Not All are the Same

"You can't inject new ideas into a man's head by chopping it off, neither will you infuse a new spirit into his heart by piercing it with a dagger" (Martin Luther King). In Tunisia there is a lot of energy, shops are open 7 days a week, folks are very helpful if you e.g. are looking  for a certain building, street, etc.; you are often friendly greeted and asked how are you. But there is also a lot of sorrow and pain. Mainly elderly persons feeling depressed. It is so obvious, the way they walk, bend, head down. Disappointed, their dreams crushed. The everybody for themselves attitude, me first (Donald Trump style on a very much smaller scale). I may be mistaken, but this seems to have spread after the revolution. I know an old-age pensioner from Europe who settled in Sousse (outskirts). She learnt to love Tunisia during her holidays. The climate does her bones good. But the poor woman has the misfortune to find one Mafia landlord after the other, absolutely shameless and brazen. One worse than the other. While one declared when she dies he will keep everything she possesses and through psychological terror tried to speed up the progress, the next one tried to rob her straight away. When she discovered that he can't be trusted and moved out after 8 days, he prevented her from taking her furniture, plants, etc. with her, barefaced lie she gave it all to him (to a person she doesn't know,

whom she doesn't trust, why should she wish to start from scratch again, at her age?). They are shamelessly taking advantage of her being just an elderly defenceless foreign woman. You can view more expensive new cars on the  street than in Europe (as far as I can judge), yet this is a poor country and there are a lot of people also, in particular in the neglected south, that have problems making ends meet. They badly need jobs that don't ruin their health. Environment protection is a field where nothing much has been done so far. There every invested Dinar would pay off in many ways. Not only would jobs here allow many to earn a living, but also provide citizens with clean air, water, beeches and soil. In addition make Tunisia more attractive to tourists again and lead to further income and a flourishing tourist trade. May be even that famous beautiful North African smile would return again. For the presence, though, I feel it is high time to teach some parents how to raise their children, that is is a crime to neglect them, that a civilised society can not tolerate the abuse of animals. Children cruel to animals don't grow up and become respectable adults, caring parents, but often end up in prison. I repeatedly viewed children and teens throwing stones at cats hiding beneath cars (when a longer parked car finally drives off, you can see lots of such stones), even right in front of my entrance door, kicking, beating or toddlers attempting to spit at them. This not normal child's behaviour and it is hardly surprising cats watch the children here like enemies, which they are often after all. Disturbed neglected kids taking out their frustration on defenceless animals. In Germany folks called the police because a kitten climbed from underneath inside a car's engine space. The police saved the kitten as they do on other occasions when an animal needs help. If I would call them here for such a reason they would think I am not right in my head and refuse to listen to me! - Many kittens die very young in Tunisia, Alice gave birth to 6 (3 alive, 3 already dead) on 28.5.18, by end of  June only 1 is still alive, the adopted one also died. On 01.07 she tried for the 3rd time to steal one of Gloria's baby cats. I caught her just in time. Gloria (great mum and so beautiful) had 5 kittens on 21.06.18 of which now on the 01.07.18 only 2 are still alive, but she also looks after 2 kittens from a previous pregnancy and 2 adopted ones. Bella, a 3-coloured lovely gentle street cat (had her operated for "family planning") accompanied me the other day when I went shopping for cats' food. We walked together along a few roads. When we reached a busy street, she waited at the other side while I crossed the road -smart Bella - and when I left the shop returned with me to my house. Pity I can't offer her shelter inside my house, my cats won't accept another fur inhabitant. I'd wish I had a farm to provide for more homeless cats. I've given names to many cats, including several street cats. They all know their name and respect me, like I respect them. This is what Tunisia needs, respect, education, some parents made to understand their responsibility for their children, that it is a crime to neglect them as well as abuse animals. It is a fact that kids abusing animals seldom become good citizens one day, or caring sensitive parents. Instead of this what-is-in-for-me attitude, grab what you can, envy, all those bad feelings, we need more folks with developed interpersonal skills, people who understand they belong to a community and that it is also up to them to strengthen this democracy. Just imagine, women and children of one area meeting from time to time in order to clean the streets (not everywhere necessary) and various corners of rubbish, it would also give them a feeling for the requirement not to drop their wrappings, etc. anywhere. It is already forbidden, but all too often ignored. Further, men meeting in order to do what repair and decoration work they can to needy schools. Utopian idea? It has been practised in Germany. Kids can study in pleasant surroundings, instead of loitering on the streets, not knowing how to spend their countless spare time. What they learn on the street I encounter every day, school could teach them values, art technics, provide them with chances in life, and last not least to respect nature and love their country.