Al
Al’s Loupe
Progreso continues to
grow; let’s plan for change in 2007
By
Alvaro F. Fernandez
This
is our last edition of 2006. We will be taking a short break for the holidays.
Speaking on behalf of so many who help make Progreso Weekly possible, we hope
you and yours enjoy this time of year with family and friends. We pray that
you’re fortunate enough to do so without anyone -- even the President of the
U.S. -- determining who those persons may be.
Next
year looms big for us as a publication and also our many causes. We continue to
grow. Our readership is nearing 70,000 visitors a month which represent almost
600,000 hits. Those are not huge numbers, but, they are nothing to scoff at.
It is
why we’ve decided to continue our progress when the New Year breaks. First,
sometime in January, we will be creating a new forum for our readers which will
be linked to Progreso Weekly. In that forum, I, together with others like
Francisco Aruca and our Semanal editor in Havana, Manuel Alberto Ramy, will kick
off discussion groups and then open it up for our readers to follow. It will
allow us, for the first time, to really create a free and open space for
everyone to express opinions. We are excited about the prospects. We will make
sure that Progreso Weekly readers are aware of this new feature once it is
working.
Our
plans call for expansion of the opportunities and information we offer our
readers. We are pursuing new advertisers and we will be again reaching out to
you, our readers, for greater help in the coming year. A project like ours needs
funds to operate. It is why we are hopeful that you will help us, and continue
to help us. We have set up a Pay Pal account for those who may want to
contribute right now with your checks and credit cards:
http://www.progresoweekly.com/index.php?progreso=contribute&otherweek=1166421600
Progreso Weekly works with a very lean budget; every dollar you
contribute helps. So those who do so already please keep sending your checks and
contributions. We truly appreciate your help – the money you send is what allows
us to keep working and improving. As for our advertisers – Marazul and XAEL – we
couldn’t make it without their support. The added dollars we seek for next year
will go mainly to assure that the 70,000 visitors we receive each month become
half a million. We are convinced that our message, and the alternative
information we provide, are very important in our pursuit of a better world. A
world which requires news and analysis not slanted by special interest and other
self-serving groups and established media outlets.
Finally, as we close the year, I hope that more and more people take note of
what happened on November 7, 2006. The message was crystal clear.
Whether we like it or not, politics influences every one of our lives. There’s
just no way around it. And in this country, if we don’t like what’s happening,
there’s one sure way of changing things – voting on Election Day. And although
the number of people participating continues to diminish – something the “dark”
side looks forward to – last November enough of us used our weapon of mass
construction which sent a very loud message to the President and so many others
who, in our opinion, are helping to destroy many of the things this country
stands for.
It is
not a coincidence that in a span of less than two months since the election: (a)
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld resigned; (b) United Nations Ambassador
John Bolton also turned in a resignation; (c) We’ve seen a dynamic process which
points to major changes in this country’s Cuba policy. These and many other
developments are a direct result of what occurred on November 7 when the voters
of this country decided they wanted a change from the dangerous path we are on.
But still, on a daily basis, I run into people who refuse to participate. Many
are convinced their vote is not worth it. Others would rather gather and
complain about everything that is wrong with our system – but they refuse to do
much about it.
I say
let us use 2007 as a springboard for what we CAN do. With more than half of
potential voters in the United States not voting, a majority of people in this
country are allowing a minority to rule them. Again I say, take a look at what
has happened, and how quickly, because of the results of the midterm elections
of 2006. Our vote, all of our votes, can be the catalyst for the change
desperately needed in every sector of our society.
So let
us agree to make 2007 a year when things finally changed – for the better…
And as
we plan for this, have a happy and safe holiday season.
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