letters

Readers' concerns tend to
go beyond themselves

Help Santa Clara's Sheila and Dennis in their hour of need

Our friends Dennis John Parsick and Sheila Parsick of the sports bar in Santa Clara "XS Memories" were involved in a horrendous auto accident in September. Sheila has just gone home following several surgeries and more than two months of hospitalization. As expected, their hospital bills are quite high and we would like to help them. A bank account for this purpose has been set up to be used for the medical payments. We are asking everyone who wishes to make a contribution to please do so at the following bank account at the Global Bank, and any branch of the Global Bank can be used for the donation.

Many thanks to everyone for your generosity!

INFORMATION FOR DONATIONS:
Name: Dennis John Parsick
Bank: GLOBAL BANK
ACCOUNT NUMBER: # 06-102-22558-2

Former Emerald Passport president doesn't condone racism

From the desk of Jaime E. Figueroa

Dear Mr. Jackson:

In reply to your article He's a wizard under the sheets, published in the November 7, 2008 issue of The Panama News, I would like comment on the following statement:

"Down here in Panama, attorney Jaime Figueroa was the president of Emerald Passport until McQuirter's activities in Panama and his KKK past were revealed on Okke Ornstein's Bananama Republic website, Figueroa having taken over from real estate salesman Alonso de la Guardia (of Palmetto Realty). Ornstein reports that according to Figueroa, McQuirter first began working in Panama under de la Guardia."

I was the President of Emerald Passport, a purely ceremonial position, without involvement in the day-to-day operations. I was never involved in hiring decisions nor was I aware of the true identity of Mr. McQuirter, whom I was introduced to as James Alexander by members of the Emerald Passport Board, Mssrs. Sam Lajic and Christian Desharnais.

I invited Mr. Orstein to the Gamboa Resort for coffee based on a note he sent me reference a tourism article I recently published in La Prensa newspaper and his interest in discussing Panama issues with me. During our conversation I mentioned the Emerald Passport event taking place there.

I did not tell Mr. Ornstein anything related to former Emerald Passport President Alonso de la Guardia, nor that McQuirter first began working in Panama under de la Guardia, as your article mentions. This information is a result of Mr. Ornstein's follow-up research and communication with Mr. Christian Desharnais and other sources.

I introduced James Alexander to Mr. Orstein, during a break. Later, Mr. Orstein sent me an email detailing Mr. James Alexander McQuirter's true identity as the former Grand Marshall of the Canadian KKK. I was both appalled and disgusted and as a result thereof I resigned immediately from Emerald Passport.

As I mentioned to Mr. Ornstein in a communique:

Today I resigned as President of Emerald Passport, a position wich is not involved in the day-to-day operations, but is purely ceremonial.

I did not hire nor invite Mr. McQuirter to the conference there (at the Gamboa Resort) last week. As I mentioned, my position in Emerald Passport was purely ceremonial and my resignation is a result of this incident. I thank you for making me aware of the circumstances.

In my Christian Panamanian upbringing I uphold the belief that all men and women are created equal. Not only do I uphold the belief but I have friends and acquaintances in Panama and around the world of all national origin, races and religions who can attest to my beliefs.

To this statement, Mr.Ornstein replied:

Hello Jaime,

I think that is a very wise decision and I can only congratulate you.

I'll put this on my website to make sure your good name and reputation don't get tainted unnecessarily by something that was obviously not your fault.

Talk to you later,

Okke

I would appreciate your publication of our reply to ensure the facts are stated clearly and there is no doubt of my character and beliefs.

Editor's note: A correction was run on that erroneous identification of Mr. Figueroa as a source, and I know nothing that contradicts what Mr. Figueroa says about what he knew about McQuirter or what his value system is. That story about the former KKK wizard and the scheme he was promoting is a complex one, which begs questions about the nature of Emerald Passport and similar operations as well as about the nature of Mr. McQuirter. But of course, journalism mistakes don't help anyone answer those questions.

Reply to Larry Bostick's letter

I think Larry Bostick, who felt the need to be armed at every moment in Panama, was a bit paranoid.

I've lived in Panama for over 40 years, and I've been robbed once. In 1968 someone broke into my house and stole some money from my wallet as my wife and I slept.

An alarm would have probably prevented this, but a pistol would not. I travel freely around Panama City and the interior and jog in the streets every morning, all without a gun. My neighborhood pays for a policeman to patrol every night, and I have a pretty good alarm system and security (bars on windows and locks on doors). Beyond this, I don't worry about crime. There seems to be an extraordinary level of criminals killing other criminals (drug dealers and tumbadores) and juvenile gang members killing each other, but in general I feel as safe in Panama as in any other country I've lived or visited.

Likes José F. Ponce's work

José,

Very nice pictures you took for the Panama News.

Excellent!

Photo advice

Just took a peek at your Cinta Costera picture.

I think best spot for a shot would be from restaurant atop the Plaza Paitilla!

Cheers,

Calendar?

Didn't see a calendar of events in your most recent edition of Panama News. I'm looking for something fun/cultural to do on 12/17 or 12/18 - will be in town for a couple of days on my way to David.

Editor's note: I always believed that the calendar was the central feature of the old print editions of The Panama News, and I know how hard it is to put out a worthy one. I just haven't been able to keep up with the work, and quite frankly, I am not satisfied with the work that those who have thought to step in with other online calendars of events in Panama have been producing. (My main reason for dissatisfaction with what the others are offering, and for my own work when I was doing the calendar, has to do with narrow cultural outlooks. Just because I am not into fashion shows or trance music or professional westling doesn't mean that they shouldn't be in the calendar --- and likewise with the other folks and their tastes and social mileaux.) Thus I want to revive the calendar but am thinking in terms of adding a Google calendar in a way much similar to the way that the Panama UnClassifieds are a Yahoo group but also a feature of The Panama News. To make it work I need not only people to send in notices of things that are going on, but one or more volunteers to be moderators. Send me an email if you have any thoughts about this or would like to donate some time to help out.

For capitalism, hopes Obama is too

I am in agreement with much of this article about Obama at http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_14/issue_21/opiniones_12.html. But I take acceptation to the quote “Politics marked with the imperial stamp of dominion, looting, control and exploitation. This is the logic that the capitalistic system practices, they have no other.” In the study and practice of “Capitalism” --- never is it suggested to dominate, loot, or exploit other countries or markets. Capitalism can be practiced with justice and freedom without these elements Panama Profundo accuses of all who believe in Capitalism and open markets. I hope the world can understand that the USA doesn’t have the only rights to, nor a pure example of, an advanced system of Capitalism. I hope also that Obama and all the Liberals in the USA don’t throw out all the positive values of Capitalism which is the only economic system that demonstrates growth of markets without thievery and controls of global governments.

Obama's beliefs Marxist

Regarding the article "First black president still beyond belief" by Evelyn Myrie, November 6, 2008:

While many seem enamored at the ground-breaking election of the first, black US president, few seem cognizant of the inherent danger in Barack Obama’s opposition to the fundamental "right to life" of every human being.

Unknown to many, Senator Barack Obama’s core beliefs and record fundamentally disagrees with his nation’s founding principles that are enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and which states that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Obama is governed by the Marxist belief that "the end justifies the means." As a result he vigorously supports the systematic murdering of innocent children through abortion and embryonic stem cell research as if such people were a sub-class of human beings. In 2002, as an Illinois legislator, he supported infanticide by vetoing the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, which would have protected babies who were accidentally born alive during attempts to abort them. An estimated 1.5 million innocent children are murdered each year in the US through the Obama adopted policy of abortion. Without the right to life no other human right makes sense.

Obama also fully supports contraceptives and homosexuality which thwarts the natural generation of life and which is the anti-thesis of the family. Rather than favoring prayer in schools, he advocates the distribution of condoms. He will bring to the US constitution same-sex marriage and the adoption of children by gay couples.

Obama is a false prophet who preaches "change" and "hope" while pursuing a culture of death. Though the slogan "change" is usually invoked to signify something positive, in this case it hides a different agenda - one which is very dangerous for America and the world.

The American Putin

I am writing this letter two weeks before election. Although published post election, the letter is already ages past due.

Barack Obama is our president for years to come, and he is only starting his job. All that we saw of him over the years tells us that he can win elections, but we are yet to see what kind of president he makes. We know he comes across as sincere and genuine, he speaks well, he is a man with ambition, and it all just worked for him.

We also saw some of what would make him a good president. First and foremost he took time off to see the woman who raised him at a time no one else could. It speaks volumes on how he has his priorities in place. He was not afraid to show his emotions when his wife took center stage along with his daughters, and we can expect him to feel same about your kids and mine. He did not scoop low when faced with bigotry and hate and he rose above much of the small stuff.

As good as it is, there is still much more to make a good president and I will outline here some of the biggest tests he has:

1. Clean up election process to make sure that Samantha, Fatima, Edward and Julio can all sit in their classrooms today dreaming of what they can do for their country the day they take that oath you are taking on inauguration day, and without having to be Democrat, Republican or either.

2. Before we share wealth we need to make it. For that we need to take the economy off Wall and set it on recovery street. We can only do that if we make sure that entrepreneurship and creativity are rewarded while we take care of those who are less fortunate. If we are all in it together, then we must all get out of it together.

3. In the world we are the naive ones and not the other way around. The rest of the world knows a duck when they see it, and we did not, simply because for years we were the duck. So let us not talk nice and big and do either nothing or wrong. With you, we all have the opportunity to do right after doing wrong for long. Let us be strong, but in fairness, honesty and integrity.

4. Health care, if doctors insist on making over $200,000 right out of college, let us invest in med schools so they won’t graduate with loads of debt to justify the high pay. We may as well just take back some of the fortunes they are making and will never get to spend in a life time. Tell them: You want your patients’ business, make it affordable to them, to the insurance who sends them, or the government who pays for it.

5. Education, you went to Harvard when many smarter students could not. Let us make every school a Harvard, so Harvard would only become more of a Harvard. No teacher should live on corn bread and only see their kids on thanksgiving. Teachers are the ones who keep your kids and mine off the street. Let us make sure they instead send our kids to the schools where we went or better.

6. There are many rich people who deserve it and work hard for it, but there are those who make their money off of your misery and mine. For those put the “T” to the ax.

7. Rights and freedom were born with each and every one of us. Make sure we have them, but also make sure we only have ours and not others.

I agree this is not an easy job, but that is all you need to do.

We all have great stakes in your success, so does much of the world. We never wrote blank checks before, and we are not writing one this time either.

Do the right thing, you will always find us there to help. If you don’t, I promise you will find us there too.

But if you do, I can only see the election signs eight years from now. They look different except for one thing. One side only moved to the other.

Joe the Plumber

As one who grew up in the Zone, was raised to believe that the government was better when it is small, and the individual was to take on more responsibility --- (just to let you have a clue of where I come from) --- and 1 vote 1 person; honesty, integrity, and you are KNOWN by those you associate with.

I don't believe that Joe the Plumber was given a fair chance by the Lame Stream Media --- in fact, the Lame Stream Media did far more research on Joe the Plumber than they ever did on Senator B. O. --- and any time the facts were brought up of B.O.'s questionable past, the Lame Stream Media decried it as "Racist?” From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need? --- or "spread the wealth around" (not much difference in B.O. and Karl Marx).

So, I live in a state (MN) where there are 3rd and 4th generations of people who believe it is their "right" to receive welfare. I have been working since I graduated (in the Zone and moved here) and paying for these losers --- and I will never be able to retire because of the "tax and spend (your money) attitude" of the Democratic Congress --- and the attitude of this Socialist State.

Joe the Plumber asked B.O. a reasonable question and has been in a Democratic shit storm ever since. Too bad the Lame Stream Media quit reporting "just the facts." It would have been refreshing to see which way things would have gone with a informed public rather than an "in the tank", biased, pandering gossip group (Lame Stream Media). The people are too stupid to do their own research, but those of us (who did our research) are left with their less than intelligent choice.

I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Had any of the Lame Stream Media done any in depth research, BO would NOT be where he is today.

Content of the Character --- one more thing I learned in the Zone at the foot of my father a PCC pilot who had the respect of all --- a man of integrity. (Hard to find these days.)

Don't confuse him with God or the Devil

The Church Lady has spoken and the Fat Lady has sung. The election is over and the Obama as Satan routine was not believed.

Now comes the time for all Americans who wanted to get our country moving in a different direction --- including those of us living abroad --- to get to work. Those who figure that their part in bringing about change ended on Election Day are making a big mistake, because Washington inertia will keep things the same as ever unless “the constituents back home” keep up the clamor for new policies.

We elected a new President, and many new members of Congress. May God help them, because these politicians are neither gods nor devils.