Primus inter pares
Nov. 21st, 2004 10:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nocturnus33Primus inter pares, my Latin is rusty, but it should mean the first one between the equals. What is by it self a contradiction.
That was exactly what happened yesterday.
1. President Lagos made a dinner in honor to Bush. 250 people invited. At last minute Bush security team said that all of them must be checked under the metal detector, even the other presidents. I don't know in the States, but that is definitely rude for us. So president Lagos decided to cancelled the dinner instead of humiliate the guests.
2. Ten minutes later, all the presidents went to a meeting. The ritual was as it came: President Lagos and his wife received the presidents and their partners, no private security allowed. That was in hand of our people. When it came to Bush, our police wait till he enter the room and didn't allow anybody else to enter. As it was done with the other 23 leaders. Bush leave Lagos alone - rude - get back and dishonoring our local guards, allow his security man to enter.
That happens when we forget that democracy is not for all of us. That some people are more important than others, that the round table must have a throne for make clear that there is a bully in the neighborhood. What a cowboy!
Even Putting ends being more warm than Bush.
The latter manage to make, even the pro APEC Chilean, to felt really annoyed. But who care, we are just Chile.
That was exactly what happened yesterday.
1. President Lagos made a dinner in honor to Bush. 250 people invited. At last minute Bush security team said that all of them must be checked under the metal detector, even the other presidents. I don't know in the States, but that is definitely rude for us. So president Lagos decided to cancelled the dinner instead of humiliate the guests.
2. Ten minutes later, all the presidents went to a meeting. The ritual was as it came: President Lagos and his wife received the presidents and their partners, no private security allowed. That was in hand of our people. When it came to Bush, our police wait till he enter the room and didn't allow anybody else to enter. As it was done with the other 23 leaders. Bush leave Lagos alone - rude - get back and dishonoring our local guards, allow his security man to enter.
That happens when we forget that democracy is not for all of us. That some people are more important than others, that the round table must have a throne for make clear that there is a bully in the neighborhood. What a cowboy!
Even Putting ends being more warm than Bush.
The latter manage to make, even the pro APEC Chilean, to felt really annoyed. But who care, we are just Chile.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-11-22 02:50 am (UTC)What a paranoid jerk! I am embarrassed as well because his actions made my country look bad.
I'm really sorry that he was so rude to everyone, and as hard as it was for Lagos to call the whole dinner thing off. I'm glad he did rather than embarrass his other guests.
I can't understand why he would do this-- why he would refuse the hospitality of Chile at every turn. First the whole having to sleep in his airplane rather than in a nice hotel, and then snubbing Lagos by refusing to have confidence in his ability to handle all of the necessary security arrangements for one important dinner and meet and greet.
I can see how his demands for special treatment would put a damper on the rest of things for everyone else. It's hard to work and make contacts (and a good impression) with other nations if our guy is taking an 'I'm more important than the rest of you and I'm going to rub your noses in it too' stance all of the time.
~*~
Andrea, do you want to know what else really bugs me and has prevented me for the most part from replying to your posts with my honest feelings?
Are you ready? Get this... The Secret Service has been cracking down on random people who make anti-Bush statements in their Live Journals and Blogs. It's the truth. I've read of at least three people that this has happened to in recent months. One lady speaks about her experience openly in her Journal.
As a result I'm scared to speak my mind about anything political. That is what Bush has done for our country. It scares me Andrea. I don't want to wake up one night and have them here at the house just because I made a comment in someone's Live Journal. That's why most of my responses to anything you've said about the U.S. are somewhat subdued. If I really said everything I was thinking and feeling and how I really reacted to your post today, I'd probably be afraid right now of getting a night time visit.
Am I being too paranoid?
Ok, I've had some time to calm down and actually see the photos...
Date: 2004-11-22 07:58 am (UTC)However I do stand by the rest of what I said in my post. I'm just changing the 'paranoid jerk' to 'hot-headed cowboy'. Kay?
Re: Ok, I've had some time to calm down and actually see the photos...
Date: 2004-11-22 11:34 am (UTC)Don't worry about it. I understand about your worries, political persecution was a common practice in my country too.
There are things that we value a lot about your country. I felt that in Chile people make a clear diference between the citizens and their master. In general, chilean attitude toward USA citizen is warm.
Free of speech is a tricky thing, isn't it? I totally disagree with violence acts and terrorism; but that don't mean that I'm pro Bush. The rules of your own state are clear about it, you have the right to disagree, as long as you kept in a Human Right frame.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-22 08:28 am (UTC)When he came to London, he wanted to close the whole of the centre of the city off so that his motorcade would be protected. We told him to get stuffed, and gave him rolling safety zone instead. But can you imagine, closing down a city like London for an afternoon for that?
no subject
Date: 2004-11-22 11:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-22 03:51 pm (UTC)It's so very frustrating, to have a leader like this.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-22 04:31 pm (UTC)Lagos prize all the leaders with a chilean chamanto, that is handcraft by countrywomen, each woman made only one. A TV program shows them while they look the leaders receiving their work. They were saying look the Sultan have mine, the chinese recive the one I did, etc. There was and old lady pouting, hers ends in Bush hands ;)
no subject
Date: 2004-11-22 05:04 pm (UTC)I'm glad to hear that the Chileans can separate that jerk/leader of ours from the rest of us. Well, some of the rest of us :).
no subject
Date: 2004-11-22 08:50 pm (UTC)