«Hakërrim»

Që nga Korça gjer te Shkodra mbretëron një errësirë,
nëpër fusha, nëpër kodra, vërshëllen një egërsirë!
Pra, o burra, hani, pini, hani, pini or’ e ças,
Për çakallin, nat’ e errët, është ras’ e deli ras’!

Hani, pini dhe rrëmbeni, mbushni xhepe, mbushni arka,
të pabrek’ ju gjeti dreka, milionier’ ju gjeti darka!
Hani, pini e rrëmbeni, mbushni arka, mbushni xhepe,
gjersa populli bujar t’ju përgjigjet: peqe, lepe!

Ai rron për zotrinë tuaj, pun’ e tija, djers’ e ballit,
ësht’ kafshit për gojën tuaj. Rroftë goja e çakallit!
Shyqyr zotit, s’ka më mirë, lumturi dhe bukuri,
dhe kur vjen e ju qan hallin, varni buz’ edhe turi!

Hani, pini dhe rrëmbeni, është koha e çakenjvet;
hani, pini e rrembeni, ësht’ bot' e maskarenjve;
Hani, pini, vidhni, mblidhni gjith’ aksione, monopole,
ekselenca dhe shkëlqesa, tuti quanti come vuole!

Nënshkrim i zotris suaj nëpër banka vlen milion,
ju shkëlqen në kraharuar dekorata «Grand Cordon»!
Dhe kërkoni me ballhapur (!) komb i varfër t’ju thërres’
gjith me emrin tingëllonjës: Ekselenca e Shkëlqes’
dhe të quheni përhera luftëtar’ e patriot’,
në ka zot dhe do duroj’, posht ky zot, ky palo zot!

Grand Cordon i zotris’sate, që në gji të kan’ vendosur,
ësht’ pështyma e gjakosur e atdheut të vremosur;
dhe kolltuku ku ke hipur, duke hequr nderin zvarr’,
ësht’ trikëmbshi ku përdita varet kombi në litar!
Dhe zotrote kullurdise, diç u bëre e pandeh,
kundër burrit të vërtetë zë e vjell e zë e leh!

E na tunde, na lëkunde, nëpër salla shkon e shkunde,
mbasi dora e armikut ty me shok’ të heq për hunde.
Rroftë miku yt i huaj, që për dita los e qesh,
të gradoi katër shkallë, pse i the dy fjal’ në vesh!

Koha dridhet e përdridhet, do vij’ dita që do zgjidhet
dhe nga trasta pem’ e kalbur doemos jasht’ do hidhet!
Koha dridhet e përdridhet, prej gradimit katër shkallë
nuk do mbetet gjë në dorë veç se vul’ e zezë në ballë!

Mirpo ju që s’keni patur as nevoj’ as gjë të keqe,
më përpara nga të gjithë, ju i thatë armikut: «Peqe!»
Që të zinit një kolltuk, aq u ulët u përkulët,
sa në pragun e armikut vajtët si kopil u ngulët!
As ju hahet, as ju pihet, vetem titulli ju kihet…
Teksa fshat’ i varfër digjet… kryekurva nis e krihet!

Sidomos ju dredharakë, ju me zemra aq të nxira,
ju dinakë, ju shushunja, ju gjahtar’ në errësira!
Ç’na pa syri, ç’na pa syri!... Hunda juaj ku nuk hyri:
te i miri, te i ligu, te spiuni më i ndyri!

Dallavera nëpër zyra, dallavera në pazar,
dallavera me të huaj, dallavera me shqiptar’
Vetëm, vetëm dallavera, dhe në dëm të këtij vëndi
që ju rriti, që ju ngriti, që ju ngopi, që ju dëndi!

Nëse kombi vete mbarë, nesër ju veproni ndryshe,
dylli bënet si të duash, kukuvajk’ dhe dallandyshe…
kukuvajka gjith, me lajka, nesër silleni bujar,
nënë dorë e nënë maska, shkoni jepni një kapar!

Dhe kujtoni tash e tutje me të tilla dallavera
kukuvajka do përtypi zog e zoga si përhera…
Ja, ja grushti do të bjeri përmbi krye të zuzarve,
koha është e maskarenjve, po Atdheu i shqipëtarve!

Edhe ju të robëruar, rob në dor’ të metelikut,
fshini sofrat e kujtdoj’, puthni këmbën e armikut!
Që ta kesh armikun mik e pandehni mënçuri,
mjafton bërja pasanik, pasanik dhe «bej» i ri,
dhe u bëtë pasanik, me pallate, me vetura,
kurse burrat më fisnikë, japin shpirtin në tortura!

Vëndi qënka sofr’ e qorrit, vlen për goj’ e për lëfytë,
bëni sikur veni vetull’, shoku shokut krreni sytë…
Dhe për një kërkoni pesë, po më mir’ njëzet e pesë.
Le të rrojë batakçiu dhe i miri le të vdesë!

Po një dit’ që nis e vrëret do mbaroj’ me bubullimë,
ky i sotmi zër’ i errët, bënet vetëtimë
dhe i bije rrufeja pasuris’ dhe, kësi lloj,
nuk ju mbetet gjë në dorë, vetëm një kafshit’ për goj’!

A e dini që fitimi brënda katër vjet mizor’
nuk ësht’ yti, nuk ësht’ imi, është i kombit arbëror,
ësht’ i syrit në lot mekuar, ësht’ i vëndit djegur, pjekur,
Ju do thoni si të doni… po e drejta dërmon hekur!

Ali ASLLANI

«Etërit»

Etërit na ikën...
Në ditëvite të ndryshme.
Me vdekje të thjeshta,
si jeta e tyre.

Na ikën...
Çdo ditë e më shumë
ua numërojmë të mirat...
Ku ishim më parë
ne bijtë, ne bijat?!

Tani, që s'i kemi,
ah, dhe një çast t'i kthenim!
Të bëjmë ca rrugë
andej nga Liqeni,
t'u japim një kafe,
që s'ua dhamë te «Rinia»
dhe tutje më shumë
t'iu bëjë pleqeria...
Rradhëve mos t'i lodhim
në asnjë lloj dyqani,
Mbrëmja mos heshtojë
me sy tek ekrani.
Të nisim udhë bisedash
për botën anembanë,
një gotë, çdo mbrëmje
ta pimë me etërit tanë...

Çfarë s'japim,
t'u jepnim,
ato, që dot s'ua dhamë!
Të urtëve,
të pafjalëve,
të mirëve,
etërve tanë!

Zhuljana JORGANXHI

Unfortunate Realities

This moving story on a person with Alzheimer's—no more or less moving or sad than any other story on a person with the same affliction—goes, in my sad opinion, hand-in-hand with another fair account of advance directives, also known to dupes and loons across the country as 'death panels.'

While I realize that a person with Alzheimer's can live for many years without ever needing artificial support of the kind discussed in the latter article, I do think the former brings to light the issue of quality of life and of one's will being done over his or her body when he or she is no longer deemed capable of making rational decisions on his or her treatment and well-being.

The mind is a great thing.... Would not want to live without it.... It is hereby made known.

Lots on France & Germany

Apparently, they're hot topics for different, similar, and overlapping reasons:

Sarkozy is resented for not speaking proper French.

Merkel and her coalition face tough challenges in the upcoming elections in Germany.

French newspapers are struggling, but the government is not about to let them go belly-up; they're married, in a way....

France has found its Palin in Marine LePen. Equally crazy, undoubtedly smarter... must be watched and kept from power....

Sarkozy and Merkel fairly and objectively portrayed as an unlikely but functional pair. I can totally see the tension. And, although I do not like Merkel's general politics and her party's associations with a religion, I do think her stance on the European financial crisis is the healthiest and the most likely to guarantee the European Union's survival.

The United States of Food

If every state were represented by a specific food/dish, it would look like the image below. I have issues with some, but still... a cute idea.

(Image source, via)

Why Must We Always Unite in Grief?!

If one looks at America today and takes the speeches and images of the memorial in Arizona as the representative images of the entire nation, one would think we were the most united place on earth. I can think of only one other moment in my lifetime and recent memory when we acted similarly: after the events of September 11, 2001. If I think hard, then other events come to mind and, sadly for us, they are all lugubrious events.

We, as a nation, always seem to unite in the aftermath of tragedy and terror; we praise our freedoms, condemn the perpetrators who violate them, and shake hands with enemies political, ideological, or otherwise. We immediately follow these scenes with self-given praise on our ability to unite and overlook our differences, only to return to and dwell on those differences when positive superlatives we attribute to ourselves and our leaders have been exhausted. Once again, we become disrobed of our good-natured tendencies and are left in the nakedness of our seemingly irreconcilable differences. Political attacks ensue; accusations of all sorts fly about; commentators and other loudmouths pontificate and incite division, anger, and violence; and, as a nation, we once again lose our ability (or willingness) to come together in civil discourse and discuss our differences, accept one-another as free citizens of a country of which we are supposedly proud. We promptly fail to accept and allow diverging opinions or true bilateral compromise. Most deplorably, however, we fail to accept or allow to work the mechanics of our democracy. Instead, we become the hypocrites and charlatans we eagerly criticize in others.

Why must we always unite in grief?!

I look forward to being proved wrong on this ominous observation.

Kujt t'ia prishësh, kujt t'ia ndreqësh?!

Në një faqe të forumit Respublica lexova disa fjalë me mend nga Faik Konica dërguar një shqiptari që donte dhe ai të botonte gazetë.

Duke mos dashur të kopjoj gjithë tekstin e Konicës, për të mos përsëritur pa leje pak a shumë përmbajtjen e artikullit tek Respublica, ju ftoj të ndiqni lidhjen e mësipërme për ta lexuar.

«Të desha ty...»

Të desha ty dhe ndoshta prapë,

S'do të ndjej të tillë dashuri

Por nuk dua që shpirti im i ngratë,

Të të trishtojë e dashur përsëri.

Të desha fort, në heshtje, në vetmi,

Në drithma xhelozie vuajta shumë

Po Zotit çdo ditë i lutem tani,

Një tjetër të të dojë, si të desha unë.

A. S. PUSHKIN

Përktheu: Aleko BALLAURI

Racism is Alive and Well

And on that note: Haley Barbour can kiss goodbye his chances of becoming the Republican candidate for President in 2010, and of being elected to any office at the national level... thanks to Rachel Maddow.

On DADT

In light of the ongoing debate and in expectance of the vote on Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell tomorrow, here are a few pithy thoughts on this policy and why I think it has become such a shameful debate that needs to end with the repeal of DADT.

Last night I watched a woman fierily—though not convincingly, of course—argue that, upon entering the army, the individual signs away his or her rights to be an individual. While this may be true in the sense that the army and the furthering of its goals and duties ought to become that individual's priority, it is entirely untrue that the same individual loses or ought to lose his identity.

Individuality is not tantamount to identity. On the contrary, individuality is a much more dynamic and visible dimension that is a mere extension of a more unchanging identity. Being gay, lesbian, or any other [prefix]sexual is precisely a component of that identity, much to the chagrin of many religious leaders, and despite the erroneous thoughts of many across the country and the world who think that sexuality is a choice. Moreover, demanding that non-heterosexual members of the army keep their sexuality a secret or else they lose their job, is undue burden on them because there is no equivalent demand being made of heterosexual individuals. And, while the army may be primarily oriented around the goals it aims to accomplish, it is inevitably a social place, as well, and those social aspects are invaluable in humanizing soldiers to one another and thereby contributing to unit cohesion and bravery in times of distress.

Another argument I hear around, and especially by old coots in Congress, is that the aforementioned unit cohesion will suffer; that the fact that soldiers live in close quarters will be aggravated by someone's identifying him/herself as gay/lesbian. This, I find to be the most despicable and faulty argument. I find it faulty because it assumes that there is universal and overt bigotry in the armed forces, and, while I am not naïve enough to believe that the opposite is the case, I also do not fail to recognize that the feeling of comradeship and allegiance to their duty, as well as the shared experiences of the soldiers concerned, create a respect for human life and a regard for one another that overrides their apprehensions about a 'homosexual' in their midst.

At the same time, I find this argument despicable and disgusting because it is a masked reiteration of the 'gays want to do any guy around' argument. I use the male substantives here, because they are more often than their female counterparts accused of promiscuity, of inability to control their hormones and sexual urges, and of an indiscriminate desire to sleep with men. In other words, it equates gays to bum sex. This is absolutely offensive to gays; naturally to the gay men suffering the detrimental effects of DADT, but also to every gay man in this country who has to sit in front of the television and hear elected officials such as McCain and à la McCain reduce them to an urge to sodomize any male around. It is a spit in the face of every gay individual who sees him/herself as a productive and equal member of this society and country of ours, but finds him/herself being regarded and portrayed unidimensionally as an unnatural, aberrant mutant worthy of the bigotry and stigma s/he gets in our society at large, or even legitimately through the enforcement of anachronistic and bigoted legislation like DADT.

Too much money has been wasted schooling and training individuals, only to then undertake measures to remove them from the position for which they were trained, once their homosexuality has become known. It has been going on for seventeen years too many and it is high time that our elected officials vote in accordance with the times in which we live and with the gaping need for new recruitment in our armed forces. And although it may be too late for those perpetuating the aforementioned tired arguments like John McCain, others in his party and among the Democrats can still be on the progressive, sensible, good side of history and vote to repeal DADT on Saturday.

'Second Amendment Remedies'

Ever wonder why Sharron Angle got questioned repeatedly on her supposed 'Second Amendment remedies?' Wonder no longer: because this is one of those Second Amendment remedies, and a reason why we have a problem in this country with the Second Amendment and the way in which it is interpreted, enforced, and defended. If the individuals responsible for our schools—and I do include here those idiots in Texas and elsewhere in the country who fight science with the Bible—are not safe, where are we safe in this country? What's to stop one of my bitter or resentful students from doing the same thing?

WARNING: The video contains real guns being shot at people.

It's the Numbers, Stupid!

The chart below highlights the amount that will be saved by each income bracket indicated under the Democratic-proposed, the Republican-proposed, and the Obama-Republican plans separately.

And you wonder why liberals are angry? This country's elected officials have gone insane, starting with Obama at the top. I mean that.

No one in Washington, save for those twelve senators who voted against this plan, has the moral right to pretend to care about deficits and debts anymore. NO ONE! But they are all hypocrites so they will anyway, at the first chance they get.

Image Source