Revolution Memorial Day 14.01.2020

The only way to protect oneself against making mistakes is staying ignorant. Jean-Jacques Rousseau. -

 Tunisia's new cabinet has just been rejected by parliament. People's expectations of the new elected president are high and as in other countries there are always those who don't want changes. Some say everything was better before the revolution, less unemployment, lower prices, more safety and more tourists. The later does of course lead to more jobs and tourist don't worry much about human rights. If you keep out of politics, don't look to your left and right, you may believe a dictatorship is okay. Nonetheless Ben Ali's big poster in every shop and corner was at least strange, but is fairly common in non-democratic counties. More safety is also what was said about the Nazi period, it did of course not apply to Jews, Sinti and Roma, as well as various other suppressed groups and persons. Prices may have been lower in the past, but a lot of products were not for sale (e.g. pet food, good chocolate, a variety of fruit teas, electronic items, etc. okay some are not essential. In addition less folks possessed a fridge, a TV set and other items. On the flea market unlike today  third class products to dress the very poor, but that was better for the Tailor's business. More half or less finished buildings waiting for the owner to save with his or her work money in a foreign country to continue the construction works. Very few new and expensive cars on the road, those who had a bike considered themselves lucky. By the way, the money Tunisians sent back home from various European, Arabic and other countries in order to support their families became an important element of the Tunisian economy. Contrary to common believe the money was not made in a kind of paradise, it mend hard work and often forgoing things one loved. This hasn't improved. After the revolution it came to light that the secret police used Telecoms cars and some taxi drivers spied on their customers. The Truth and Dignity Commissions findings were shocking and many cried while watching their documentation on TV, one should not forget that when talking about the past. All in all I would call the Tunisian revolution successful, many problems need yet to be solved. At present a lot of human resources including potential of academic intelligence is wasted. Some get so depressed that they commit suicide, very sad. We need urgent solutions. I could think of many jobs that would work wonders, also in view of the high percentage of very young citizens, but that requires money. As for another matter close to my heart, before the revolution I viewed many skinny starving cats, none pedigree. Now there are numerous gorgeous ones around, many still hungry, often looking among the garbage for food (nonetheless as a rule fur clean and we'll kept). In my neighbourhood cats are contend and well behaved, I am told. They know their feeding times and arrive punctual when the "cats' table" is opened.