Let US Grieve My Dear Argentina

When I first touched down in Argentina, there were a few things my new neighbors introduced me to immediately; dulce de leche, the usage of vos in Castellano, and politics. Argentina has a fairly intriguing political history. In 1976 the military overthrew the new president Isabel Martinez de Peron, wife of the late president Juan Peron. They placed General Jorge Rafael Videla into office which began their seven year dictatorship. After over 30,000 people went missing, innocent citizens being tortured, and engaging in the first war Argentina had since it's independence, the administration finally ended in 1983.  The country was able to stablize themselves both politically, socially, and financially. For years the Argentine Peso matched the value of the US dollar. That of course was until the recession of 2001. The peso dramatically declined in value and loans Argentines that had taken out in USD became a major financial liability. Many were unable to pay them. The president at the time resigned and left the Casa Rosada. The Vice President was then sworn in and resigned immediately after. Within almost a week the nation went through nearly five presidents. It was complex, tragic, and chaotic for the nation.

As an American, many of these things I cannot genuinely relate to even if I wanted. Since the formation of the U.S. we have always had elections and overall poltiical stability. We have been a nation of protest and social injustice but never have been in a period without leadership. Though for many of our marginalized groups we have been used and abused by our government (Great Sioux War of 1876, Tuskegee Syphillis Experiment, forced sterilization in Puerto Rico, Jim Crow Laws, the bombing of Black Wall Street 1921 or the Tulsa Race Riot, boming of  Philadelphia 1985, Prision Industrial Complex, and forcing viewers to watch the CMAs unil Beyonce performed for raitings than deleting all evidence that she was there), these experiences do not necessarily equate to a dictatorship. In reality, I cannot fathom what our country would have looked like in the late 1970's in a dictatorship or going through 5 presidents during 9/11 and our recession. Our experiences are different and there is just about nothing I can say or do to make our experiences the same. 

Eventually Argentina went into a 12 year democratic term with Nestor Kirchner as president (2003-2007) followed by his wife Christina Kirchner (2007- 2015). Both were social democrats that worked in politics for a number of years prior to running for president. Many of my conversations here have been in favor of the Kirchner administrations. In 2015, the control of government was finally handed over to Mauricio Macri, who many of associated with to be the Argentine version of Donald Trump. Marci is the son of a business man who had also went that route early on with his career as a former civil engineer and business man. After being president of one of the top futbol clubs in the country, he ran for Mayor of Buenos Aires. In the 2015 presidential election, he not only ran but was elected into office. So far in his term Macri has been known for his conservative poltiics, his formation of the Propuesta Republicana electoral front also known as PRO, and being the first president to not invite the any of the former living presidents to the Argentine Independence Day event but instead the leader of Spain, the colonizing country of most of Latin America. Not only so but in his speech he also backhandedly apologized to Spain for Argentina seeking independence in 1816. Macri had also fired over 2,400 union workers after their contracts were not renewed, The evening of November 8th, 2016 Mauricio Macri also tweeted Donald Trump to congratulate him on his victory. Many Argentines have struggled with Macri's presidency as he has taken a very conservative stance on economics and has been very open about shaming and blaming the poor. I have heard very strong opinions around Macri and it is quite obvious that his popularity in the country is not high. However, his presidency so far has not been a threat to the nation. 

Meanwhile back in the States we have been experiencing a world wind of events over the past 18 months. Actually, for the past 397 years if we want to be real. Yet this campaign track has been one of the tackiest elections in U.S. history. Though we can back track and account for a collection of subjective situations that were quite embarrassing for citizens, I am only going to concentrate on November 8th and beyond. Since the elections, hate crimes and death threats have rose in the U.S. Last time I checked, about eight transyouth committed suicide since Trump and Pence won the electoral college. Stories have been shared of hijabi women being assaulted in public and having their hijabs pulled off of their heads. Queer individuals and couples have received written death threats left on their property. Swatiskas have have been drawn onto buildings especially in Jewish communities. Nigger has been dropped dozens of times, written on public restroom stalls. Black UPenn freshmen have been added to GroupMe chats titled "The Daily Lynching" and other horrendous names. Children are coming home from school sharing stories of them being told to sit in the back of the bus, being chanted at "Build the Wall" in the lunch room, or informed by their other classmates that they will be deported. The other day a 24 year old Saudi man was murdered in Wisconsin. Most recently a black family in a New York suburb shared a story of their home being egged and they being both the only black family on the block as well as the only house to have been violated. For both adults and youth, the United States has already become unsafe. It appears that the youtube comment section has actually come to life and people have become a little more bold after seeing their president elect support these injustices. The KKK of North Carolina has apparently arranged a celebratory march in honor of Trump and Pence. God Bless America. . . 

My friends and colleagues in Argentina have tried to console me since the elections, greeting me with deep sympathy as even they know Trump is not necessarily the healthiest choice for our nation. Many of my colleagues have also met me with the remarks "Now you know how we feel" or "We have Macri, I feel your pain." Though I know they mean this in a sincere and light hearted way and I can see how from the outside they would connect the dots. Yet I cannot help but feel frustrated when my neighbors try to relate to the American outrage. At first I laughed it off with them. I would smile and nod politely. Then more articles would show up on my timeline. A report of Trump's plan for the first 100 days. My friends would message me "Now you will know what Argentines feel." *Text Read* Not even in the mood to reply. Another article has appeared about Pence's desire to cut HIV/ AIDS programming and to fund Conversion Therapy. I tried to escape for a second and go to dinner with friends. The bartender disrupts conversations to ask about the elections. We talk for a while as I elaborate on hate crimes, deportation and mass incarceration. I break down the republican dominated government at the moment and how this creates space for dictatorship like behavior. He says "I don't know how they could elect Trump. That's how it was with Christina Kirchner." I shut down and let the conversation awkwardly die. We leave the restaurant and I yell at the top of my lungs. Everything New York in me was unleashed. 

My dear friends of Argentina, unless your marginalized citizens and undocumented persons are afraid to live their daily lives, your president(s) are not like the potential Trump administration. If and only if your country was built on the mass genocide of one group of people, the enslavement of another, the oppression and illegal containment of all non whites, the erasure of LGBTQ people, and the global imperializing powers of your military, then your woes of Macri or Kirchner does not equate to what Trump's nomination has triggered in the U.S. I recognize and respect your own call to social justice and the value you may find in all people. I appreciate your want to relate to my neighbors who are weeping. The sincerity is obvious which comforts me in a different way. In reality, people have been murdered in the streets by our public servants and have not been penalized under the Obama adminstration and I am terrified of what they may look like under the Trump administration. Flint and other cities in the U.S. still do not have clean drinking water. They are forced to accept poisoned water under the Obama administration and I genuinely fear what our government can get away with in the next administration. By this time next year it is likely that 47 million people can lose healthcare. Last summer a number of black churches were burned and I have yet to hear about the reprimanding of those who did it. Will that happen to mosques next?

My wonderful Argentine friends, you do not hate like Americans hate. You are lucky and blessed. There is no reason you should want to compare Macri to Trump as Macri has not enabled a national outlash against your "others". Macri has not put much of your citizens in a state of fear for their lives or weeping for their neighbors. Your kids do not come home and ask if they will be allowed to stay even if they were born here. Both countries share different struggles and yes we overlap in some areas. Hate thankfully is not one in the same amongst the two. I understand that you have very clear felings about your government as well and it may not benefit all people, especially those who have higher needs. We can grieve over that together. For eighteen months a few of us joked about leaving the U.S. if Trump was elected. He is now elected and some of us are really applying for Visas elsewhere. Some of us do not know what their present American Visas will mean in the next few months. I have never seen this before. I do not expect you have either under Kirchner or Macri. What is happening to my country is more than politics. Not much of this is translated into the news because these acts are very domestic. With that being said, I understand why you do not see the differences. For that reason let this be your notice. You're in much better shape than you may think. This is our cross to bear today. 

#ReclaimMissionary