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[DJ]

So,  my town of Jajce, Bosnia is currently run by Dr. Nisvet Hrnjic of SDA (the Muslim party), as HDZ (the Croat party) has lost the recent elections (their second loss in a row) due to a spectacularly poor turnout of Croat voters (I myself voted only so my Grandma would shut up).

Anyway, today HDZ put a Christmas tree in the town hall, as they do every year, and the mayor had it thrown out, citing that holiday decorations are only allowed for two days. I don't think I need to say what kind of message this sends to Jajce's Croats, especially when there's still a "Bajram Sherif Mubarek Olsun" neon sign on the town square (Bajram was more than a week ago).

Now, the situation in Jajce is getting quite heated, as everyone is discussing the event and not everyone shares the same opinion on it. I reckon people are getting restless, as we haven't had a civil war in over a decade.

Anyway, this whole artificial crisis comes at an especially convenient time. You see, Jajce had a waterfall that was going to be added to UNESCO's world heritage list. Because of this two years ago they started fixing some damage it had sustained back in '96. Well, someone squandered the funds, so it's been pretty much an abandoned construction site for a year or so. Finally, a week ago, heavy rain and snow melting in the mountains caused the water levels to rise, and the water destroyed the waterfall.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

This is gone forever. And everyone is too distracted to demand explanations.

[mainiac]

So, why don't you people vote?  Democracy doesn't do much for you if you don't.

[DJ]

Because when "our" people held the rule, they did jack shit. And there's no viable neutral party.

[mainiac]

Well, I wasn't old enough to vote in america in 2006, but if I had been able to, I certainly would have voted for a democratic straight ticket (unless I was voting in maryland 1st where Wayne Gilchrest was pretty much the last decent republican in the nation.)  I would have done this even though I fully expected the democrats to be exactly as useless in office as they turned out to be.  The reason being that I wanted the GOP to cut that shit out.  A vote to prevent bad shit from happening is an excellent vote IMHO.  I'm pleased with the useless government for the past two years because it hasn't been making matter actively worse.

[Servant Corps]

The situation in Bosina is very tense indeed, and while a recent NY Times articles on Bosina is focused more on the conflicts between the Croats/Muslims versus the Serbs (over the Muslims' attempt to abolish the Serbian republic), the idea of Croats and Muslims also having some tension seems very dangerous too. I do not live in Bosina, and hence do not know of all the particulars in the Jajce Situation, so I'm so sorry if my comments are too generalized in an attempt not to offend any specific ethnic group. I honestly don't know what is happening in Jajce, and in any event, since I don't live in Bosina and vote in Bosina, I cannot criticize anybody in there.

I merely hope for the best in your nation. I do not want to see a war. And while the death of a waterfall is bad, having the resulting water be spilt with blood would be far worse.

EDIT: Wikipedia and Google News doesn't know either what's going on in Jajce. Is this an obscure political debate that will soon get in the New York Times soon?

[DJ]

I'd be surprised if it was on the net. It's just local politics, really.

I am exaggerating when I'm describing the tensions, but they are there. Still, what gets me the most is how the political parties play those tension, and I think this is a perfect example. They're once again pulling out the tired old artificial crisis trick to divert our attention.

Basically, Jajce is half-half Muslims and Croats. When the Muslims hold the rule, no Croats get jobs in public services, and vice versa. This, combined with propaganda (which is nearly identical for both parties) about how we are in trouble if the other side wins means that one of those two parties wins every elections. So, people vote for "their" party, hoping they'll have an easier time finding a job, but it doesn't really work that way unless you're related to someone important in the party.

[mainiac]

Hope you find a third party one day.

[inaluct]

This is gone forever. And everyone is too distracted to demand explanations.[/spoiler]

Whoa, you guys have direct sunlight in Bosnia? How come L.A. never gets any of that?

[Pandarsenic]

This is gone forever. And everyone is too distracted to demand explanations.[/spoiler]

Whoa, you guys have direct sunlight in Bosnia? How come L.A. never gets any of that?

Industry. <_<

[mainiac]

Industry. <_<

Sodomy does not count as an industry.  LA has smog because of the cars.

[Pandarsenic]

Industry. <_<

Sodomy does not count as an industry.

Why not? >_>

[mainiac]

Industry. <_<

Sodomy does not count as an industry.

Why not? >_>

We would have to overturn centuries of semantic tradition.  That's not a sacrifice I am willing to ask of the honest, hardworking american people who are, incidentally, the best people in the world.  Now give me a second to wrap myself in a flag.

[IndonesiaWarMinister]

Industry. <_<

Sodomy does not count as an industry.

Why not? >_>

We would have to overturn centuries of semantic tradition.  That's not a sacrifice I am willing to ask of the honest, hardworking american people who are, incidentally, the best people in the world.  Now give me a second to wrap myself in a flag.

MEKEKEKE I HAVE SABOTAGED YOUR FLAG

HAR HAR HAR!

Edit: See the black Hinomaru?
[/jokes]

At any rate, this is an awful situation you have yourself in, OP.

[Awayfarer]

Nije dobra. (Am I saying that right?)

[Jude]

I think the problem is that there's too many goddam consonants in a row.


Anyway, it's sort of refreshing to see parties blatantly declare  themselves as aligned with certain ethnic groups. Just imagine if America had "the rural redneck and filthy rich party" and "the minorities, social activists and urban youth party".