Day of the Young Combatant

To fight is youth

Is there any group more vilified these days than youth? Though we used to say "the children are our future", it seems nowadays all we hear about is how morally corrupt, untrustworthy, and lazy the youth of today are (and I have a feeling this goes deeper than because they skate around the mall in heelys). News reports and talk shows constantly ask what can be done about today's immoral youth. Rarely is it mentioned that in going to war in Afghanistan, we attacked a country where 43% of the population is under the age of 14, or that 40% of the population of Iraq is under the age of 15 (let alone that a decade of US-backed UN sanctions before this had led to the deaths of half a million Iraqi youth and children). Or even closer to home, no one talks about how the United States has the highest poverty rate for minors in the industrialized world at 21.9%.

So when I found out that in both Chile and Taiwan days which celebrated youth would be held, I got excited. Finally, there were some countries that wanted to celebrate everything good and praiseworthy about youth. I decided to take the Chilean route, since I figured it would be easier to make completos than stinky tofu. Imagine my partial dismay then, when reading into it more I discovered that Chile's Day of the Youth Combatant was not only not an official holiday, but also a day celebrated with acts of vandalism, civil disorder, and anarchy which in turn disrupts the infrastructure of all major Chilean cities (and to be sure, at least some of them are going to be sporting heelys).

Well let's get a little bit of history first before being too judgmental. From 1973 to 1990 Chile was a military dictatorship ruled by Augusto Pinochet. Two young combatants and revolutionaries of this time, Rafael and Eduardo Vergara Toledo, were assassinated by the government on March 29, 1985. Since the end of the Pinochet regime and a return to sanity, the day has been commemorated with increasingly violent protests, pillaging, and acts of vandalism.

Sorry Chilean Youth, but the earthquake vandalized this building first

Maybe I am getting old, but I find the spirit of the day more agreeable than the actions. It is hard for me to condone mob violence meant for a man who's been out of power for twenty years. But then again, it's not my country, and I'm not the one who lost a compatriot. Of course, we'll have to see how "celebrations" go this year, since thousands of Chileans are still suffering as a result of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake last February. An article in the Santiago-based newspaper La Tercera published this article (which is in Spanish, but you can always use Google Translate) today titled Los verdaderos jóvenes combatientes son los miles de voluntarios que han ayudado a reconstruir (The true youth combatants are the thousands of volunteers that have helped with reconstruction). The article quotes several local leaders asking that the commemorations for the day be civil and peaceful.  The vice-president of a national youth organization has said, "The nation requires unity at this time, and so we call on those who want to commemorate this date, to do so remembering those Chileans who are still suffering." Let's all hope the day plays out peacefully.

Ensalada Chilena and a Completo

On to the topic of hot dogs then: they're great. If you don't like them, perhaps it's because your mom always bought the cheap ones and boiled them. But if you've had the real deal, it's heavenly. I'm a fan of Chicago-style hot dogs myself, where they virtually build a salad on the thing, although Gray's Papaya in Manhattan is probably the best all around dog I've ever had. Chile is also known for their style of hot dog, called a completo (meaning "complete"). The key to dressing a completo is in the following ingredients: avocado, diced tomatoes, and mayonnaise (and if you want to be truly South American, there should be more mayonnaise than meat). Sauerkraut, Ketchup, Mayonnaise, and ají chili sauce are all optional.

The final product topped with sauerkraut and hot sauce

We had the whole thing with a side of Ensalada Chilena, but I've really got to rave about the completos. A chili dog is good, but really quite a heavy meal. Something about the avocado and mayonnaise makes this a much lighter, refreshing affair. It might be just the thing for a springtime afternoon, and I'm sure it would go down just as well at a summer barbecue.