I know, I know: The Summer Olympics were then, the Democratic Convention is now. But I find it hard to let go of the Olympics, and not just because of my flickering fantasy of yet becoming a gymnast. Not only because I don’t expect soon to forget the neo-fascist opening ceremony, so utterly and eerily choreographed that had Mussolini himself appeared in a cloud of smoke — or Dick Cheney or Hitler’ architect, Albert Speer — I’d not have been all that surprised.
No, it’s the innocent nationalism that got to me. Altogether, 203 countries participated in the games, most of them nation states. (Some participants — Hong Kong, Palestine, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and several others — are not sovereign states.) There are those you’ve likely never heard of — Comeros, Tuvalu, Nauru (smallest of all, just 8.2 square miles and fewer than 14,000 people) — and several whose presence comes as a bit of a surprise, given their domestic disconcert: Iraq, Sudan, Somalia and Afghanistan.
For obvious reasons, most of the broadcasters’ and viewers’ attention was directed to the major players: China, the United States, Russia and the other 14 nations that won 15 or more gold medals. But there were 291 gold medals in all, and 55 countries earned at least one. There were 68 silver medal winners, and another 65 bronze winners.
All in all, 87 countries won at least one medal, 43% of the participants. Talk about globalization!
I wish there’d been more reporting from the Olympic Village. It would be interesting to know something of the interaction among the national cohorts. We tend to forget that many of the athletes know each other, having competed against one another at international meets over the years.
Is there mutual respect? Is there camaraderie? To my eye, the celebrations of victory appeared appropriately patriotic, never boisterous or vainglorious. How can such a competition become a lesson, a model?
Seven years ago, I wrote of a related experience: “Among Guiseppe Verdi’s least well-known and least-often performed compositions is an exuberant paean to nationalism entitled ‘Hymn of Nations,’ composed for the London Exhibition of 1862. The piece included the anthems of Italy, France and England. Even Arturo Toscanini, himself the son of one of Garibaldi’s soldiers, who conducted his first Verdi (‘Aida’) in 1886, did not get around to conducting the ‘Hymn of Nations’ until 1915, during the First World War.
“His next performance was for a studio recording in 1943, as the Second World War was raging, followed the next year by a concert in Madison Square Garden. For these performances, Toscanini added three new elements to Verdi’s music: He worked both the Star Spangled Banner and the Soviet Union’s Internationale into the score — and to the key line in the Italian anthem, the anthem of the nation then led by the fascist Mussolini, the nation Toscanini had refused to visit from the time Mussolini came to power, he added one word: In the original, the words are simply, ‘O Italia, o patria mia’ — ‘O Italy, o my fatherland.’ To these, the maestro added ‘tradita,’ making it ‘my betrayed fatherland.’
“I encountered this piece of music quite by accident a few years ago. It is included as a kind of afterthought on an RCA Victor CD (60299) featuring the Verdi Requiem, the reason I’d bought the disc. I sat at home that night, listening to the anthems, sung by the Westminster Choir and Jan Peerce as the tenor soloist, and I found myself weeping.
“My tears, I think, were for our lost innocence, for a time of naïve patriotism born in the war and sustained for some years after its conclusion. How very far away that time now seems, in this age of super-sophisticated deconstruction, this time of winks and smirks, this time of suspicions too-often borne out, this time when to be other than cynical is to be dismissed, or at best indulged, as reactionary, unenlightened.”
That was, as I’ve written, seven years ago — in July 2001. So it was before September 11, before the Iraq war, before Abu Ghraib, before Guantanamo, before rendition, before waterboarding, before the extent of this administration’s arrogant lawlessness had become so painfully evident.
Tradita, our homeland.
You can hear the hymn in a couple of curious ways on YouTube. One version comes in two parts, with the anthems in the second — save for the Soviet anthem, which was excised in the early 1950s during the “Red Scare.” The same recording is also available intermixed with film footage of the liberation at war’s end. But so far as I know, the only full version — which is to say, the only accurate version of what Toscanini did with the Verdi in 1943 — is the one on disc. (Think of the “Requiem” as the bonus.)
Cynicism? We are, or ought to be, well beyond cynicism. Cynicism is a coward’s repair, a habit of contempt that leads to the casual dismissal of that which is good, noble, worthy. In the name of cleverness and sophistication, it scorches the good earth.
That is why the innocence of the Olympics so appeals to me, and the innocence of the anthems recorded during the “good war.” (And yes, I know that Dresden and Hiroshima were also part of that “good war.”) Plainly, we cannot (nor ought we) pretend that all that’s happened hasn’t happened, that we can simply shed the ugliness, forget the beast, neglect the sinister.
If there’s innocence to be restored, it is a willed innocence, even a sophisticated innocence, innocence as strategic wisdom, not as childish naïveté. Our eyes have seen the worst there is, have stared into the abyss; we’ve known tragedy, and will again. But no time nor patience for cynicism; now, eyes wide open, it is time to build.
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Although I hardly ever agree to the views of Mr Fein, still, I always look forward to his weekly column. The harsh criticism of the Israel experience on the one hand (and the total lack of criticism of the Diaspora experience on the other) always struck me as odd and lacking in balance. Perhaps, as time goes by, it will become clear why Mr Fein is so stubborn in this approach. Perhaps he feels that there is an "address" in Israel, i.e. there is someone (the government, the Knesset, the army) who is responsible for her shortcomings - whereas in the Diaspora there is no factor that can be held accountable for historic failures (and hence it's a "waste of breath" complaining about anything). Still, without agreeing with his observations, I read his articles (and the Forward in general) because I want to hear about the Jewish experience. This week's article has me totally baffled. What is the Jewish experience that is being shared with us? Why would the Forward publish an article that doesn't have any Jewish angle to it. Even the most unimpressive article in the Forward dealing with (let's say) Major League baseball is obviously being published because a Jewish athlete is the subject thereof. This above article could have been published in the Ashtabula Star-Beacon or in any other English language newspaper. Let's discuss the Jewish experience in Mr Fein's "The Hour".
Yawn. Another article by Mr fein calling for a United Nations at the expense of the Jewish people.
WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OPPOSES YOUR RIGHT TO BE FREE!! Puerto Ricans, whether they are called Independents (independentistas), Patriots or Nationalists or Freemen, who desire to be free, must always know that the federal government, here in the States has no “subject matter jurisdiction” over the person, case or location and should be challenged to proof it. These are magic words to learn when in Federal Court for desiring freedom for your/our Country. You won’t be told this in court but: All jury members, judges, attorneys, and employees working in federal court, must reside in federal territory to legally be a federal juror or touch your case or they can be commercially sued, disbarred and financially ruined for violating your constitutional rights etc. Your god given right to be free is not wanted by the USA, it will oppose your desire for independence and freedom, because the Federal USA is a profit based Corporation. The Federal Government is a District of Columbia “Corporation”, as are all the States of the USA. These Corporations were formed for the benefit of the real owners. Since June of 1933, everything since then, is under Contract law or commercial law, aka Admiralty law, to benefit your masters in power. The Federal Government owns Puerto Rico as an ASSET, because it is a slave colony—whether you like the idea or not. But the Federal Government takes orders from those who own and run this (Corporation) Country, but are not of this country. The International Bankers, who really own the corporations called the USA, will let PR be free, only if enough real men of Boricua blood wish to be free, by reserving their rights under the Constitution. Their books will be adjusted and we will be free. The answer to your freedom lies in your Constitutional rights --- To win --You must always reserve your constitutional, commercial rights and know what they are and how to do so. The USA has been the biggest alien invaders the world has ever known. In order to win your freedom, you must oppose them by knowing that their weakness lies in their violations and in their treasons to the Constitution and to the common law and common law remedies. The majority of Americans have no idea that the USA has killed more Latinos, than Hitler Killed Jews, The USA has supported Traitors, Dictators, Gringitos, Butchers, Sociopaths, and Megalomaniacs who were supported and kept in power by these monsters, sucking up to the Anglo Alien Invaders. Latin America has had enough of this form of genocide of Latinos. That includes other African, Asian etc. countries that lost millions of innocent people from USA aggression. I want to vomit every time some ignorant fools says: “If you don’t like it here –go home”. If the Alien Invaders would get out of each and every Latin Country and stop interfering in our affairs—it would make sense to say such a stupid thing. But unless the (Feds) Snakes get out of Latin America-we have just as much right to be here!!! So, grin and put up with it—this was once our land. A Puerto Rican without a desire for independence and/or freedom from alien control has no heart and soul of a man. The fact that the public does not know that we are NOT free, makes no difference, to the desire to be free. The PR that wants Statehood is a Gringito, who has no soul of a man left in his traitor's heart. Freedom is happening all over the world and yet we allow Gringitos to kill our right to be free. A Gringito is a non-Anglo THING, IT is not really a “person”, just like a mass murderer is more like an animal than a person, who internally is so inferior, that he desires to be what he can not be—thus Gringito means little gringo. The Gringito is like an Uncle Tom to blacks or a collaborator and traitor to many others. To us he/she is all three and much worst. “It” is the enemy of freedom all thru out HUMAN history. We allow the Alien Invaders to kill, harm, abuse, rape, and scam us and yet the Gringito wants to give our Country away. This abuse must end. No man or woman is a real Man or real woman who is too scared to fight for their souls and be free. If you listen to the Gringito, you will lose your soul. Thru out eternity Humanity owes its freedom from slavery, ONLY to brave souls who fought for your right to be free. The fight will NOT succeed if you don't fight the Gringito enemy/traitor/collaborator at home first. He is there next door and claims he is a real man and tries to give you many excuses of why PR can't be a free Country. To give away your/our/my Country is not a right of alien invaders, visitors or foreigners with NO Puerto Rican Blood. The right to vote on THIS ISSUE should NOT be given to NON-Puerto Ricans. The fight for the independence of Puerto Rico is now non-violent and will be won in the hearts of real men around the World. The Ronbothunter, A proud freedom loving Puerto Rican. All Rights Reserved
WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OPPOSES YOUR RIGHT TO BE FREE!! Puerto Ricans, whether they are called Independents (independentistas), Patriots or Nationalists or Freemen, who desire to be free, must always know that the federal government, here in the States has no “subject matter jurisdiction” over the person, case or location and should be challenged to proof it. These are magic words to learn when in Federal Court for desiring freedom for your/our Country. You won’t be told this in court but: All jury members, judges, attorneys, and employees working in federal court, must reside in federal territory to legally be a federal juror or touch your case or they can be commercially sued, disbarred and financially ruined for violating your constitutional rights etc. Your god given right to be free is not wanted by the USA, it will oppose your desire for independence and freedom, because the Federal USA is a profit based Corporation. The Federal Government is a District of Columbia “Corporation”, as are all the States of the USA. These Corporations were formed for the benefit of the real owners. Since June of 1933, everything since then, is under Contract law or commercial law, aka Admiralty law, to benefit your masters in power. The Federal Government owns Puerto Rico as an ASSET, because it is a slave colony—whether you like the idea or not. But the Federal Government takes orders from those who own and run this (Corporation) Country, but are not of this country. The International Bankers, who really own the corporations called the USA, will let PR be free, only if enough real men of Boricua blood wish to be free, by reserving their rights under the Constitution. Their books will be adjusted and we will be free. The answer to your freedom lies in your Constitutional rights --- To win --You must always reserve your constitutional, commercial rights and know what they are and how to do so. The USA has been the biggest alien invaders the world has ever known. In order to win your freedom, you must oppose them by knowing that their weakness lies in their violations and in their treasons to the Constitution and to the common law and common law remedies. The majority of Americans have no idea that the USA has killed more Latinos, than Hitler Killed Jews, The USA has supported Traitors, Dictators, Gringitos, Butchers, Sociopaths, and Megalomaniacs who were supported and kept in power by these monsters, sucking up to the Anglo Alien Invaders. Latin America has had enough of this form of genocide of Latinos. That includes other African, Asian etc. countries that lost millions of innocent people from USA aggression. I want to vomit every time some ignorant fools says: “If you don’t like it here –go home”. If the Alien Invaders would get out of each and every Latin Country and stop interfering in our affairs—it would make sense to say such a stupid thing. But unless the (Feds) Snakes get out of Latin America-we have just as much right to be here!!! So, grin and put up with it—this was once our land. A Puerto Rican without a desire for independence and/or freedom from alien control has no heart and soul of a man. The fact that the public does not know that we are NOT free, makes no difference, to the desire to be free. The PR that wants Statehood is a Gringito, who has no soul of a man left in his traitor's heart. Freedom is happening all over the world and yet we allow Gringitos to kill our right to be free. A Gringito is a non-Anglo THING, IT is not really a “person”, just like a mass murderer is more like an animal than a person, who internally is so inferior, that he desires to be what he can not be—thus Gringito means little gringo. The Gringito is like an Uncle Tom to blacks or a collaborator and traitor to many others. To us he/she is all three and much worst. “It” is the enemy of freedom all thru out HUMAN history. We allow the Alien Invaders to kill, harm, abuse, rape, and scam us and yet the Gringito wants to give our Country away. This abuse must end. No man or woman is a real Man or real woman who is too scared to fight for their souls and be free. If you listen to the Gringito, you will lose your soul. Thru out eternity Humanity owes its freedom from slavery, ONLY to brave souls who fought for your right to be free. The fight will NOT succeed if you don't fight the Gringito enemy/traitor/collaborator at home first. He is there next door and claims he is a real man and tries to give you many excuses of why PR can't be a free Country. To give away your/our/my Country is not a right of alien invaders, visitors or foreigners with NO Puerto Rican Blood. The right to vote on THIS ISSUE should NOT be given to NON-Puerto Ricans. The fight for the independence of Puerto Rico is now non-violent and will be won in the hearts of real men around the World. The Ronbothunter, A proud freedom loving Puerto Rican. All Rights Reserved