Sold Future !!!
I’ve been away for a while now…for almost a month I didn’t do much on my blog. Through some accidental events, I’ve managed to get me involved in some electoral campaign for a candidate for the Mayor’s chair. So for almost a month I took part in a messy spectacle of honesty , compassion and vision on one side and stupidity, egos and ignorance on the other side. Lucky I chose the good side (unfortunately not the winning one…but at least I didn’t had to lower me to an intelligence level I wasn’t comfortable with).
It is unbelievable how miserable and dirty the 21st century politics can be in Romania. We fought ,in the 1989 revolution, for freedom and for democracy, for the wright to vote and express freely our believes. I see now that all was in vain. In a community of a bit over 3000 people , in Romanian country side, people are treated by their mayor as a country was treated 22 years ago. Threat and intimidation found a home under the leadership of a 72 yo man that behaves like a tyrant (a stupid one also). Scared people being held from the neck by a gang of cruel, ignorant, stupid and greedy middle aged and senior citizens. I honestly don’t want to say that I am ashamed I am Romanian, but now I see why I just don’t fit in anymore, why I feel like a stranger in my own country.
It is embarrassing to see parents selling their votes, selling their children’s future for a miserable 50 USD. How can these parents look their children in the eyes and tell them they care for their future? Don’t these irresponsible fathers and mothers want the best for their family?
Even worst is that these kind of situations are easily found all over the country. And remember we have aspirations to one day be an integral part within European Union, we like to think about us like a modern state with democratic values. (democratic values my ass *pardon my language*).
I really just feel sorry for the children that, trough no fault of their own, are caught in the middle of all this and see their dreams and aspiration blown away by the stupidity of the political class, by their parents unwillingness and incapacity of gathering information and getting educated and wisely choosing the people that represent them in the local administration and all other political institutions. The same parents are crying they have no jobs, they have no food on their table…but at the same time they vote for the same people for 20 years, for people that got them in this state of survival in the first place.
The images in this post are shot during this campaign. These are children from Rosiesti village in Vaslui, Romania. (the village I was referring to in the first part of my post)
I think it was Churchill who said that democracy was an inefficient system. The problem is the other systems are worse.
July 12, 2012 at 16:00
Corruption’s terrible to see anywhere and makes me really angry (especially in Romania because of my family connections there…) I’ve seen (or heard of) lots of similar things in Latin America and I think a lot comes from people failing to make the connection between their vote and the consequences (lack of education is often the issue here), or it’s fear.
At least someone’s telling the story.
Great photos by the way!
June 16, 2012 at 23:11
Am o intrebare pentru tine Sorin : cat la suta il cunosti pe d-nul primar de 72 de ani, despre care vorbesti cu atata ura ? Cat de mult il cunosti pe cel pentru care ai facut campanie ? Da-mi voie sa raspund tot eu, pentru ca eu stiu mai bine….Nu cunosti pe nici unul dintre ei cu adevarat….Sunt foarte dezamagita ca ai fost in stare sa vorbesti asa despre un om care e in stare sa dea si haina de pe el pentru cei din jurul sau…..Si crede-ma am destule argumente.Tu nu ai facut decat campanie politica….te sfatuiesc data viitoare sa faci o campanie cu sufletul….,,Norocos am ales partea buna…”- nu stii despre cine vorbesti, si e mare pacat ca esti asa de usor de influentat…O Doamne, e incredibil, cat de creduli putem fi in anumite situatii, imi pare rau Sorin , dar chiar e dureros….
June 15, 2012 at 08:34
Imi pare rau Gianina Postolache, dar am simtit pe pielea mea cit de politicos si de bun poate fi domnul primar. M-a injurat ca la usa cortului,(si-a bagat si scos …m-a trimis in mama…si aproape si-a dat pantalonii jos sa imi arate fundul) si am si un filmulet care dovedeste asta , si nu numai pe mine ci si pe varul meu Bogdan si pe sotia lui care nu a avut nici o treaba cu campania pe care am facut-o noi. M-a injurat, unul din oamenii lui m-a amenintat cu bataia si asa mai departe. Cum as putea crede altceva despre el in conditiile astea?. Eu nu am facut din campania asta nimic personal….el a facut ceva personal din asta. El a inceput cu injuriile si amenintarile personal la adresa mea…si sunt zeci de oameni care pot sta martori inclusiv politistul din Rosiesti. Si-o fi dind el haina de pe el si o fi un om bun….dar sincer…si cu toata parerea de rau iti spun….ca mie mi-a afisat o alta fata.
Filmuletul nu va fi facut public….dar am sa ti-l trimit sa il vezi…. si apoi mai vorbim despre asta…crede-ma ca este ceva denigrant caci altfel nu ma-ar fi afectat asa de tare….dar la virsta asta sa vorbesti asa….si nu numai cu mine….ci si cu o femeie..?!! este josnic…de ultima speta…
June 15, 2012 at 09:18
Nice to see you back.
June 15, 2012 at 05:27
Its sad to read this… I still remember the fall of Ceaușescu, I think the world had hoped that this would be the turning point for the people of Romania! Politics and greed have destroyed so much in humanity!!
June 15, 2012 at 00:00
Sorin, I am from Iasi but I do know about Vaslui and surroundings, especially the Laza village, where my fiancée is coming from… I can testify that you are completely right, except one thing: unlike you, I cannot blame poor villagers for selling their votes for 50 USD (mind you, I am a political philosopher, so I should blame them!). In theory all is fine, but when you get there you see what I’m seeing: people with no jobs and 10 children whom they have to care after. In such a case they have to choose between 50 USD and some promise that ‘in the future’ they will be happy, rich and so wealthy… I completely understand your sadness, but I also understand those persons who are living in the poorest European Union’s region… And I think we both hate those politicians that take advantage of those people’s situation and buy votes for 50 USD….
June 14, 2012 at 22:55
Someone told me a joke once, what is the difference between communism and capitalism, Communism failed first. Democracy, is not all it is cracked up to be, the American governments acts like it is the be all and end all of everything, it isn’t. People in power, whether voted there, put there through war, or born there always act in the best interest of themselves and their friends, and the rest of us, bad luck.
I hope you find some peace there.
June 14, 2012 at 22:40
I hate that this campaign ended at a loss. It is sad for your country, the area you currently reside within and all the young people… not yet able to vote. Sadly, education needs to be provided to show proof of why it’s important to push back and make big changes. However, just like with any scenario, when education is provided too late, the same thing continues to propagate and it never seems to change even with time.
I will however give you great props for standing up for what you believed in and the time and effort you put forth for this campaign. I hope you realize that even though there was a loss, you did make an impact on this community and therefore said impact may have sparked something in a few of those kids’ eyes and perhaps you will see the changes you hope will happen and possibly come to fruition in the not so distant future.
Well done on your part… and very sorry it didn’t work out in the favor of your candidate.
June 14, 2012 at 15:39
Politics suck no matter where you live. It is a strange world whenever a popularity contest is involved. Love the last photo with his curled lip and indignation. Priceless….
June 14, 2012 at 15:20
More proof that politics offers no solutions. Any solutions will always come at the grassroots level of everyday life and individuals.
June 14, 2012 at 14:05
I don’t want you to feel alone, this type of political bu..sh.t is happening all over the world.. here by us and from what I’m reading even in the USA. It is the tendency today to vote for those your told to vote for and not necessarily who is willing to do something to help you. Again these people looking for your vote also promise you the world and once they’re in then they do as they please and not what they told you… Chin up my friend I think you’ll find this no matter where you go.. It is long passed the time that the ruling of a country returned to the people and not just a few of the select who are there for their own improvement and enrichment and not for anyone else…
June 14, 2012 at 13:14