Letters to the editor

"Gringo chow"

You cannot find any "gringo" chow in Kentucky either. White hots, bagels, croissants, beef on wick, Greek food, or an old fashioned diners with linoleum floors are available in Ohio. It’s a fine 100-mile drive. You can get it fried or with barbeque sauce.

Corruption

Our past governor died taking his and a significant portion of Dave Thomas's (founder of Wendy's) fortune with him.

National Treausures

Have you seen construction equipment level a mountain to put up a Wal-Mart, dig coal, or obtain natural gas?

I really enjoy reading your paper.

Tony Fernandez

It could be a lot worse than Bush

I am a service member deployed over here in the Persian Gulf. My wife is a native of Panama. I read with interest your opinion on the 2 March 2003. I am very disappointed and feel you are totally off based.

North Korea has nukes thanks to former US President(s) Clinton (who was in charge at the time) and Carter (who negotiated with Kim Jung Il). Has it ever occurred to you everywhere President Carter had a foreign policy issue US military fought and bled after he left office? We are still paying for his mistakes. My country hasn't even gotten the bill for the errors of President Clinton yet. North Korea might be the next bill due. The first might be Osama Bin Ladin.

On President Clinton's watch we could had Mr. bin Ladin in custody, but Mr. Clinton turned the offer down. President Bush's main fault as president is he is not as slick as the previous president was. No president is perfect, but I feel a lot better with Mr. Bush than the alternative choice in 2000.

Can you claim your president is more honest? My wife is Panamanian. Need I say more? You could accuse my president of being a lunatic. But we could do worse. We could have your president for a leader.

D Fehling Jr.

Colonialism and Wars on Terror

To claim a divine, or any other, right to occupy an already occupied land on the basis of an old book and religion, or on any other basis, is a height of absurdity and arrogance. To subsequently deny that one is conducting wars and defenses of colonial occupation and expansion is a height of mendacity and demonstrates a profound lack of intellectual and moral integrity, as does the constant depiction and portrayal of the victims and desperate, bloody retaliators as the instigators and perpetrators of the whole hideous, nasty and tragic mess. These are the facts that are a significant, justified and undeniable cause of much Muslim anger and hostility towards Israel, its Western allies and others, and will continue to be so until honesty and some semblance of justice prevails. Addressing such root causes would be a far more effective and felicitous way of spending the vast amounts of money, efforts and resources directed at the various wars on terror.

Of course such colonial arrogances, brutalities and mendacities are nothing new as the existence, denials, recalcitrance and ignorances of Australia and other newer nations demonstrates. Contemporarily, however, they place Israel in such company as India, China, Russia, Sudan, Iraq, Turkey, Indonesia, USA, Guatemala and others. Definitely not very honest, enlightened or developed company.

John Finch
Brunswick, Australia

Fan Mail

Though I visit Panama as often as possible (wife and daughter both Panamanian). My Spanish is in a perpetual state of "rust", so... I enjoy reading the "News" very much. Financial circumstances were a little more positive I would spend more time there, in the meantime I pass some spare time enjoying your endeavors, and think about my next visit. I sincerely wish the "News" a prosperous future. Keep up the good work.

Jerry Willis
Atlanta

To my paisanos y paisanas

Many of you are already putting aside your niap and quaties in preparation for your participation in the celebration of Panama's alleged one hundred years of independence. Before some of you get your dander up over the use of the word "alleged," permit me to remind you that Panama was never truly, even on paper, an independent nation until December 31, 1999, when the last vestiges of political ties to another country were severed, that country of course being, as you know, the United States. Prior to that, in 1821, when Panama declared its independence from Spain, she immediately joined Bolivar's "Gran Colombia," a confederation of five countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. As you also know, with the decimation of the "Gran Colombia" Panama remained tied to Colombia. She was considered, for some of you may not know, "el departamento negro" of Colombia. Of course, thanks to the machinations of Teddy Roosevelt and Bunau Varilla, Panama broke its ties with Colombia and immediately became the ward of the US --- US gunboats protected our independence, and the railroad did not run. This way Colombia could not stop the so-called "revolution."

Now, please again, no dander; please bear with me a wee bit longer. From 1903 to 1989 the US constantly and consistently interfered in the internal affairs of her "new found colony." She, from not too far behind the scenes, made and took down presidents. Her support for a given candidate was pivotal in almost all our so-called democratic elections. I say so-called because, again, as some of you may know, these elections were run and controlled by the rich aristocratic whites that ruled and continue to rule the country, whether up front or from behind the scenes. In the language of the people we know them as "rabiblancos."

Why this letter? Why this bit of history? My reason for writing is very simple. First, I write as a "chombo" a proud one --- conscious of my African and Caribbean heritage --- one who clearly comprehends the implications of being Black in the Americas, and in this case Panama --- one who has not permitted himself to be a victim of selective amnesia --- one who remembers Panama then, and is fully aware of the Panama of today.

Rumor has it that all hotels in Panama are already booked; that the country is expecting almost 20,000 people --- most coming from the USA, and most of them will look like you and me --- meaning, they will have our hue.

So, I write to share some thoughts with you hoping to jog your memories, touch your social and political conscience as you prepare to join a "gran fiesta de independencia" under the auspicies of a nation which, in my view, still has little, if any, respect for us as a people. The "us" of course, for those who may have some question, means Black people --- both antillanos and costeños.

Second, it is my hope that I can persuade you to think seriously about what this trip to Panama would mean to the future of the country if ours were a trip not solely designed to revel in meaningless flag waving but to challenge the nation to change its historic racists policies.

Let me be clear. I am aware that for many, this will be their first trip "home" in "donkey years." Many will meet and greet people with whom they have lost contact--- people who live in these United States; for these people Panama will become a reunion center. That is great. Marvelous. But after the kisses, the tears, the rum, and the money spent, all will remain the same. My view!

So, as you prepare your fancy clothes-your "glad rags;" as you check your "gold buckle" to see if it is still in style; as those who have not been back fight their senior moments attempting to recapture those "huaquitas" where they first stole a kiss, or the alleys they used to hide from the "tongo" or the places where they hid when they "paveaba" from school --- those who did, of course, not all of us so did --- I would ask you to really think about what those 100 years of alleged independence has meant to you. I would ask that you remember, if you can, what it took to get into the country's schools; ask yourself what were the real reasons for leaving. Why was it difficult for you to get a job? Why was it that Black people have never been able to occupy any meaningful position in the politics of the so-called democratic and independent country? Please remember that as I recounted the history I mentioned that Panama was the "departamento negro.”

Why was it necessary to be "negro pero fino?"

Ask yourselves, what do Black people in Panama really own and/or control? Is it because they are lazy? Uneducated? If so, why? Is it genetic? Why is it that during this so-called centenario not one Black man or woman has ever been nominated for the position of president or vice president of the country? Some of the "smart alecks" will hedge their bets and say, "you wrong, no raht!" Duque was a Black man, Illueca is Black, so too Carlos Duque. Sure, you can say that but you playing games, you know what the truth really is. Is it that no Black man or woman has ever been capable of leading the country? I would hope that few of you would take that position. Others may say, well, they could not speak Spanish --- that too is another game. Pedro N. Rhodes spoke impeccable Spanish --- a Colon "buay". So too Fernando Bradley, and Alfredo Cragwell, and of course George Westerman.

So, as they say here, "let us not go there."

What is the truth? Simple --- Panama was and is a racist country, and we left one racist country for another. The latter however, was bigger and had a larger population of Black people who understood the nature and meaning of struggle and fought to change their system. They are still fighting. In Panama we accommodated to the wishes of those who governed, gave up our heritage, our language and our sense of self. And in that reality those who governed continue to ignore and marginalize Black folks.

Now, please do not go to hills proclaiming that Carlos hates Panama. If you do, you would be wrong. I hate what it has done to our people. But I know that it must change! Racism is a system that is engrained in the country. It has to be removed like a rotten tooth. There is pain but it must be removed. Ironically, we are the patients, and we are the dentists.

Finally, some of you may say, Carlos, that was yesterday, not today. My comadre lives in Eldorado, has a big house and a maid. She lives next to fulano de tal who is a big shot “naw man, people back home doing fine.”

Again, those who so say, know not Panama. The unemployment rate in the country is almost 13 percent, if not higher! Blacks do not wield power nor influence; the few that have any relevance are all "fichas de don fulano."As you prepare to take that plane, why not read Frederick Douglas' Fourth of July speech, "What does your fourth of July mean to me?"

You may want to ask, "What does your so-called 100 years of independence mean to me?"

As you prepare to party and spend your money, ask yourself what would happen if you and many of those who went made your presence felt --- socially and politically --- demanding that changes be made or you will not return to Panama until it is done. Consider how much money Panama will lose. If it is true that 20,000 people will be in Panama and each one spends $1,000 --- which is very conservative, look at the amount of cash that will be left in the country. Ask yourself who will be the beneficiaries of your largesse. When you are there, why not remind them that the legislature passed a law that would permit you to vote in absentia --- right here in the USA, yet the law languishes in the "Tribunal Electoral.” Why? It has been said that they fear that the "chombos" in the US would vote for the PRD.

We must remember that we, those of us who live in the USA, can have an impact on the country, an impact that can force the country to deal more fairly with those who live in Rio Abajo, Colon, San Miguelito etc.

We can make a difference. Think about the money you spend. Think about what you have read on the Internet regarding the treatment of Black folks in Panama.

It is time that those of us who live here do not, because of our nostalgia, because of our sense of patriotism, deny the realities of what occurs. To say my country, right or wrong, my country is foolhardy.

When I look at how we dance the tamborito but forget the quadrille, when Latinos speak "better" English than we do; when I hear a Black person in Panama say "Lo siento, no hablo inglés" my blood boils!. El Toro Balladeres speaks fluent English and the Black girl from Rio Abajo can't.

Yes, this is a long open letter. I do not know if I will join you in Panama. I have mixed feelings. Just thought that we should look at Panama as what it really is and not what we would like it to be. To be truthful, we love Panama I think, more than Panama love we.

Carlos E. Russell
Brooklyn, NY