Bhutto's Assasination in Pakistan

Benazir Bhutto's assassination was very unfortunate, but sadly it was no surprise. When Bhutto returned to her home country of Pakistan in October a bomb was set off and more than 100 people died. Bhutto was told to leave, but because of her courage and love for her country, she decided to stay. Her death and the death of more than 20 attendees is tragic, because she was a woman who loved Pakistan deeply and wanted to guarantee democracy for her people. Her return to Pakistan was selfless and courageous. There really is no reason she had to leave the comfort of her home in England except for the simple fact she loved her country.
I applaud Bhutto's courage and I hope her family and supporters can overcome this ordeal.

The top stories of Christmas 2007

I wish you a very Merry Christmas, I hope you had a highly Happy Hanukkah, that you're having a Joyous Kwanzaa or what ever other tradition you celebrate--just enjoy the holidays with your loved ones!

I had a wonderful holiday with my family and was able to relax and reflect on the importance of family and human life. Our lives are gifts and as such can be fleeting. We must treasure every single moment because we never know when we pass on. This is what a San Francisco couple is going through right now is going threw after a tiger mauled and killed their son at the zoo. The news story is so surreal and at first unbelievable, but it's true. It's tragic and it really begs the question: are we safe at our local zoos?

It's too early to jump to any conclusions, but it's possible that tigers have the ability to jump higher than we previously thought. If this is not the case then someone had to release the tiger unto the group of unknowing visitors. This tiger, Tatiana, had attacked before when it caused lacerations on an employee's arm. The feline was not put down because the zoo deemed it was at fault. This may be, but it's no comfort to the family of the dead 17-year-old boy and the families of the two injured young men.


In other news, Huckabee has really risen in polls in Iowa and New Hampshire becoming the shining underdog. He has become the alternative to many conservative, evangelical Republicans--especially in Iowa-- who weren't convinced with Romney, Rudy and the other Republican candidates. His meteoric rise is nothing short of miraculous and in a week or so we'll know how he fares in the primaries.


Huckabee had a very Christian Christmas commercial last week and some observers criticized him, but it may be just what the doctor ordered among evangelical Republicans. Oh, and the idea of Christ in Christmas??? shocking! NOT! Today, Huckabee was hunting pheasants in Iowa showing that he's in tune with many people in Iowa after Romey said he was an avid hunter when in reality he's only hunted a couple of times.

It will be interesting to see how Romney, Rudy and "underdog" Huckabee duke it out at the polls in January!

And the Democrats... experience or change? It's kind of a hard balancing act, especially for Hillary. She says she is THE insider and has all the experience to lead the nation, but when Obama says he brings change, she says she can bring it too! It's becoming somewhat tough to play that card, especially when Obama says being First Lady is not enough experience. Hillary says because she is the insider with the experience she has the power to actually create change. Things are getting ugly and the punches are coming. John Edwards--I haven't really heard anything about him and all the other candidates seem to be disappearing.

It's a fascinating time in politics and January will be an important time. I have a feeling, though, that this year all the primaries in February will be more critical than the January primaries in the long run. I just don't get why two states have so much influene in selecting the person for the highest office in the land when they aren't even an accurate representation of the nation at large. I think it's a tradition and tourism/revenue thing going on there.

My Adventures in the southernmost of Nations: ARGENTINA

Che! I just LOVE Argentina! It's a beautiful country with so many varied landscapes, welcoming people, bustling cities, dulce de leche, tango, & parillada! What's not to love!
Well, there are several things but I won't focus on that for now. Getting there is kind of difficult in the sense that you don't accidently have a layover in Argentina, like Argentine TV Host Susana Giménez likes to point out. To go to Argentina--the Latin Down Under-- you have to want to! I traveled about 14 hours from the U.S. to Buenos Aires.

Arriving there is an interesting experience. The international airport, Ezeiza, is in need of repair. To make matters worse, there are problems with the airport radars in Argentina so basically the way flights land and take-off is with the old-fashioned look-at-your-watch routine. Air traffic controllers just time sufficient time between flights to make sure there will be no airliner accidents. So yeah, that's a little unnerving but the city is extremely exciting.

The international airport is to the south of the city. The Autonomous City of Buenos Aires is divided into many different barrios. To the east alongside the Río de la Plata are the downtown neighborhoods of Microcentro, Monserrat, Retiro, La Boca, and Puerto Madero. Towards the northwest of the city are the upper-class neighborhoods of Recoleta, Palermo, and Belgrano. Past Belgrano are many beautiful suburbs such as Olivos and San Isidro.
Buenos Aires has been known as the Paris of South America and in some ways it´s quite deserving of the title. The city definitely has grandiose buildings, heritage of its past as the 8th super power. Times have definitely changed and unemployment and poverty are on the rise but the buildings are still there--and that attracts tourists.

The traditional heart of the city is downtown´s Plaza de Mayo. This is where the mothers of disappeared men and women from the time of the military dictatorship rallied and still do. The plaza is home of the Casa Rosada, the Pink House, where the President´s offices are located. One of it´s balconies is where Eva Perón would deliver her speeches and where Madonna sang ¨Don´t cry for me Argentina.¨


Avenida 9 de Julio is deemed the widest avenue in the world and is home of the Washingtonian Obelisco. Running perpendicular is Avenida Corrientes; Buenos Aires´Broadway. This is the home to all major theaters. Buenos Aires has, perhaps, Latin America´s most active theater scene. Plays, Broadway musicals, and major national and international stars perform every night there. Currently, there are Argentine versions of Cabaret, Sweet Charity and Victor Victoria in the city.

Beyond is the Microcentro where all the businessmen are busy in tall skyscrapers. La Boca is a neighborhood very popular with tourists but quite poor in reality. There´s a street loop very famous with tourists because of it´s colorful houses. The houses were painted all the colors of the rainbow from leftover boat paint almost one hundred years ago. These homes look picturesque on the outside but are actually tenement homes for the poorest of Argentines.

Puerto Madero is an ultra-modern, trendy district of Buenos Aires that resembles more Miami Beach than the rest of the city. There are several hip clubs there, restaurants, hotels, and a beautiful modern bridge named El Puente de la Mujer, the Woman´s Bridge.

Retiro is home to the main train station so it´s place where many tourists end up going one time or another. It´s definitely a place where people have to be careful with pickpockets. I mean, nothing happened to me, but even Bush´s daughters were stolen from in Buenos Aires--even with the Secret Service. So just be careful like you would be in any major city.

Recoleta is a stunning district with beautiful high-rise apartment buildings, restaurants, museums, and shopping centers. This is also the home to the famous Recoleta Cemetery. Usually people don´t schlep to another country to see a cemetery but this is a must-see if you´re down there. The tombstones and mausoleums are a sight to behold. This is also where Eva Perón was buried.

Palermo is the largest of all the neighborhoods and also one of the trendiest. Palermo is divided into three different districts; Palermo Viejo, Palermo Hollywood, and Palermo Soho. The first one is the oldest of the districts and the most picturesque and the latter two are more trendier with excellent restaurants, smart boutiques, and fun night spots. The area is also home to the gorgeous Palermo Park.

Belgrano is the last of the northern Porteño barrios and the most calm. It´s main thoroughfare is Avenida Cabildo, filled with stores, restaurants, theaters, and much more. Beyond this barrio are many different suburbs that are beautiful and of interest. These are places that people who are going to spend several weeks in the city should visit.

The city has a very extensive public transportation system. There are several subway lines throughout the city and most of the northern portion of the city is linked with the D Line. There are also hundreds of buses throughout the city, named colectivos that can take you anywhere. It´s a smart idea to buy a Guía T as soon as you get there at any kiosk. Taxis are also readily available. It is best not to hail a cab at night. If you do hail a cab at any time make sure it says Radio Taxi. Remise service is also available by calling a host of different numbers. This service can be more expensive for short cab rides but is better for longer rides because the price is fixed from the time you call.

Buenos Aires definitely has a mall culture. There are many malls throughout the city that are very famous with locals and tourists alike. Some of the more famous ones are Galerías Pacifico, Patio Bullrich, Alto Palermo and Abasto.

The city is aesthetically very European but has all the Latin American charm. The city is suffering from many problems the developing world faces such as unemployment, poverty, insecurity, and theft. The situation is slowly getting better and Argentina is using the increase in tourism to their advantage. As long as people have common sense they should be fine--there are no guarantees--but you all should be fine.

The country is also very affordable. Currently $1 USD is equivalent to $3 ARS (Argentine Pesos.) All your dollars are worth triple that and euros and pounds stretch even farther. Everything is cheaper from restaurants, shopping, plays, movies, and taxi rides.

I had a great time there mingling with the locals, enjoying a great cultural scene and eating delicious food. Argentina is the country with most cows and the meat is to die for... not to worry if you´re vegetarian though-- there are many alternatives.

Remember, that in the southern hemisphere the seasons run opposite. In the North American-European summer, Argentina is in the pains of winter.

Anytime you go down there is fabulous time though and you´ll be glad you did. You´ll discover a unique side to Latin America that´ll be sure to call you again and again.

Darfur needs our help

People are suffering in alarming numbers in Darfur and we can all do our part to help solve the issue. Some people argue whether it is a genocide or not. Regardless, people are suffering and it's so blatantly obvious that we should all do something. People always like to talk about how the Holocaust could have taken place or how slavery went on for so long. It's because people don't take a stance and let things happen. People don't think things are happening, don't want to think about it, are apathetic, are too busy with their own lives, or feel there's nothing they can do about an issue. Perhaps, we can't all change the world but we can change a part of the world, make a difference in someone's life, or make things etter little by little. If we all positively contributed to the world little by little, what a world it would be!

As a college student let me tell you:

Darfur Benefit Concert are being held on college campuses throughout the country. Usually all proceeds from the event are donated to UNICEF's Darfur Fund. A modern-day genocide is going on in Darfur and students can make a contribution, albeit a small one by attending small events like these.
It can become important for students as constituents to let their politicians know about the issues they care about. If people show more support to the crisis in Darfur with events like these, letters to Congress, or otherwise, the U.S. government could provide more aid and put more pressure on the Sudanese government.
STAND, formerly known as Students Taking Action Now: Darfur, helps Darfur refugees who are solely dependent on international aid. The organization also advocates spreading the word of the genocides in Darfur and try to stop it through political action. The organization is the student division of the Genocide Intervention Network. There are more than 600 high school and college chapters nationwide and in several foreign countries. STAND chapters will come together and hold its annual student conference in Washington D.C. at the end of the month.
If your high school or college does not have a chapter visit the STAND website and contact the organization to create your own chapter--become involved in causes YOU believe in. The power lies in you, sounds cheesy, I know.--but it's true.
Someone told me recently that some refugees from that region feel that people around the world don't care because they are unimportant, because they are not a famous part of the world. Let's show these people that we care.
Darfur is a western region of Sudan, an eastern African country, about the size of France. The crisis has been going on for years but the situation became particulary tense in 2003 according to Save Darfur. The situation is extremely complex but essentially the alleged genocide is caused by an internal conflict between an Arab militia and the Sudanese military. The government allegedly gave the militia money and supplies. More than 450,000 Sudanese have died because of the genocide, according to the UN. More than 2.5 million are now displaced and their only subsistence is humanitarian aid. Some groups have not described the killings in Darfur as a genocide because of a lack of certain factors, such as intent. Nonetheless, many governments and groups have labeled it a genocide, thousands have died, and millions are displaced who need the world's aid.
If you have a desire to help go find out if there will be a Darfur event in an area near you, visit Save Darfur or the STAND website, make a small donation, write your congresional representatives, and if you don't have a STAND chapter, organize one!

The Emmys

The 59th Primetime Emmys aired tonight on FOX a week after taping and a week after Kathy Griffin made her ¨Jesus¨ remarks.

Prior to the airing of the ceremony there was time on the red carpet with the hosts of Entertainment Tonight. Most women saluted the golden age of Hollywood in their choice of dresses for the evening´s ceremony. Many dresses were shorter and more cocktail-like. Anyway, enough with the fashion-talk for now.

The awards ceremony began with two Family Guy singers singing a fun number and they were quite comical, especially when they referenced the Sopranos.

Ryan Seacrest then suddenly appeared from out of the ground and began to talk in his self-deprecating brand of humor, while at the same time showing the audience his fashion expertise and his multi-tasking abilities. Seacrest bantered with Eva and Hayden--both who looked stunning might I add--and some other celebs. Seacrest also noted FOX was now hosting the Emmys and that he was not as funny as previous hosts--but that was a good thing.

Ray Romano then came out and the Emmys began to have some real jokes. The routine was mostly about his life after television. Somehow, it's easier to be married when you're on television and now his wife, allegedly, doesn´t stand him.

Jeremy Piven won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for the second time.

Vanessa Williams and America Ferrera presented the first win for Terry O'Quinn. Vanessa Williams looked as gorgeous as ever and Ferrera looked considerably thinner and elated to be on the show.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tina Fey were the second female duo to present and both were genuinely funny. Jaime Pressly won her first Emmy and delivered an emotional speech.

Kyle and Katherine Heigl presented supporting actor in a miniseries and Thomas Haden Church won that award. Church delivered the second emotional speech of the night. It was a night of much emotion.

Ellen DeGeneres presented after the commcercial break and was wearing an interesting purplish-black outfit and was funny as usual but we did not see enough of her. More Ellen next time! She showed a hilarious montage of one-liners with all the late night hosts making fun of Bush.

Things turned emotional again as the ceremony made a tribute of the legendary Tom Snyder who died this year.

Entourage cast and Eva Longoria presented the nominees for supporting actress in a Drama.
Katherine Heigl one her first Emmy and delivered a heart-felt speech about her 17 years working for that moment. She looked divine in her dress thanking her mother, family, cast members and others. Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson, also of Grey´s Anatomy fame were among the nominated.

John Pryor and Jennifer Love Hewitt presented the next award. Pryor was quite hilarious and pointed out that two CBS people were on the FOX network and that such mixing of networks could be a model for peace in the Middle East or the View. (Remember Rosie? Note: I´m not a Rosie hater but I do admit it was a controversial year.)
The Late Night with Conan O´Brien team won and thanked OJ for being able to tape a show tomorrow. We all know Conan will have lots to talk about.



After another commercial break, Tony Bennett Christina Aguilera sang a big band number great vocals that preceded a string of Tony Bennett Special wins.


Alec Baldwin then presented an award for directing on a variety or musical program. The director of the Tony Bennett took the Emmy.

Lead actor Robert Duvall then won his first Emmy for his miniseries. Duvall acknowledged the value of Americana in the western genre.

Queen Latifah presented an emotional and thoughtful tribute to the Roots miniseries of 1977. Latifah called the television special another "revolution" after the bicentennial and that Roots helped establishe the miniseries as a genre.

The Roots cast then presented the award for Best Miniseries, Broken Trail with Robert Duvall.

The show for me then took a turn to boredom and I just never fully recovered. The show seemed somewhat original at first, not as great as other years, but tolerable. After a while though, it was just too much.

Many different awards were presented including one by Heroes´ Hayden Panatierre.



The Jon Stewart show won an award later and Steve Correl from 40-year-old virgin was quite funny.

Tony Bennett then won an Emmy!

An interesting turn was when the President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences began to talk about the tradition of charity in service in television since its inception. He mentioned celebrities have been generous on television for decades.

Glenn Close, Kyra Sedgwick and another woman I do not know by name presented Outstanding made-for-TV movie. They all looked great and mentioned how great it was television was offering more intelligent and dramatic roles for women.

Things all of a sudden went retro--without warning. There was a tribute to Frankie Vallie and the Four Seaons with ¨Walk like a Man¨ and ¨Can´t take my eyes off of you.¨ The songs were well sung and sounded like they belonged in a different era.

After that, I totally zoned out. I feel the Emmy´s were somewhat dragged out and the host was hardly even there. Then again Seacrest is really good at hosting Idol but he´s not really the funniest guy ever. I can think of so many other guys who would have been hundreds of times funnier, but I mean... he wasn´t awful.

I guess that´s all... I got my awards show fill for now!

Let's post religiously now!

So are weany of you surprised OJ is back in the headlines--arrested--at the same time the Goldmans are releasing his new book? I'm not and I don't think you're all either. This is from the same man who paralyzed a nation thirteen years ago. This is a man who craves attention and that perhaps is wanting to get caught. A man who perhaps cannot live with the guilt of his previous transgressions who now may spend years in jail for a robbery. It's definitely an interesting turn of events. I mean--going in to rob a hotel in Las Vegas for sports memorabilia--armed. Could he not make a phone call? I guess it's in the OJ tradition.

In any event, that "if-I-did-it" book is already out even when the special was cancelled last year and no one was going to publish the book. The Goldmans definitely have an interesting way of thinking to say the least. Denise Brown is still vehemently against the book but there's nothign she can do at this point. So some morbid people will read the book and the evil thoughts of a messed-up man will be made public, but at least OJ will not get a cent off that book. Hopefully, the Goldmans use all the funds for their foundations and don't end up pocketing some of the revenue for themselves.



Apparently, according to a new study the heavier you are the more it costs for airline companies to make you airborne. Big shocker there! Do we really need these kind of studies. They're just insulting and don't give anything intelligent to comment on.

In a related story, my heart goes out to the families of the dead of the Thai airliner crash today that left 87 people dead. As a somewhat nervous and frequent flyer, news like this always shakes me up a little bit. I can only hope their deaths were quick and that their families and loved ones may find peace and comfort in a sudden and unexpected death.



Tonight are the Primetime Emmys and you can take it to the bank that I'll be watching and blogging. Oh, and it'll be interesting how they cut-up Kathy Griffin's acceptance speech.

Viva Las Vegas!

Blackjack, poker, roulet wheel are probably the first things that come to mind when people think of Sin City. This may have been true fifty, maybe even twenty years ago, but today's Las Vegas is so much more.
Sure, these things are still part of Vegas but today's Vegas is also a place with excellent shows, restaurants, and shopping.

If you haven't been to Vegas lately, allow me to quote Kathy Griffin and "get yourself a plane ticket and see the biggest freakshow ever." Well, it's not a freak show but it's actually one of the most spectacular shows you will ever see in Vegas or elsewhere. I had the opportunity to see Celine Dion's show "A New Day" or should I say Céline and let me just tell you it was fantastic. Dion's voice is incredibly powerful in person and the raw emotion she transmits is compeltely palpable. Dion really connects with the audience as she's surrounded by 70 incredible dancers. The giant IMAX screen behind her creates visions of backgrounds that seem so real.

Besides that, there all these awesome flying objects and people that make absolute no sense but add to the visual appeal of the show. There are flying pianos, angels, swinging people, dancers riding bycicles up in the sky a la Wizard of Oz. It's a must see and the show will run until Dec. 15.

Besides, that show there are so many others that are must-see; ranging from the family-friendly to the burlesque. Las Vegas has some of the highest concentration of excellent restaurants. Places to dine from the five-star to the bargain basement. Lastly, you can shop 'til you drop--sorry for the cliché. From high-end designers in the hotels in the Strip to high-end designers and cheaper brands at the outlets, Las Vegas is a shopping mecca.

The big downer is the scorching oven-type heat. It's a dry heat but at that point it's too much. At 105 no one cares that it's a dry heat. Anyway, Las Vegas is definitely a happening place and absolutely never boring.

Post-Imus: Responsibility, Free Speech, and Bigotry

Times are definitely changing and it's a sad reflection on society where some people can feel comfortable using such derogatory and hurtful vocabulary as Don Imus did on his radio show. The thing is though, that this isn't the first time this happened and sadly it most certainly will not be the last time someone expresses such hateful viewpoints on the airwaves.

Why has this story received so much attention? Why does it continue to stay in the news after weeks since it happened?


I think in many ways it makes reference to a schism we are seeing in American society today. Unforunately, many times instead of being united we are becoming more divided. Imus was speaking, cajoling, with others in a "locker room-type" of situation. Imus felt very comfortable, perhaps, even abot the law in expressing those views.


We should demand for equality and for an end to bigoted comments on the airwaves, but in a certain way Imus said what many people think and don't say. It's unfortunate, but it's the truth. And it's not exclusive to older, white men... let's be fair, here... it happens between and among everybody... no matter the race, religion, or socioeconomic background.


Free Speech is perhaps the most important right we have because it allows us to speak up for all our rights but to what extent can we defend someone's right to defame and belittle some young women who achieved such greatness at the Rutgers' Women's basketball team?

Imus may have been hired for shock value but even he should have realized he crossed the line and it was wrong. The belittlement of those women was wrong. The punishment should be in proportion with the behavior. There is no need to go overboard and use him as the poster child of what´s wrong in the US media but he does not to leran that´s absolutely not acceptable.

Sharpton comments on Romney's Mormon factor

Last week at a debate between Reverend Al Sharpton and author Christopher Hitchens, Sharpton raised some eyebrows with comments about Mitt Romney. These comments seemed bigoted towards Mormons and at the same time, made Sharpton look hypocritical.

"As for the one Mormon running for office, those who really believe in God will defeat him anyways, so don't worry about that; that's a temporary situation," said Sharpton.
The Reverend apologized and has said his comments were not directed towards Mormonism or the LDS Church but instead specifically to Mitt Romney. The Civil Rights Reverend also stated that Hitchens was the only one who was making bigoted comments against Mormonism and its members.

I do not have the power to decide what was the intent behind Rev. Sharpton's remarks and so have to take his apologies at face value. What I can question is whether or not there is a double standard in this country, and it is clear to me that there is. Somehow there is no problem making obviously prejudiced statements towards an American-born religion, to call it that, but there is a problem making similar statements against other groups, religious or ethnic.

Now I'm not condoning any type of bigoted or prejudiced comments. I find them not only hateful but also antiquated, ignorant, and not what we need in 21st-century American society.

With that said, I applaud Rev. Al Sharpton's motions for the firing of Don Imus after his unbelievably hurtful and bigoted remarks. I also applaud him for marching with Glenn Beck and hundreds of others demanding the record companies to become accountable and cease the continued use of heavily bigoted and divisive words, violence, the proliferation of drugs, and the misogyny of women.

In order not to downplay these important motions on the part of Rev. Al Sharpton it is imperative that he choose his words carefully because this is not the first time he has made comments like these.

And just to set the record straight, Mormons are believers of God, believers of the Jesus Christ, and in my opinion obviously Christian, despite some differences in theology. These differences in theology are in reality not all that different from other differences between Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, and other Christian denominations' views. There are differences in the different churches of Christianity, but they are united by the Lord Jesus Christ.

So my two cents: Al Sharpton needs to watch his words and actions in the future; otherwise he will simply be cast off as a hypocrite and even a bigot.

Paris to live the "Simple Life" in the "slammer"

Paris Hilton is off to jail for forty-five days starting in June. The news has taken headlines on all major news channels, magazines, and newspapers. Scorn and disdain for the multi-million dollar heiress famous for being famous has been at an all-time high and with good reason. But what will result from all of this?

Paris has been seen crying even stating before a judge that she does not read her mail and has people do those kind of things for her, and so she had absolutely no idea about the provisions on her probation. Was that the worst thing she could have said or what!?! Most people really just don't tend to feel sorry for multi-million dollar heiresses who even amass more fortune simply by being famous for being famous.

As expected Paris appealed the court decision in hopes of reducing the aforementioned forty-five days to a lesser amount of days or to something less severe such as community service perhaps. At best ,she will receive some protection from certain inmates who have already produced vague threats.
In my humble opinion, Paris needs to go to jail and serve the forty-five days as determined by the court decision. It is no one's fault but Paris' if she doesn't make sure her personal assistant is informing her on everything- especially legal issues. This girl is obviously not an idiot as she tries to portray herself in the media.

She has created a personal fortune and is not just an heiress anymore. Just last year alone she made a reported $8,000,000. She may be famous for essentially nothing but scandal, but she has some intelligence and should take those forty-five days to reflect on her life. It is my belief that Paris will come back stronger and better than ever, à la Stewart, and maybe even somewhat more mature.

Some people are worrying for her safety. I say, if she needs protection, give it to her! She is a well-known person and could potentially be harmed, perhaps even severely. The judge and the courts have the right to sentence but do not have the right to put someone's life in jeopardy.

For forty-five days Paris will be able to meditate, really meditate unlike what happens in some celebrity rehab facilities, and will hopefully learn from her doings and learn that no one is above and beyond the law. To echo Jane Fonda's sentiments, if Paris were "poor and black" she would have received this sentence or something far worse much earlier.

So Paris... take responsibility, meditate, and come back stronger than ever.

-EDGZUN

Photo from www.hfxnews.ca

Reflections on an important French election

So why should we on the other side of the pond care about elections en France anyway? Well, it was a question that I periodically asked myself as I was completely taken by the éléctions. I knew that it was important for me because I've always been a francophile and have been enamored by everything français. But what about the rest of us?

Before we delve into these issues let's set the stage.

There were four main candidates:

Nicolas Sarkozy, a pro-American conservative
Ségolène Royal, a socialist, heavy on ideals and vague on how to implement said ideals
François Bayrou, a centrist who called for the unity of all French people
Jean-Marie Le Pen, a dangerous, perhaps even racist, über-Right conservative

Back in November 2005 massive riots broke out throughout the République Française making the French question their national identity, their economy, and their ever-growing rate of unemployment. Sarkozy, then Minister of the Interior, proved to lay down the law and even called those under-privileged, sons of immigrants in French ghettos, racaille, or scum. This created much internal discord and branded Sarkozy as divisive.

Flash forward to April 2007 and at the first-round elections voter participation was at an all-time high. The French became excited or at least actively involved in their government. People didn't want to see what happened five years ago, when over low participation and high participation from the Front National put Jean-Marie Le Pen through to the second rounds.

The majority of the French were relieved Le Pen did not reach the final rounds for a second time but many were disappointed with the loss of the centrist candidate, François Bayrou. What became clear, however, was that most French want real changes in their government.

As expressed by Sarkozy, the French chose two very different paths to become a France that truly provides opportunity to its constituents, and a France that raises its fallen importance in the European Union and the world. Despite differences in ideology between Royal and Sarkozy, both are relatively young politicians, in their early fifties, both grew up after World War II, and both are of a different era. Decades ago an unwed woman with children in an open relationship would have been deemed to be "living in sin," and a divorced man son of an immigrant would have also had slim chances to be on the path to the Elysée.

After the results for the May 2 election were in, Sarkozy came out victorious with 53.06% of the vote and is now set to arrive at the Elysée on May 16th. The result has not been a peaceful one and there have been several disturbances throughout the République. Many disenfranchised groups have expressed their disagreement with the results of the election.

From a personal point of view I cannot say that I was ecstatic for the results but Sarkozy may just be "what the doctor ordered." Sarkozy won because he was capable of uniting all conservatives in France from the center-right to the far-right. Sarkozy also had clear proposals and proactive ways to combat all of France's woes. Ségolène Royal, despite the fact that she perhaps seemed more compassionate, she also seemed to lack any depth of knowledge of the real issues. She had great ideas did not discuss extensively how she would implement that. To make matters worse, she also made several gaffes in the international scene and the French questioned her ability to represent the interests of the nation abroad.

Now how does all of this affect the United States? Great question. Sarkozy has decidedly been pro-American and has stated his interest of fostering a close relationship between both countries and will at least be on better speaking terms than Chirac has been with Bush. Once Bush is out of power the relationships between the United States and France may grow even closer. But where these elections really matter is how they present a gallicized reflection of the political climate in this country as of late.

In terms of the candidates this is quite reminiscent of John Kerry and Bush back in 2004. Many Americans became disappointed and some downright upset with Bush after his handling of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. John Kerry became the answer for millions of Americans and for others simply the "lesser of two evils." In the end, something quite similar happened with the American voters. Despite the fact many Americans were against the war, and millions wanted to pull out effective immediately, many others felt Kerry would not be able to lead the war. Furthermore, many deemed it dangerous to change commander-in-chief in the middle of a war.

In France, most voters felt they knew what to expect with Sarkozy and that he would be able to lead France to a better future. Even many Bayrou supporters felt Sarkozy was "the lesser of two evils." Sarkozy, in this case, would be able to lead France with a strong hand, clear plans, and the voters knew what to expect of him.

A similar scenario could happen in this country if we do not select the best Democratic and Republican candidates for the 2008 elections. We need to question these candidates, learn, observe, and hopefully in the primaries the best candidates will win. With two strong candidates there will be room for a true dialogue among the American people, so that we can decide where we want to go. Many of the questions that France faced are questions we face; Unemployment, Healthcare, Higher Education, the shrinking of the Middle Class, the role of immigration in this country, and our national identity as Americans regardless of our ethnicities or religions.

Let's learn from this French election, hope for improved relationships with our friend since the the times of the Revolutionary Wars, and let us hold our leaders and presidential candidates accountable, so we can select the best candidates, have a real open dialogue, and move forward in this great nation.

-EDGZUN



Here are some additional thoughts directly after the elections for all you francophones out there...

"alors sarkozy a gagné comme j'ai pensé et beaucoup d'autres d'ailleurs.
je ne peux pas dire que je suis content avec le résultat mais j'espère qu'il maintiendra sa promesse de travailler pour tous les français. j'espère qu'on verra beaucoup de choses positives dans les cinq ans prochains.
j'ai regardé la transmission en direct en BFMTV et je pense que sarkozy a gagné en partie parce qu'il a pu ramasser les votes de la droite entière... extrême et centre.
il a pu bien exprimer ses idées et propositions de manières claires.
malheuresement je pense que sègolène royal n'a pas pu exprimer bien ses idées et elle est perdue dans beaucoup de généralités.
c'est dommage parce que ségolène avait beaucoup d'idées très positives dans le cadre social mais j'espère qu'avec sarkozy on verra des changements positifs dans l'économie.
en tout cas, on a vécu des élections sans précédant. on a vu des candidates d'une "nouvelle école," d'une nouvelle géneration, d'un dynamisme neuf et ça est positif!"

photos from en.wikipedia.org