(disclaimer - it’s long and…well…disenchanted and rant-y)

Velasco’s Peru, 1968: A pro-worker military coup against an oppressive oligarchic regime. Problem: sure of what it didn’t want but not exactly sure of what it did want and how to go about getting it. Result: Some social and economic reforms but internal opposition and division that led to a counter-coup by conservative military elements allied with the same oligarchs that were overthrown the first time (who are also pissed now because of land reforms threatening their power base)

Sandanistas’ Nicaragua, 1979: Guerillas take over after the US (under Carter) stops supporting cruel and unprofessional Somoza dynasty. Problem: Because of reformist leanings in new government, US gets scared (Cold War politics) and sends US-trained and equipped contras to subvert the government. Result: New government dies in fighting off attacks from the outside, can’t spend enough time or money on internal development. Gets voted out and peacefully transfers power to the incoming powers.
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Random stuff that i wrote while i was at Uzma’s apartment and she stuck on her wall so now that i’m sitting at her desk i shall reclaim my words

A good person is an emotion. elusive, uncertain, but leaves a sense of beauty in his interactions with life. it is in his lack that those who stay behind realize his virtue. the sense that something was perhaps gained, yet lost from his existence and departure.

(wrote that in my religion/ethics class when my professor asked for the definition of a good person.)

———-

time this ego centric construct we’ve structured around ourselves to keep our lives under control. ticktockticktockticktockticktock and the digitals have even stolen our seconds away. our own worst enemy? no wonder time is always against us. we’ve created it to ground and orient and ensnare ourselves into this trap

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Dreams

: are snares, traps, catch 22’s. you get delusional in the fog, start seeing things that don’t even exist in your imagination - hopes? present absences and future presents, really, making up lost time by losing yourself in the to be or not. to be; that is indeed the question. ask me none, i have a tendency to lie.

(both of those inspired by readings from Kierkegaard’s Either/Or)

It’s really not a surprise or a secret that there are some who are born to lead, some who learn how, and some who are chosen, hand-picked to be so. they’re an unfortunate combination of the borns and the ones who don’t really know how. well. they have to learn pretty quickly, by trial and error. perhaps they weren’t even born leaders per se, maybe just born to be outspoken (wrong place, wrong time)

So now we have hand-picked leaders-in-training. take a good look up there, kids. that pedastal is where you’ll be standing for the rest of your life. the only ways off are (a) to jump, and that’s haraam (b) to fall, and good luck if anyone ever says your name again without an “astaghfirullah” attached to it or (c) to be pushed, and that might happen if you almost but not quite made it to (b). we have to set a good example, after all.
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