Super George

Writing in the local paper. Local Issues with a global take. I never translate literally and the editor trims at will to make it fit. Here's my version, then theirs, which can now be seen online as well. 

He is like the first transnational superhero. An international superstar like the ones we see in the seemingly endless cycle of superhero movies churned out of Hollywood who stand up for what they believe in and validate our conviction or perhaps naïve hope that good always triumphs over evil. He’s our modern-day Batman and Superman but also our classic Jason and Perseo. From Palestine to Lithuania and from Christians to Muslims to non-believers alike, he’s the one who people around the world turn to when in need. In the beginning of his legend he was a Turk (well...born in modern day Turkey) who was martyred for refusing to give up his faith only to later get a 2.0 update and become a knight who slayed a dragon in Libya and who now burns another green beast on the ‘good’ side of the Mediterranean here in the main square of Caceres. Everyone has their own dragons and everyone at some time or other wishes for the help of their own personal dragon slayer. My personal hero took the shape of a persistent midwife six years ago today here in the public hospital as she went beyond the call of duty and made sure that both my wife and my about-to-be-born daughter came through that day safe and sound. Since that day, I have become more and more convinced that the traditionally accepted image of the dragon, the enemy, being from elsewhere is not actually the case. Our dragons are not the traditionally believed ‘other’ that have come to destroy everything that we hold dear but in fact are forces from here. Forces from within our society who work to dismantle and destroy it from the inside all the while conveniently blaming foreign scapedragons for the destruction they leave in their wake. Institutions like the excellent Spanish healthcare system are not under attack from foreign powers but from those who only see profit in a system for those who can afford it. The British, who also celebrate San Jorge today, fell for the same ruse and blindly voted for Brexit and the same danger is also possible here. Today’s hero isn’t a knight battling fictitious invaders but instead are the doctors, nurses and schoolteachers who perform their daily miracles, helping to preserve the accomplishments that have made this country such a great place to live.