Diez y Seis de Septiembre, 2010 (part 1)

A reflection on the meaning of this year’s bicentennial/centennial independence day celebrations on the Diez y Seis de Septiembre (16th of September).

This year Mexico celebrates 200 years of Independence from Spain and the passage of 100 years since the Mexican Revolution.

Each year on the night of September 15, the President of Mexico rings the bell of the National Palace in Mexico City . He repeats a cry of patriotism (a grito Mexicano) based upon the "Grito de Dolores" from the balcony of the palace to the assembled crowd in the Zocalo (or national square), one of the largest public plazas in the world. This event draws up to half a million spectators.

A similar celebration occurs in cities and towns all over Mexico. The mayor (or governor, in the case of state capitals), rings a bell and gives the traditional words.

The following is a reflection on this year’s independence day from the Mexican blogosphere.

“This 15 of September there will be no cry, there will be only silence, for Mexico.

Let's do something with real value for Mexico, which really proves that we are united in disagreement on how to combat insecurity.

This 15 and 16 of September let us turn our backs to our leaders.

Let our leaders celebrate our national holiday alone, only they have anything to celebrate.

That for the first time in the history of this country, the cry for independence and freedom be a great silence of discontent and disgust.

That our principal leaders and representatives feel that we too can reject them.

This is what moves us, this is why we react, this is knowing what it is to have a country kidnapped. We live in anguish, shielded behind bars in our homes and businesses.

This is not a time to say VIVA MEXICO, nor to celebrate anything, nor to applaud the Army, or the president, nor his party that have been unable to provide control or welfare. And much less security, which is the least they should do for that is why a state is founded.

So I propose that this September 15 there be no cry but only a great silent cry of anger and complaint.

Let the governors and the representatives, alone in their respective plazas, shout the cry in the air to their families and teams since only they believe. They have served us for absolutely nothing, if you look they approved only the reforms that suited their interests to get more support and / or votes.

Join this truly historic movement for the sake of your family, your community, your state, your life and the country in which we all live.

This 15 of September there will be no cry, only silence, for Mexico.

Let us issue the cry and celebrate (if there is something to celebrate) in our own homes with friends and family, and not stand around over there for the parade. Let them celebrate the only awards we have received lately, a pair of Olympic medals and a first place in kidnappings.

Supposedly THE AUTHORITIES SHOULD FEAR THE PEOPLE, AND NOT THE PEOPLE FEAR A BUNCH OF CORRUPT RATS, who only safeguard their own self-interests with a "YOU MUST SUPPORT US, IT’S TIME TO DO SOMETHING."

VIVA MEXICO! Only without the farce of these rulers and their cry for independence in their plazas across the country.”

Link to the original Spanish version of this statement.
http://amigosdeultimahora.blogspot.com/2010/07/interesante-propuesta-si-estas-de.html