El panorama que nos presenta la crisis económica mundial es poco alentador, aunado a ello, la crisis moral que se avecina en los Estados Unidos con el triunfo de B. Obama es inevitable. Para Peter Hitchens el triunfo de Obama representa la derrota cultural de la revolución conservadora. Para Jose Luis Restán el modelo de laicidad positiva de los EE.UU. se encuentra en peligro; mientras que para Patrick Buchanan los 100 primeros días de Obama deparan un aumento trillonario en el gasto público, la aprobación de las uniones homosexuales y el legalización irrestricta del aborto. 

Por lo mientras, los primeros actos ejecutivos de Obama serán autorizar la investigación embrionaria con células madre y el financiamiento con fondos federales a los grupos pro-aborto: en eso consiste su cambio en promover una cultura de la muerte e imponer la dictadura del relativismo; la debacle moral apenas comienza…

Oremos para que Dios protega a los EE.UU. frente a un nuevo ataque del liberalismo socialista. No olvidemos que como dijo alguna vez Pío XII: ”El Rosario es arma poderosísima para curar los males que afligen a nuestro mundo”.

Senator John McCain paid his respects to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Few days ago, Senator John McCain made a visit to Mexico city, where he had the opportunity to paid his respects to Our Lady of Guadalupe, declared by Pope Pius XII as “Queen of Mexico and Empress of the Americas”. McCain’s kind gesture, although he is a baptist, shows us his humble attitude towards the divine protection of Virgin Mary and consequently, his shameless awareness of the value of religious convictions within public sphere.

Liberal media and their supporters, which defend a secularist model for modern societies: where God is no longer an “issue”, have regarded this visit as an electoral action to ensure hispanic vote. However, despite of its political influence on catholic voters, the fact that an American politician (presumptive Republican nominee up to this day) openly appreciates catholic hispanic traditions, give us  a hint about a man that understands the plural christian face of America. If we take a look to McCain’s proposals we might find that their are compatible with the Catholic social teaching.

Upon the basis of human dignity, solidarity and subsidarity, McCain’s proposals and attitudes show a natural appeal for catholic voters, specially his commitment with regard to the culture of life (supported by a pro-life record in the Senate), the sanctity of marriage (supporting California marriage amendment) and a comprehensive immigration reform (preceded by a secure border). Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that his action give all the hispanic community a new hope for a true understanding between both peoples based upon common good and christian compromise.

In the sixties, John F. Kennedy delivered a speech where he disavowed the influence of his catholic faith on his political agenda. Those were the days, back when to be catholic represented suspicion for the mainstream protestant culture of America. Nowadays, we, as catholics, should be pleased that a Republican politician is not afraid to show his support for the catholic culture and its values. Times have changed in America for common good.

Jesse Helms and Ronald Reagan

Yesterday Senator No, as he was known for his hard-line conservative political stances and harsh opposition to liberal agenda, died at the age of 86 in North Carolina, USA. From this blog we remember one of the greatest conservative minds of the American XXth century. Requiescat in pace.

”I fight for what I believe. If you are not willing to stand up for what you believe, your beliefs are not strong enough.”- 1984

”Atheism and socialism — or liberalism, which tends in the same direction — are inseparable entities. When you have men who no longer believe that God is in charge of human affairs, you have men attempting to take the place of God by means of the Superstate.” – 1973

”Compromise, hell! That’s what happened to us all down the line — and that’s the very cause of our woes. If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bolgona to be bartered a slice at a time?” — 1959

”Americans need to stop protesting, marching, looting, burning, destroying, threatening, posturing and loafing. They need to start minding their own business again, go back to work, regain respect for decency and personal responsibility, and to pray for God’s forgiveness for what they have deliberately tried to do to America.”– 1966

It is a commonplace, among those interested to classify Mishima as sensualist author, to review this story from pansexual perspective. However, Mishima goes far beyond this materialistic and reductionist interpretation of his early chef d’oeuvre by creating a complex narration about a troubled young lad searching for beauty through the spiritual vein of art that accentuated his synesthetic experiences toward human body and masculine virtue, as masterfully related by the author, in his amazing discovery of San Sebastian depiction made by Guido Reni. To sum up, this a memorable short novel written in elegant style composed by delightful prose, where Mishima paid great homage to the strange and mysterious nature of beauty.

Yasunari Kawabata (Mishima’s former mentor), 1968 Noble Prize, once said that he did not deserve to be awarded with the aforementioned prize if Mishima was still alive, by reading this book anyone can agree with his honorable judgment.