RAUL     QUERIDO

Gracias por la democracia, la libertad, el fin de la censura, el juicio a las juntas, la paz con Chile, el divorcio vincular, la Corte de Carrió, el Mercosur. Y en términos más personales, gracias por tantas enseñanzas, tanta generosidad... 

Me gustaría compartir algunas recciones por la muerte de Alfonsín de algunos amigos de Yale University, porque me parecieron sinceras y profundas.

 

Recién recibí un email de Sam Ferguson, estudiante de Derecho de Yale, que está escribiendo un trabajo muy importante sobre justicia transicional en Argentina. Lo cito:

"Amigos,

I just read the sad news.

I must say, I don't think I've ever been moved quite as I am now over the death of a politician, American or otherwise.  In many ways, Alfonsin represented what a politician should be: guided by principle, intellectually curious and honest.  Certainly, he made mistakes, and we may need another generation before he can be adequately judged.  Did he handle the economy appropriately?  Did he strike the right balance between amnesty and prosecution?  Did he expend too much political capital attempting union/labor reform, at the expense of other issues?

But I think a Los Angeles Times editorial published just after his inauguration in 1983 put it best, when it said "if politics is the art of the possible, Argentina has just expanded what can be accomplished."  He was a politician that not only Argentina should be proud of, but the entire world, and it is a sad, sad day.

The Argentines who hosted us during the linkages program were fortunate enough to arrange an interview for us with Alfonsin at his home in Barrio Norte.  I will never forget that Alfonsin devoted a large portion of that meeting to discussing John Rawls with us.  It was a stark contrast to our own leader at the time, who once said that his favorite philosopher and source of inspiration was Jesus.

Un abrazo,

-Sam"

También Owen Fiss tuvo un pensamiento que vale la pena citar: "He guided the nation at a time of need and his work will stand as a monument to the cause of human rights the world over. I, and all my colleagues at Yale, join you in mourning the death of President Alfonsín, but hope that you and all the Argentine people can take pride in all his accomplishments. They are truly extraordinary. His was a life worth living."

Y Bo Burt mandó el siguiente mensaje: "Alfonsin was a courageous man.  Historians in the future will value him more highly than many of his contemporary citizens in Argentina.  It is a shame that his vision and his commitment to democratic values did not take firmer hold during his presidency; but he was instrumental in moving your country into a better place."