ФОРМОЗА

Відтоді, як перший рядок "Формози" несподівано зійшов до мене десь наприкінці 1995-го року, мені жодного разу не вдавалося знайти якогось логічного продовження цим кільком загадковим словам. Аж раптом, кілька тижнів тому, щось змінилося: моя уява ніби набула багатомірности, й за якихось півгодини вірш був готовий. Що це? Мабуть, простий, стислий виклад свідомого й не зовсім. - Д.К.

Формозою я був зчарований миттю
Як тільки зійшов на незайманий берег,
Покинувши човен гойдатись на хвилях,
Не в змозі очей відірвати від виду.

Формоза була як той рай піднебесний:
Наснаги, спокуси та пристрасти суміш,
Захована у хащах тропічного лісу,
Записана вітром на скелях-скрижалях.

Формози повітря доносило звуки,
Нечувані мною від часу колиски,
Забуті, затерті десь у міжчасів’ ї,
Куди я завжди так боявсь повертатись.

Формоза, напевне, у мареві вогкім
Пангеєю снила під небом прадавнім:
Тоді час та простір мінялись місцями
Так легко, що навіть сам Бог дивувався.

Формоза обійми мені розкривала,
І я гарячково прощався з минулим –
Чи мови, незнаної досі, словами,
Чи жестом безслівним чужої молитви.
1995-2007

DON’T CALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRATS “UNDOCUMENTED” – Unless, Of Course, You Have An Agenda

Take it from a first generation immigrant: I am sick and tired of all these marches and rallies in our major cities where thousands of illegals, many of them waving foreign flags, go out and DEMAND things. That’s right, DEMAND, not ASK. In my humble opinion, the only thing they are truly entitled to is speedy deportation. With respect to their human dignity, of course.

First thing first: let us all agree on using correct terms, ok? And let’s start with me as an example. Before I got my US passport last year, I had my Resident Alien’s card (“green card”) and, thus, was a properly “documented immigrant”. Had I lost it, I would have been nobody but “undocumented immigrant” which means precisely “an immigrant without documents”. But even then, I would still have been a LEGAL immigrant, undocumented but legal. And this is exactly the difference between me and a guy who sneaked through a hole in the fence somewhere near Tijuana. Because he is, first and foremost, “an illegal immigrant” and please, I don’ want to hear the word “undocumented” anymore.

There is a tremendous amount of confusion among the public on the matter of terms. And this confusion is not natural, it’s been artificially created and actively promoted by various organizations (most of them Latino hence most of illegals are coming from Latin America) who all but openly advocate illegal immigration into the US or, as they eloquently put it, “stand for the immigrants’ rights”. They, strangely, often forget to add the adjective “illegal” to it. Because, whether we like it or not, if you are not a US citizen, it’s still against the law to come to this country without proper documents authorising you to do so.

But the organizations like La Raza don’t want you to go into the details. Their agenda is simple: invest now so you can receive dividends in the future. How? Very simple:

a) Put all your efforts and resources to legalize as many illegal immigrants (current and future) as possible;

b) set them on the path toward citizenship;

c) tell these new citizens (eternally grateful to you for what you did for them) how to vote;

d) sit back, relax and enjoy watching politicians mud-wrestle each other for the millions of votes you control;

e) don’t forget to pick up your dividends, of course…

For the record: I have always believed that any developed Western country, US, France or Germany, is in critical need of the constant flow of immigrants. Now more than ever, especially in Europe, where birth rate has been steadily declining and more and more of the native population has been getting old. Anybody who says “we don’t need immigration at all” is either very naïve, uneducated or, perhaps, just a racist.

However, this doesn’t mean opening the gate before the horde of illegals. Immigration is the process that requires a clear and unambiguous policy, a thorough implementation of this policy and constant control over it, and – last but not least – the resources needed.

Today, we don’t have any of the aforementioned things in place. We haven’t even started the real debate because, on the one hand, too many people are self-censored because of the blown-out-of-proportion “political correctness”. On the other hand, the politicians are just like they have always been: projecting the polls’ numbers before even thinking of an issue, not to mention speaking their mind on it. Yes, you heard me right, I did say “cowards”.

But back to the rallies and demonstrations. “I came here to work hard and I have been working hard”, - would say or, rather, shout in your face Migel, Jorge or Guadelupe. “So fucking what?!” – would be my precise response to him or her. It’s like a criminal coming to confess about the committed crime but adding “ever since I did it, I’ve been working so hard!” Hard work is not and should not be an excuse for illegal immigration. If you are here illegally but would like to legalize, you should leave this country first, pay a fine, submit new papers and then – maybe – you will be autorized to come back.

WOLFOWITZ GONE: GOOD RIDDANCE!

The World Bank is back on track. Wolfowitz gone. One incompetent idiot less. Life is good.

SARKOZY!

It finally happened: Nicolas Sarkozy, son of a Hungarian immigrant, has won the French Presidency.

I believe, this is a great news first and foremost for France itself because for the last several years, this country has been nothing but a cocktail joke in both domestic and foreign affairs.

Remember who has been proudly yelling in their bad English "We are Le Europe"? Yep, the French. Remember who then went and blew the European constitution? The French.

French have become too lazy and, as the result, too poor. They want a 35-hour working week, are overburdened with taxes and, quite obviously, suffer a great deal from xenophobia and anti-Semitism. I mean, the French have it all - and they need to get rid of it in order to become a true heart of Europe and European integration.

Ukraine may not exactly be among Sarkozy's immediate priorities but Kyiv - I mean Mr. Yuschenko - must try to do all it can to capitalize on Sarkozy's knowledge that Russia is not exactly an ally and the fact that Ukraine is not Russia. Now, that arrogant idiots Chirac and Villepan are out, Ukraine may have a shot (and God help Kyiv to not blow this chance!) at bringing France into the camp of its friends. Or at least, getting Paris to be neutral when it comes to Ukraine's EU perspectives.

So, I guess, Vive Sarko!