I'm portuguese, and although I've been brought up in a democratic country, my parents and grandparents felt the injustice of fascim for many years of their lives. Strangely as it may seem, their lives were filled with much more meaning than ours. At least they knew where the problem was, they could dream of better days to come, and join hands and efforts for a better future. They couldn't cheer 'freedom!' holding glasses - that would be seen as subversive and they could be imprisoned, shot at or merely disappear through thin air. their rage and frustration was directed to things and people they ended up fighting against.
Nowadays, i can hardly listen to any news or read any newspapers. it's far too painful. It brings me the sense that all is useless and that the rich and powerful always get away with crimes. it's almost as if the fact that we all know what they've done gives them the right to keep on doing it. Bush disgusts me. As others do. I'm not american, but I'm a citizen of the world, as most of the people that write on these things are. We know what is wrong and right. We know it's wrong to allow people to die of hunger anywhere in the world, but we don't do anything when our presidents spend billions in futile wars!! I'm 26 and although I'd like to have children, it seems wrong to bring them to such a world... How can anyone explain to any child what goes on in the world? do you lie? Haven't we had enough of those? but if we're honest... aren't we destroying part of their innocence, forcing them to grow too fast?
Anyway...I just wanted to share a huge hug with everyone in the world, from the real world, I mean... excluding plastic men and women that show up now and then, collecting votes for their kingdoms. Those plastic men and women have been distorcing every nation's perception of other nations and of itself.