Thanks for your comments

In the almost two years this blog has been in existence, I have been gratified to see more and more people posting their comments to what I write. Sometimes the commenters agree with me, often they do not. Always they add additional points of view, frequently with an abundance of passion.

So thanks to Miguel, Wally, Samuel, El-Visitador, Polycarpio, Mayra, Hodad26, Mysterious Me, Tambopaxi, David, gapgirl, Indira, the ever-present "Anonymous," and many others for participating in the discussions.

If you have been commenting anonymously, I encourage you to pick a screen name to sign your posts. The screen name does not need to be linked to anything and does not need to reflect your identity. But it will enhance our discussions when we can see that "BigHeartedSalvadoran" posts a comment everytime I mention pupusas, or that "Guillermo23" favors solutions to the country's problems involving grassroots organizing.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, but have not joined the dialog, I urge you to join the discussion.

If you read Tim's El Salvador Blog in e-mail or through an RSS reader, I encourage you to also visit the website for the blog. If all you read is what I write and you never see the comments, you are missing something very valuable.

Finally, I should probably point out that I reserve the right to delete comments which I find to be particularly offensive or which constitute gross personal attacks on other commenters. I do not delete comments based on points of view -- whether you are to the right of ARENA or to the left of the FMLN -- your views are welcome here. Just respect the right of other persons to express their views as well and challenge their ideas, not their humanity.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Welcome Tim.Im here.When I find the time, I read your posts and the amazing comments that sometimes go from super witty to extreme comedy.I guess when there is an element of anger , things start to sound more hilarious than desperate. I havent posted any comment lately because I am pretty sure I will be under attack anyways for my pro-right sentiments.Well,just wanna be right (no pun intended).Seriously though, I hope that the Left will give the Right the chance to continue doing the good they had long started to bring the country out of the economic backwater that it is still in.But I guess opposition is like that anywhere in the world, what else but to oppose.And then again, I am not even a Salvadoran so it is not really my call if I should go Right or Left. Just consider me a concerned voice from the international community.It is simply my opinion, I reserve the right to believe on something, and in this instance I am in favor of going Right.Oh yeah about that golf thingy , I am glad.El Salvador should have golf courses.Why not! Good day Tim.And thank you.
P.S. Chaparrastique is magnificent! El Salvador is such a beautiful country.The emerging markets of today are the Developing Countries. Time to invest in places like ES.
Anonymous said…
Right? This country has been "right" since the age of the colonies. People do not realize, that ARENA is nothing more than the OFFICIAL oligarch party, instead of what they used to be doing: just be satisfied with financing the OFFICIALISTA party (dictatorships), and let them govern 100% in your favor. It is the right that has made this nation so wrong... 17 years of official ARENA (narcs, oligarchy, businessman mafia party), and the elements that gaveway to the recent Civil War, to the civil wars before it still persists, and if not are even intensified with our humongoid CRIME RATE. Why does this happen? Can it be because our government has actually been inept in curving poverty?

Really, all what the right has to offer has been a failure in this nation. I mean, in actuality we STILL remain in the feudal periods... So "right" is anthenema to progress in this nation, that doesn't have the same background as USA. Socialism is really the only answer for this nation were the whole nation is governed for the small 5%, and millions are marginalized and forced to flee. But hey, you are entitled to your opinion.
Hodad said…
yes Tim great blog spot, thanks also and for all, stop the anonymous posts
at least give SOME name
gap girl does not have a clue it seems and nothing to contribute, so....
all else keep it up
as a Buddhist it is all about balance,
I love ES and will continue to live there and try to help
sure, I am taking advantage of CAFTA to import Carolinas food products, I am in business, but business has to be doen with conscious and forethought
it is difficult there, as the lack of common sense
and "Common Sense, IS NOT Common"
but the people are lovely and nice and need all the help they can get

greed kills,

be back soon to work with the poor fishermen
Peaace to all
El-Visitador said…
Tim,

Great blog, keep the good work.
Carlos X. said…
Hear, hear. Your blog has become as important (and perhaps more important) to my processing and understanding information about El Salvador as any other information source, bar none (with a nod here to some of the thoughtful comments posted here by El Vis. & Friends).

Saludos,

Carlos
Anonymous said…
Hello Tim,
I would like to share with you an article in El Tiempo, from Colombia, it is funny how some comments have created an almost similar effect in many blogs where El Salvador's political, economical and social events are discussed.

Warm regards! ..

http://www.eltiempo.com/opinion/columnistas/danielsamperpizano/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-3288753.html
Hodad said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said…
I like reading your blog. Keep up the good work.
Tambopaxi said…
Tim,

Congratulations and Happy Birthday to your blog! Your even-handed, courteous manner of handling the news and even more, comments, lends a tone of civility to what at times can be a rancorous community in El Sal (and within the community of commenters to your blog as well!).

As has been noted just in the comments on your anniversary posting, El Sal historically has been a politically conservative country.

I can understand the frustration of some of your commenters regarding the country's problems, especially crime. If we really want to keep El Sal as an open and democratic society though, I'd urge the non-ARENA folks to figure out a pacific and constitutional way to whip the Arenistas at their own political game: get the votes and get out the vote. If there truly is a large liberal/left voting base in the country, they need to be organized, and organized to win the next election and government. It's happened at the municipal level, so I see no reason why the left can't move the win the entire country - assuming the electorate really wants the FMLN to run El Salvador.
Anonymous said…
I need to get a screen name Ive only commented like twice but Ive been looking at Tim's Blog for the past year. Keep It Up Tim, your my main source of whats going on back in El Salvador while I'm in college and the town I'm in doesnt have a strong Cebtral American presence like my hometown.