Checkpoint Charlie

Almost 35 years ago, in November '89, I was assigned to support a computer installation in Berlin. There were rumors that from East Berlin, people could cross into the West. Rumors, because there was no infrastructure for the so called "citizen journalism", and the state run TV or newspapers were not reporting the early cracks of the Eastern bloc. So, I was sure my business trip to the German "Democratic" Republic would be canceled. Even after I retrieved my passport from Securitate (people were not trusted to keep their own passports at home!) I was still expecting them to cancel. But they didn't! 

I landed at Berlin Schönefeld Airport, checked in at the hotel and went out to check the rumors. I picked Checkpoint Charlie to cross, because it was the American sector, the flagship of democracy! And it was true, the Germans were letting people go out and the Americans were letting people get in.

A month later, millions of Romanians tried to expand the cracks. We went on the streets and Ceausescu's army fired at us, but... the times, they were a-Changing. Or so we thought. In fact, we only opened the door for the next wannabe communist leader and his regime. People elected him three times, althought the Constitution allowed for two mandates, at most.

Why am I telling this story now? Because, knowing what I know today, and seeing where the democracy flagship is heading towards, it seems that the Checkpoint Charlie landmark in Berlin has lost its meaning.