution, and China would have been spared years of much pain and suffering.

You went through that, as did your family, but here you are choosing to ignore the lessons of history. Unbelievable, isn’t it? How we humans make the same mistake again and again.

Autocracies keep leaders from speaking the truth, because the truth will threaten their power.

Democracy is an imperfect system, but it beats autocracy.

At present you are letting your desire for personal power to corrupt your thinking and mislead your people. You are letting your personal failing interfere with the wellbeing of your nation.

Nowhere is that more evident than in your persistent effort to censor free speech.

No one, Xi, no one, has a monopoly on the truth, which is why we need to encourage everyone’s opinion.

All those people who assembled in the hall that voted for you to be the leader of China until you die, did so out of intimidation, because they were afraid to speak the truth.

Democracies are filled with lies and deception also, but not as much as autocracies.

And you, having lived through the Mao period, should know it well.

The good news is that you still have time to reverse course and set your nation on a path to democracy.

Xi, imagine for a moment that you were to do that. Just imagine your restoring the right of people to express themselves. Then, the entire world would be grateful. Nations would ask for your advice and look to China as an example to follow. Wherever you went you would be greeted with enthusiasm.

Which brings me to another point. You must be fully honest.

There is no doubt of your country’s multiple accomplishments, but China’s rise has benefitted from technologies created in the West and China has stolen much of it.

Level with your people. Tell the truth. Yes, you are a creative nation with much potential. You are hard working and ambitious. It is amazing, for instance, that you have gone to the moon already and have plans for further space exploration. But you have stolen and hacked plenty of intellectual secrets.

Just think about it.

Xi, I think I’ve said enough for today.

I hope it hasn’t upset you too much.

On another topic: I was glad to see Boris Johnson and the EU finally come to an agreement for Britain’s exit. Britain was never much into it, but they most definitely benefitted from the partnership with Europe, particularly by letting in so many foreigners who have enriched their genetic pool. I’m sure they will do well.

One final note: today, 1/6/2021, became a special day for America for two reasons. The state of Georgia elected two democratic senators, one Black, one White, which will give Joe Biden a majority in the Senate. And today also, a mob of Trump supporters, angry because their leader lost the election, burst into congress in protest before they were thrown out. So, yes, in a democracy abuses of power happen, but nations that are strong enough correct them.

Will you help China find its strength?

Hope you get his letter. Have a happy new year.

Elsa

The Nation Thanks our Postal and Poll Workers and Ballot Counters

Thank you for the commitment to your task.

When there was much uncertainty as to the outcome of the election

You remained steadfast in carrying out your duties

And gave us confidence that the results would reflect the will of the people

For a few tense days, all eyes were on you

And you responded admirably

Reminding us once again

Of the importance of working together

That there is a place for everyone in this land,

And that it takes all those efforts to make our system thrive

There are many things on which we will disagree

But we must always seek a measure of compromise

Or we will become vulnerable to leaders keen to exploit the differences

For their selfish reasons

If Red and Blue makes Purple

Then that is what we should strive for,

Purple to bridge the gaps that divide us

Purple to bring gender and racial equality to our land

Freeing us to think boldly, conquer our fears and act courageously.

You have done your part

And in so doing affirmed our democracy.

It has been a wonderful display of patriotism and citizenship.

The nation is deeply grateful.

Oscar Valdes

oscarvaldes.net oscarvaldes@widehumr oscarvaldes.medium.com