The Arizona Shootings

Published in El Pais
(Spain) on 11 January 2011
by Jesus Porro Mesa (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by CV Tábora. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
The tragic shootings in Arizona have apparently provoked a catharsis in the different strata of American society. For this reason, at least for now, the aggressive campaign by the Republican Party, especially the tea party and its media, against the Obama administration had been scaled down. In other words, this is the time for self-control, in order to avoid blame and ensure that everything goes back to normal as soon as possible, with the idea of continuing in the near future with a strategy that has produced great electoral results. Heaven forbid anybody sees this unfortunate event as a consequence, in part, of a political action model based on tension, insults and the disqualification of opponents. I see a lot of parallels between American politics and the reality of Spanish politics, though fortunately, weapons are not for sale in Spanish supermarkets.

A review of certain Spanish radio, newspaper and television mediums will demonstrate that I am not exaggerating. Through these radio and television waves and papers that we consider right-wing (from the center that the PP says they occupy to the extreme right), hatred, contempt and insults wrapped in patriotic paper — and, in some cases, Christian ethics — are handed out generously.


El trágico suceso de Arizona parece haber provocado una catarsis en los distintos estamentos de la sociedad americana. Por ello se aplican a moderar, por un tiempo al menos, la agresiva campaña que desde el bando republicano, especialmente desde el Tea Party y sus medios, se ha venido haciendo contra la Administración de Obama. Es decir, ahora toca moderarse para que no se les señale y la situación vuelva a la normalidad lo antes posible y ya más adelante seguir con esa estrategia que da tan buenos resultados electorales. No sea que a alguien se le ocurra ver ese desgraciado suceso como consecuencia, en parte, de un modelo de acción política basado en la crispación, el insulto y la descalificación del contrario.

Pero todo esto me traslada a la realidad política española y en la que veo muchos paralelismos, aunque por suerte aquí no se venden las armas en los supermercados. Si creen que exagero, hagan un repaso por determinados medios de radio, prensa y televisión. En las ondas y papeles que consideramos de derechas (irían desde el centro, que dice el PP que ocupan ellos, hasta la extrema derecha) se reparte gratis total odio, desprecio e insultos, envueltos en papel patriótico y, en algunos casos, de ética cristiana.

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