The City of Opinions

Two weeks ago I sat at my little desk completing my homework, when a murmer of noise began in the distance. It made its way from a low grumble to a dull roar. I had no idea what this noise was, but it was like a wave and it was making its way closer and closer to my apartment. Suddenly, Ivette was yelling for me. She pushed a pan into my hands, as well as a wooden spoon. She pulled me outside onto the terrace. As I stood there alongside here, a pot and spoon in hand I felt ridiculous. I looked around from my second story apartment and as I looked up, all of the decks and patios off of the high rises that surrounded were full of people. They are all banging on pots and pans too. They were howling and yelling in frustration. Ivette tells me that they are protesting the "terrorista" of a president, Cristina Kirchner. The city has errupted and all across the city people are banging and yelling. Ivette calls her an isolationist and socialist (in spanish of course). "Que Disastre" she says about the presidency as she shakes her head.... "What a disaster". The feeling of unrest is felt everyday in Buenos Aires and is heating up.

Cristina Kirchner has some claims to fame. At the time of her re-election in 2011 the Argentine economy was undergoing a period of rapid growth, and a rapidly decreasing unemployment rate.

However here are a list of some things many citizens will tell u has made her an absolute nightmare...
*She has tried to silence the media by passing down heavy handed restrictions.
*She has virtually cut Argentines off from the US dollar.
*She has banned the importation of books from certain countries.
*Argentines are mad about her relentless socialist spending.
*She nationalized the countries leading energy producer...scaring away foreign investment

The people here are more politically minded, open and boisterous with their opinions than in the United States. They do not avoid the topic of politics. They will outright tell you how they feel.

And tonight the banging continues, as one of the biggest rallies and protests since 2001 takes place. People have mobilized through email and the people have gathered in plazas across the city. The banging on the pots has resumed and the honking, yelling and blow horns  show no sign of slowing down. For a political geek like me, it is so exciting to witness such feeling and pride in ones country. But the outside world may never hear about this, because the media is so restricted.

 SO while you all are watching insatiable attack adds and listening to ignorant politicians balk at one another across party lines, I am happily banging on my pan. Witnessing an angry group of people take physical and direct action, how exciting is that?