The World as I see it

Super Clasico

2009-09-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

vs.

This past Saturday August 29th. I had the opportunity to go to one of LA's budding rivalries. Previously, I have gone to LA Lakers vs LA Clippers, LA Dodgers vs Angels, and Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings. However, I have never seen or rather felt what I felt on Saturday in the Home Depot Center. Any one that knows me should know I am a die hard Dodgers fan. I also cheer for the Lakers in B-ball and when it comes to ice hockey my team would be the Anaheim Ducks.

Out of all the sports teams that I cherish and follow none come close to the love I have for Chivas Rayadas de Guadalajara. It is a passion that flows through my veins, one such as for example that die hard Cubs fans, Red Sox fans, Yankees fans, Man U fans, Barcelona fans, Real Madrid fans might comprehend.

I remember when the MLS first debuted some 15 years or so ago. At that time there was no Chivas USA team. The only team represented in Los Angeles was the Galaxy. At that moment in time it was my team as well. They had Jorge Campos from Mexico which at the same time could play as a goalie or as a forward. Remember that first ignaugural season when they played the final and lost against San Jose. I was heart broken.

When I first heard there would be an expansion team coming to LA and it would be Chivas USA... my allegiances had to change. I could no longer root for the Galaxy. Not when Chivas is such an institution in Mexico. Not when I bleed red and blue and have always called Chivas my team. Not when no matter whether playing good or playing bad I will forerver be faithful to this team. The other day, jokingly, I told a co-worker of mine, before I was even born, I was already a Chivas fan!!!

Like I was saying, being a Chivas fan is beyond my control. I did not choose for it to be this way but at the same time I would not have it any other way.

So, I counted the months and the weeks until Chivas USA, the American reincarnation of my beloved Chivas to play in the MLS. At the beginning, as any expansion team, they were not so good. When they got to play against the Galaxy, well, let's just say things were not pretty if you were a Chivas fan. The Galaxy had to show the new-comers who were the masters of the Home Depot Center, for both teams claim HDC as their home.

The first seasons Galaxy totally destroyed Chivas. Little by little though things began to change. Chivas USA started to become a good team, no longer the laughing stock of the league. To the point they made it to the playoffs last year when they were ousted by another new-comer Real Salt Lake.

I have been to several Chivas USA games but had never gone to one against their arch-rivals, my ex-team. Now some people may feel that I turned my back on the Galaxy but you nust realize before there was Galaxy, before I was a Galaxy fan I have been Chivas fan all my life. If I had kept the Galaxy as my team instead of adopting Chivas USA, then that would have been turning my back on my team.

I purchased my ticket one week in advance and decided to pick it up at will call.

I knew it was going to be something special as soon as I got to the Stadium, but there was really no way for me to know beforehand the extent of what I was about to witness for I had no precedent to compare it to. As I was walking around looking for my seat I came upons something that caught my attention, something I just might consider getting for myself: a giant bottle of Tapatio.

As soon as I get to my seat, little by little people start to come in by the numbers and you could sense the intensity in the air. Now Chivas was playing as the road game so it was understandable we were going to be outnumbered by the legions of Galaxy fans, however the Chivas fans that I encountered were all very proud and loyal. Including myself.

As I was saying, this was the most intense sporting even I have ever been to. More intense than any Dodger, Lakers or Ducks game I had ever gone to. It was so intense I felt compelled to not sit at all during the entire game. I stood up the whole game, stiiting down just at the half.

Chivas USA does not have the roster or the star power that Galaxy has but for what we got we can hold our own. We do not have a Landon Donovan or a David Beckham. We do have a group of players that lay all in the line whilst playing especially against Galaxy. Which brings me to my next point. Everytime Becks set himself to kick the ball the whole stadium erupted and you could find no one sitting down. Some were cheering (the vast mojority) while others were jeering, me, myself and I included.

There are many opinions on Beckham and what he did or failed to do for the MLS and the Galaxy. Now I realize he is a good footballer but he is not the greatest and I do feel the Galaxy got the long end of the stick regarding all the Italian League/Galaxy/England team fiasco. I understand he needed to play in a more competitive league to show he still has what it takes to represent his national team. However before that I understand that he broke his word and by doing what he did proved he had no ounce of care and consideration for MLS or Galaxy or its fans.

At the end. We lost. By one point. Of all people, by David Beckham. Considering or regular goal keeper is injured and we played with a back-up... I am rather proud and must say we did an excellent job. We withstood and even almost scored a couple of times, but at the end with ten minutes to go they scored. At one moment in time I would have stood up and cheer like a mad man but no longer. I am a Chivas USA fan now. I am a Chivas fan. Chivas 4 LIFE!!!

So what happens next?

2009-07-19T18:35:00.000-07:00

Today's post is from an article I read on London The Times Online.

Next year, the Commonwealth Games will be celebrated in Delhi, India. As any city in any part of the world would do, it's trying to give the best possible impression to the throngs of visitors it expects as well as the image many may perceive on the television.

In order to do that though, the local government must somehow make the marginalized population. the beggars of the street disappear. Like any nuisance or litter, it must be swept under the rug so that no one might be offended by the horrendous site. This task must be completed by October of 2010.

Some officials have suggested a biometric system to identify repeat offenders in order to lock them up or expelled them from the city. Habitual offenders can be jailed up to ten years. There are some that have actually started begging schools where children are taught how to beg more efficiently.

They would be sent to special homes in order that the city can make a good impression on the more than 100, 000 foreign visitors it expects to receive.

Some of the beggars are reported to be people with degrees and claim to make more than the average a person makes on a day. However, one third are believed to be children along with migrants from India's poorer regions.

These homes, experts believe are inadequate and there would be rampant corruption and child mistreatment.

How is it that cities wait until a big international even to focus on social problems and they only do it in a temporal way. If begging has been a spectacle in India as in many other cities in the world for a long time, why does it take something like this to open the eyes and say, we have to do something about this.

The way I see it, it is every city's responsibility to protect all its citizens, especially those who are the most at risk. When a city or government entity does something for other reasons than to actually help those in its perimeter, than what is saying in essence is you people, are a burden, an
embarrassment to our city and looking good in false appearance is better for us than to care for you.

I doubt these homes, as inefficient as they might be, will be there to help or try to help these marginalized segment of society once the plethora of people leave. What's going to happen to them? Will they be taken care of then? Or will the city government say, o. k. they're gone we can get back to business, us ignoring you and you begging and fending for yourselves.

Perhaps one of the requisites for cities to have a big tent even such as this one should be, to make sure its people are first taken care of. At least the revenues they are sure to get from the Commonwealth games should trickle down to every segment of society. Somehow though, I think the only thing these people will be left with will be a distant memory of what it felt like when they were the ugly face of Delhi that while foreign people went to and fro, they were relegated to live in obscurity and shame... It would be nice if cities and governments actually did something permanent to help those that are otherwise helpless.

© Rogelio Gómez Hernández.

Who cares if you're terminally ill... you don't belong here.

2009-07-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

Today's post comes from the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Dispatches.

It is the story of Luis Jimenez. A Guatemalan man who got hit by car in Fla. He suffered brain damage, however when he ran up the bill, the hospital decided it was best to sent him back to Guatemala. Luis was undocumented see, so he was voiceless and he was just flown back to "where he belongs." This practice is widely known as "patient dumping," though hospitals rather call it "medical repatriation". At the end it's the same. Bottom line is, let others take care of you, you're not our problem. There was a similar story in the La Times a while back but not about illegal immigrants but about homeless people.

In this harsh economic times where the anti immigrant sentiment is growing by wide strides in the country, it has become an easy way out for hospital and physicians to rid of people that obviously have no means of paying for medical expenses. Of all the United States, probably the staunchest supporter of this issue is Arizona which leads in this category.

Luis was left with the mental capacity of a nine year old after the accident which was incurred by a drunk driver. Funny thing is the story on Dispatches at no moment mentions what ever happened to the drunk driver who hit Luis. Instead of investing or rather forfeit millions of dollar caring for Luis, the hospital flew him home to Guatemala and is currently being taken care of by his elderly mother which by the way the only "medicine" she can provide him with is Alka-Seltzer, that's all she can afford.

The New York Times has uncovered many other cases similar to Luis'. The law states any medical procedure, especially of this magnitude, the patient's or the guardians of the patient need to have consent. What happen to Luis was illegal. The hospital however did everything within their power to get rid of him. Now, some lawyer's on behalf of Luis have filed a lawsuit. Hopefully there is a verdict in time for Luis. The case is sure to help other people in similar situations in the future.

The way I see it, at what moment in time did we become a society that stopped caring about the plight of the voiceless. At what moment in time did it become easier to use a specific group of people as a scapegoat and feel is o. k. I don't know what the answer is if there's even one at all or not. I don't see turning the back on people that somehow are the fabric of our society is the answer. I know this is a thorny issue and most people at this moment would like to see all people like Luis begone, be it terminally ill or not, for after all, they don't belong here in the first place.

Related Story

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Can we speak at the same level?

2009-07-12T23:56:00.000-07:00

For some reason it has always puzzled me the fact that my native language Spanish, has been for some reason been relegated to a lesser status by your typical or mainstream American if you will. What do I mean. Well. Whenever I go to restaurants or read newspapers and they have articles, menu items or anything that is written in French for example, mind you, I have no problem with French, it's my favorite language after Spanish and English. As I was saying when I see articles with words in French, I see the editors of these newspapers or other publications go the extra mile to try to be as grammatically correct as possible. inserting the proper accentuation as the words require, they even go as far as to print them in italics so that the reader might better understand the fact the word is special. And when you pronounce it, they even correct you, they let you know that you are somehow killing the word.

Now, let's go to Spanish. I have yet to see, except for rare occasions any newspaper, menus, or magazines that offer the same attention to detail when it comes to anything that has an Iberian background, be it names, places or food.

I had been wanting to share this somewhere, somehow for quite a while, To be honest, I have no idea to what prompted me to do it now,

Perhaps no one will take this post seriously or perhaps there will be others that will take it seriously, acknowledge it but will see no truth in what I am claiming here.

Currently, I live in Los Ángeles (here's an example) and I have for quite a while now. I have been reminded time and time again since I first arrived here to Speak English, we're in America. So I have always tried my best to do just that and respect it.

I am asking though, it would be nice for people to give the respect Spanish deserves. No mutilation of the language for I know if it were French or Italian, heck, even Japanese that would be unthinkable, perhaps even unforgivable,

Try. At least try. I know Spanish is not your language, I know we're not in México or España, But could you at least try not to diminish and belittle my language, Hold it in the same level of respect you would any other European language. I will not make fun of you nor will I think I'm better than you if it doesn't come off right. After all, when I was learning your language, I kept everything I was told in order that I may be a better speaker of it, a better person and so that you would see me eye to eye.

Rogelio Gómez Hernández

Would you like that in change?

2009-07-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today's blog comes from a story I read on Johannesburg's Mail&Guardian.

Apparently two Russian women had been laid off but due to tough economic times, they were let go with out their unused vacation time pay. They complained to Russian labor authorities. Finally boss man relented and agreed to pay them what they were seeking.

When the company delivered money, to their dismay and shock, the money was given to them in 33 sacks of coins. The money was approximately equivalent to $1,000.00. They had to summoned some friends' help in order to carry the money away. I just hope they were driving and not taking the metro.

Imagine that over here in the U. S. You have been working for the same company for so many years but since we're in very difficult financial times you have to be laid off. Let's say you did not take vacation time and now you demand what is rightfully yours. What a nice surprise would it be if your boss calls you up and says "you know what, you're right, you've been a faithful employee and you deserve your compensation for the vacation time you didn't take," only problem is you get your $1000.00 or so in bags full of pennies.

The way I see it, money is money.

By the way, according to the boss of the story, the two women had been let go for abusing the internet in the work place for personal purposes... makes you think twice, doesn't it.

What's wrong with this picture? Ethics in mid-air.

2009-07-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

While doing my daily media rounds from around the world and from different sources I came upon this story from the CBC .

The story revolves around Air Canada and a Dr which came to the aid of a fellow passenger in mid-flight. Nothing special or newsworthy about that, not yet, anyway. As it turns out, said Dr. took Air Canada to small claims court for the services provided while on the plane.

The passenger was having some sort of panic attack. There was another Dr. on the plane, however the passenger for some reason did not trust the other Dr. so the Dr. of our story (Henry Coopersmith) had to intervene.

When he got home, he contacted the airline for two free first class trans-atlantic tickets as compensation for services rendered. Air Canada offered 10,000 frequent flyer points. So he decides to take the airline to court for an amount of $ 3058.00. The court determined the airline should pay him $ 1000.00. He says he will donate the money to a hospital. That's fine and dandy... except.

As I see it, this man was putting his self gain before the well being of the passenger. Whatever happened to ethics here? In my 34 years of life I am yet to see a police officer while off-duty doing his job and demand recognition or pay. He made an oath to protect and serve and I ask, is it not the same case here.

Perhaps some people would argue that he went out of his way to help some one when he was on his free time and needs to be compensated for that. Maybe I have it wrong, but I thought when you are a Dr. you are first a Dr. and the rest is secondary.

Example, while on a war and an injured enemy is captured, what happens? The Dr. which has taken an oath to his profession, first makes sure he does everything within his power to preserve the life of the injured soldier or cure him. In other words, he has in front of him a fellow human being who needs medical attention, not an enemy soldier. At that precise moment, that's irrelevant.

What to do?

2009-07-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

I picked up the following story from American Public Media's The Story

Nowadays, one of the most controversial issues of our times in this country where we live is illegal immigration. Maybe, perhaps listening to this story it might make us think and not be too quick to judge. There are many people that come into this country, yes, illegally but not out of their own choosing. There are many that come whilst still infants or young kids, surely they have no control of their destiny at that age. They grow up in this land they know so well and love so much unbeknownst to them this is not their land.

As an example, when one is adopted as a child and grows to love their adopted parents as his or her own, the reality of them not being the biological parents, does that take away the fact they have cared for and tended to the well being of the child. Suppose the child grows up and is told these people are not his real parents. Does he stop loving them, does he automatically lose value?
He can acknowledge his real parents but in his heart his adopted parents are irreplaceable and no one will ever take their place.

There are thousands of people if not millions that have grown up here and made their lives here. This country is all they know. Yet, the truth of the matter is that some people will argue they don't belong here. Why not?

This is a discussion that will go on for a long time and people will continue to be up-rooted from the place the know as home.

Now I understand that the law is the law. Fine.

I don't see kids being convicted and tried for crimes their parents committed long time ago. Is it shameful, perhaps. Truth is we are individuals and should be treated as such. I don't think many people would be in favor of doing just that if we were talking about another crime or topic... so why exactly is this different?

As I see it. More harm is being done in returning these people to a place they hardly know at all. It is inhumane and unethical, in my opinion.

The sad part about this is that many of these people being returned are kids that had dreams and aspirations like their American born counterparts. People with intelligence and a drive to succeed in education and in life. People whose only crime was being too small to have any say on their parents' decision to bring them here in the first place.

Black and Latino Relations.

2009-07-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

This is officially the beginning of a new online endeavor I am about to embark on. I have here and there and everywhere in between a long list of blogs and web-pages that throughout the years, ever since I started this adventure called internet in 1998, have come and gone. Some have survived, while others have gone down in the abyss of oblivion.

In this new re-incarnation of previous blogs, I will attempt to share my views and opinions on different themes from the current events of our times and from different sources as well. Perhaps at times I will write in Spanish, though I will try to keep it going in English as much as I can.

In this my first post I would like to share an article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times a few weeks ago, written by columnist Hector Tobar.

My first intent when I first read it was to e-mail Mr. Tobar but desisted in doing so. Instead I will use this as a means of expressing what I have to say about that.

When I first came into this country I was a nine year old boy who had no experience with people from other races, for where I come from everybody looks like me. However no one had to tell me that we ought to respect others no matter what they look like. To me it made perfect sense.

Especially since I, like many other people like me that come from another country it is our duty to first come in good will, and also to learn about the history and background of this new society we have come to embrace as ours. It is both foolish and disrespectful to attempt to blend in without realizing the struggles of other that we now enjoy.

I, like Mr. Tobar and every non African American person will never, ever know or feel what that segment of society have been trough or even go trough every day. I understand it is important to feel proud of who you are and where you come from but it is also important to understand there's a reason why some people might feel like we are taking over with no consideration as at all.

Not many people know this, perhaps only my closest circle of friends; growing up I had a black step-father which I loved very much, Perhaps that is why I am very sensitive to this issue and it upsets me when my people have a pre conceived notion of African Americans with out even as much as interacting with them or attempting to get to know them but based themselves on old tv cliches.

We must educate ourselves and strive to become better human beings and citizens everyday but for that we must leave the comfort zone of only associating ourselves with our own people. Who knows, perhaps we might end up realizing that we have more in common than we ever dreamed.