I love thinking of my friends as small refuges. Do you remember that feeling when you were a kid, playing hide-and-seek and hiding alongside your friend? Accomplices in secret laughter.
I don't know if you choose them, because some might be a mess and not be good for you, but once they appear in your life it's too late, you can't pull away from them. Why get close to one and not another? Why, if we are so different?
There are those who make you laugh, the organized ones, the scatterbrains, the thinkers, the short-fused, those who push you to action, those who calm you down, those who drive you crazy, those who set you straight, the affectionate ones, those who find it hard to hug but embrace you through their actions, those who listen to you, those who interrupt you all the time, those who say so many silly things but you still love listening to them...
They simply do you good. And you know that you are also a refuge. The safe place where everyone can be who they are, the warmth in your heart of feeling loved and the comfort of being fiercely protected. Thank you, friends!
Silvina Marchesotti silvinalm@gmail.com
OTHER LETTERS
"And where is the rigged World Cup for Messi?"
Throughout the entire World Cup I heard it was fixed, bought, rigged for Argentina (and Messi) to win. Hate, hate and more hate. Latin Americans putting on the jerseys of Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland, England and Spain out of pure hatred for Argentina.
They said the referees favored our country. And in the final, they again appointed, for the second consecutive World Cup, a European referee to oversee a final between UEFA and CONMEBOL. Not from another confederation — European again. Quick yellow cards for Argentines, Enzo's expulsion.
And where was the rigged World Cup, tailor-made for Messi? He didn't end up as the all-time top scorer in World Cups, nor of this World Cup. No Golden Boot, no Golden Ball — that went to the Spaniard Rodri. Wasn't everything supposed to be fixed?
Three of the four semifinalist countries were colonialist empires that trafficked slaves (Spain, France and England). And just one third-world country (Argentina). But even so, the racists were supposedly us. The Mexicans who ask Spain to apologize for the genocide of their indigenous peoples overwhelmingly wore the Spanish jersey, their values surrendered to a ball, and Argentina, a country of the South, became the villain of the story.
José Hasbani Tiano jhtiano@hotmail.com
"This anti-Argentina moment should be seized"
The criticism that some sectors of the world are directing today against Argentina, following the World Cup final in the United States, can be interpreted as an act of aggression. However, it can also be turned into a political and diplomatic opportunity.
Argentina should take advantage of this moment to present itself more intelligently before international public opinion. When a country concentrates the world's attention, it has an exceptional platform to showcase not only its passion for sport, but also its scientific capacity, its culture, its creativity, its entrepreneurs and its democratic vocation.
The most effective response to a campaign of discrediting is not to fuel anger and confrontation, but to build a positive narrative that inspires respect. In diplomacy, perceptions matter as much as facts.
J. Felipe Fliess felfli@yahoo.com
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