The Political Situation in a cashew nutshell

1. Basically, Honduras had a president who was a total doofus. He did raise the minimum wage and blew a lot of sunshine in the direction of the poor, but his moves were straight out of the Central American Populist Semi-Dictator Handbook. His alignment with Castro, Morales and Chavez had many (read: anyone with money or land at stake) uneasy. His handlebar moustache, white Stetson, and penchant for breaking into vaguely nauseating patriotic songs were bad enough. Then he pushed for a vote that would allow a change in the constitution so he could run for President for another term and, so, then....

2. Congress and the Supreme Court told him: No. 

3. When the president continued his actions, the government reacted.

4. Read that last part again: the military didn't have a dog in this fight at all. They didn't forcibly remove Zelaya from power, Congress and the Supreme Court did and the generals followed orders. So when we Honduran residents  hear "coup," we get defensive. This was a removal from office of an elected official of dubious legality, yes. It looks bad, sure. We get that. But you must admit it was a pretty slick ouster, as ousters go. The whole mission was made easier by the fact that the Spongebob pajamas Mel was wearing at the time of his arrest had those bootie-footsies, so he slid across the marble floors of the Presidential Palace with speed and grace, if not dignity, immediately before his capture.

5. God, we wish that last part was on YouTube.

6. We wish the OAS and US officials like Obama and Clinton would stop acting like Mel's return will infuse all of Honduras with the radiant light of peace and justice. We understand the US hands-off policy, the PC value of it and all, but as we're learning it's different when you live here and have to deal with the stigma of a travel ban and everyone saying "Coup!" all the time. Even Jon Stewart said it was a coup. It's like the Scarlet Letter. 

6. Sometimes it's so embarrassing you just want to hunker down in a hammock.

Coup coup cash-ew.