Message from the Editor

Advent

I'm a happy human being.

I get enough to eat; I have a roof above my head; have a great job. I have on the whole good children and grandchildren. I even have one very handy great grandson, from the side of my recently deceased sister, who at only 13 managed to perfectly install Internet in my home. The only thing was that it worked for only a day, which was not Vojta's fault, the computer being ready for the dump. Vojta tried to work miracles working long evenings, installing new Windows, changing different CD ROMs and at first all seemed OK. Oh well, it sure looks like I'll have to get myself a new computer. The only trouble is where to get the money, which is again the negative side of my life and my beautiful, but purely voluntary work for the Czech Dialogue. Another problem is my lack of time. How I would love to finish the numerous articles and books that have been piling up in my computer that refuses to work well! How I would just love to sit and chat with my friends! However, each deadline is followed by another one, and there is always administrative work, which is never finished?

What probably pains me the most is the current political situation. I've come to the conclusion that our media are as corrupted as the politicians. Every week on Sunday, and at other times, you can see and hear on TV representatives of the four leading political parties including the communists. The smaller and new political parties are ignored as non-existent. The same goes in the press. I can't remember the last time there was an article or interview in the papers with Vladimir Hucin, Jan Sinagl, Cestmir Hofhanzl or Jaromir Setina. Also missing are articles about the Humanistic Movement, Movement for Direct Democracy, and numerous other activists and organizations that don?t go along with the government trend to ingratiate themselves to the voters while at the same time trying quietly to grab whatever they can for themselves. Today, 20.11 they talked on TV about the latest of many political scandals, or even better said, robberies. The land fund officials consisting mainly of representatives of party leaders did not return land to restitution claimants as had been agreed to. Instead, they had sold the property to profiteers for next to nothing. And what did the TV stars, socialist Zaoralek and the right-wing Chairman of Parliament Sobotka have to say about that? They decided that the matter should be looked into and then blamed each other for the situation. Then there is the "determination" of our Prime Minister. Many individuals in our beautiful homeland really appreciate that characteristic. Unfortunately those are the ones who don't have the intelligence to recognize that it's a type of brainwashing the communists used at a time when it was forbidden to think. Many of them long for a strong leader, who would resolve all their problems. That's exactly what Paroubek promises. He says that he'll get together not only with Communists but also even with Martians if necessary!

Nevertheless, Christmas is just around the corner, so I?d like to write about something pleasant For example, how we should appreciate the wisdom of out Forefather Cech who had led his people into the heart of Europe, where there are neither hurricanes nor earthquakes, and where we don?t suffer from hunger and where we could actually be very happy people.

I wish for the people in the whole world to live in freedom, joy and contentment without the need of leaders to hang on to, as redeemers. So they would realize that every human being has the positive ability to solve problems, which are an integral part of life. Let them stand on their own two feet and find satisfaction in realizing how wonderful it is to make their own decisions. Let them also conscientiously check the work of their employees whom they pay from their taxes which include not only the bureaucratic, cancerous state administration of the 7- year rule of the socialists but their higher and lower representatives as well.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!