The Future is Red, White and Blue

Analyst:

The Future is Red, White and Blue: looking into American’s Destiny without sleepy eyes

America is stronger than ever before on this Indepedence Day. Although the superficial evidence might prove differently, a more attentive and wiser look will definitely show that America is sending to the whole world a message of reslience, of strength and of victory over adversity. That America is defeating the most troubled times of its history since the Civil War.

Do not forget that America has never faced a war within the beautiful and godly American territory – this is the very first time that a foreign threat has aimed directly at USA national security, democracy and system of liberties. President Trump is the first genuinely American War President since President Lincoln – the others, in the last decades have fought difficult conflicts but always overseas (with the exception of the Pearl Harbor attack, during WWII, but this was an isolated and located episode).

And this war against the Chinese Communist Party’s virus is even more problematic than the Civil War itself. I am not referring to the moral dimension or the human costs of each war; I am just referring to rules of engagement, to war strategies and military discipline one needs to win a decisive battle. There are a lot of bibliography, historical experiences, studies, treatises on how to win a conventional war, how to know your enemy, how to explore their vulnerabilities, on how to attack to win with no mercy (even though with a sense of justice). However, there are no bibliography, no memos, no guidelines or whatsoever on how to win an “unconvencional not conventional” war. You might think that I just wrote a redundancy: but, take my word for it, this is the first example of a brand new kind of international conflicts – it is not simply an “unconventional war” any more; rather, it is much more serious (and dangerous) than that.

It is an unconventional war by unconventional means – and by unconventional enemies in an unconventional world. This world is a world where traditional American allies have turned their back to America, prefering to cuddle Communist Imperialist China. This is a world where Chinese communist regime is setting up a strategy to beat the USA by trapping America economic, financial and geopolitically. This is because Chinese Communist regime knows far too well that American military capacity is unbeatable – the only way for them to succeed is by forcing a war by another (and any other!) means. And they have a propaganda machine like never seen before in the history of mankind – Chinese communist regime’s elite dominate pretty much all these global mainstream media, starting with CNN (in the USA), with Globo (in Brazil), through Sky News (in the UK) and so forth.

It is brutal and an existential threat for our free world (and for our common human destiny!) that our press, which theoretically should promote our democratic values, are captured by one of the most barbarian regimes on the face of the earth. And the situation, unfortunately, is even worse: Chinese communist regime has already put a dollar sign in some of the political decision makers (some of the most powerful, by the way) peace of mind.

Having this said, I repeat: America is stronger than ever. No, no, I am not insulting the people who have tragic and regrettably died – on the contrary: insulting the memory of our fellows who have died is letting China off the hook for its responsibility in the spread of the virus (and in its creation? Time – and the intelligence – will answer…). No one who wishes to lead the free world can have second thoughts regarding his toughness vis-a-vis China. China – this Communist China – is the most existential threat to America and the free world. Beating this Chinese Communist Party is the new 4th of July we need to make happen as sooner as possible.

After this realistic analysis, let’s not forget that this is the weekend to celebrate and be optimistic. It is the weekend to celebrate America and Americanism – as President Trump says over and over again over again

, to be an American is to be optimistic, to “believe that our better days are yet to come”. This weekend is for you to – with safety and with all the precautions to not be caught by Chinese Communist Party’s virus! – enjoy all the American blessings, including the simple things of life, like the unmatchable American delicious Milkshakes, an iconic Dr. Pepper soda and, of course, a deep fried Twinkie (there is nothing better!). And enjoy them while the radical left does not ban them all!

For those who insist to be the prophets of doom, remember them that, at the very beginning, America was considered an inviable, impossible, political project – today, America is the most powerful country in the globe.

In every 4th of July of the past, there were voices proclaiming the end of America – and here America is…stronger than ever before, fighting a war that America is destined to win by far. And only a brave and ingenious people, like the American people, would be able to defy all the predictions, all the economists analysis and financial reports – adding more 4.8 milions of jobs and decreasing the unemployment rate during these turbulent days. America never fails.

In this Independence Day when America celebrates its glorious past (not judging or destroying America’s history, but learning from the past how to do better and better in the present and in the future), every American citizen knows deep down that the tasks ahead are so important and complex. That America needs to wake up (even more) to the global threats to American values and security with no hesitation. Every American citizen, in this new war against faceless enemies, need to be wide awake.

In short, this new chapter of the great American history that is now starting can not be looked at with sleepy eyes – rather, the challenges ahead requires, more than ever, energetic, dynamic and fearless eyes. A true great leadership again. An American leadership that the free world so much needs at the present time".

With all my best regards,

João Lemos Esteves

"A LUZ DE JUDA"

"A Luz de Judá"

Artur Villares

Doutorado em História pela Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto.

Como retratar a história de uma determinada comunidade religiosa e, ao mesmo tempo, compor um excelente trabalho cinematográfico? O argumento é do Centro de Investigação Histórica da Comunidade Judaica do Porto (CIHCJP) e o filme é do realizador Luís Ismael.

O filme destaca alguns episódios que contextualizam as origens históricas da presença judaica na cidade do Porto, começando com o momento do decreto de expulsão dos judeus por D. Manuel I. Uma comunidade dinâmica e integrada, numa cidade e país até então vivendo em convivência inter-religiosa. Partilhavam as nossas origens em termos de património genético, cultura, língua, onomástica hebraica e ibérica e fortes laços de pertença a um Portugal comum.

O segundo momento lembra o ano de 1618, já com o Santo Ofício encarregado de identificar e punir os cristãos-novos. Tal ano e tal reforço persecutório levou a nova saída forçada de cristãos-novos, que foram procurar, na sua maioria, a liberdade religiosa dos Países Baixos.

Mais alguns séculos adiante, o filme concentra-se no ressurgimento da Comunidade Judaica do Porto, por acção de judeus da Europa Central e de Leste, aos quais se juntou um Capitão do Exército português – Barros Basto – convertido ao judaísmo em Marrocos. O ano é 1925, data do primeiro casamento no Porto, por rito sefardita, em 400 anos. E aí o filme centra-se nos esforços da comunidade sefardita londrina, com o Capitão, para tentarem atrair para o judaísmo oficial os marranos que viviam nas Beiras e em Trás-os-Montes. Tais esforços não resultaram, mas uma monumental sinagoga foi erguida, com o nome e o apoio financeiro da família sefardita Kadoorie, de Hong Kong, em memória da também judia portuguesa Laura Mocatta. Essa mesma sinagoga acabou por acolher centenas de refugiados que fugiam do Holocausto e depois permaneceu, mais ou menos decadente, por décadas.

Como crónica muito desconhecida de uma comunidade religiosa, com um traço naturalmente apologético, o filme conclui com a actualidade dinâmica e em crescimento constante desta presença judaica no Porto, reforçada nos últimos anos pela feliz legislação de 2013 e 2015, que por obra e graça de políticos séniores, com ampla visão sobre o todo, permitiu, ao fim de vários séculos, o regresso a casa de inúmeros Judeus Sefarditas. E ainda poucos anos passaram.

O filme teve apresentação pública no passado 2 de junho, no Paço Episcopal do Porto, no contexto de um projeto conjunto entretanto protocolado entre a Comunidade Judaica do Porto e a Diocese da mesma cidade, que engloba a promoção de visitas turísticas ao Paço Episcopal e ao Museu Judaico do Porto, e a realização de quatro filmes históricos. O objectivo último é relançar uma boa relação entre ambas as comunidades, ultrapassando séculos de incompreensões e intolerância, como no final do filme é referido, com uma referência ao Papa Francisco.

Mas não estamos apenas na presença de uma mera crónica histórica realizada pelo CIHCJP, que usou judeus da comunidade portuense nas cenas com rituais judaicos e uso dos idiomas Hebraico e Yiddish. Estamos também na presença de um belo filme de Luís Ismael. E permito-me justificar a boa impressão deste filme histórico. Em primeiro lugar uma realização segura, com uma noção clara de tempo cinematográfico. Uma cuidada reconstituição histórica das épocas abordadas, a nível dos cenários (locais reais), guarda-roupa, e um uso inteligente da fotografia (Francisco Vidinha, aip), criando o ambiente adequado e diferenciado entre as várias épocas históricas. Acrescente-se a música de Pedro Marques e o genérico final acompanhado com a “Memória Sefardita”, de António Saiote.

O filme, legendado em português, "está disponível em Video On Demand na plataforma Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/". Cada visualização em VOD significa um donativo precioso para o combate à forme. Todas as receitas desta longa-metragem reverterão, na totalidade, para o Banco Alimentar contra a Fome, o Centro Social da Sé, o Centro Social e Paroquial de Nª Senhora da Conceição e a Benéfica Associação Mutualista.

"A luz de Juda": Uma feliz conjugacao de arte e vida presente e futura!

VIDEO DEDICATED TO MEMORY OF DEPORTEES TO THE NAZI CONCENTRATION AND EXTERMINATION CAMPS

This video is made in tribute and memory of the deportees to the Nazi concentration and extermination camps. This video captures in images a similar action that was carried out in 2011 to obtain photographs that illustrate the book Nacht und Nebel, Photography and Testimony (Marià Hispano, Ramon Alberch, coordinators) and, especially, the chapter “Sea foam: land art actions against oblivion ”(prepared by Víctor Mata).

LIKUD SERBIA SUPPORT THIS PROJECT FROM SPAIN.