Skip to main content

The Meaning of Easter from El Salvador, that country


Maria C. is a journalist, who just returned from El Salvador on a fellowship. Here is her post (with my edits) from an email she sent me:
I live in a country, el salvador (remember)  where 10 corpses
turn up every day and they're not just gangbangers, (we all know
that loss weighs less on the soul)400 women are killed every year
by men that promised to love them and yet I was woken up this
morning to some lady with a megaphone asking God to forgive us,
el pueblo,for murdering a man nearly 2000 years ago. 
What?!
Last Friday I wound up by mistake downtown in front of the
cathedral where they stuck Monsenor Oscar Romero's remains in
the basement. A bunch of ladies wearing ridiculously frilly lacy
veils, white,prayed as some pig faced evangelical preacher told
them that the King and Queen of Spain are in town...but you know
what...he intoned...all the powerful people (men, he said) could
come here and it wouldn't make a difference. it won't  change the
poverty, the violence, the crime, no MAN can solve those problems.
Only el Senor. And it's not just the evangelicals, I'm at the same
park in front of the same cathedral today, left the house to stretch
and get a bath of reality. The FMLN, the student communist brigade,
the committee in honor of the Virgen de Guadalupe constructed these
huge alfombras (rugs) made of painted salt, of images of the virgen or
in the case of the communists, a campesino crucified to the cross.
A street performer is bleeding from the back and his act involves
shards of glass.I can't take it so I go inside the church where an
ancient, of course, archbishop is retelling the story of the
crucifixtion, for you non catholics think Passion of Christ. 

Well that's great dude, same story 2k years later but now what do
we do? Have you looked outside, if you aren't killing someone they're
killing you. in the u.s. i would say: have you look outside to see how
good we've gotten at killing people??


Credits: Archbishop Oscar Romero, assassinated during
the El Salvadoran civil war by the military.
http://microdot.gnn.tv/blogs/21902/Say_Hello_to_El_Salvador

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can I get a VIA Bus after my cerveza?

Okay, so today I met with Juan Lopez, who, like me, rides the VIA bus. If you live in the city, the bus is pretty good if you're going north/south.  It's the crosstown buses and the 551 Looper that drives me crazy.  I wish they were more colorful, like in Mexico, and that the drivers were allowed to play their music!  This Calvinist heritage!  But I love the bus.  Babies, tattoos, the elderly, ride the bus. Humanity.   For reals. Today, Juan said something really profound. "If the city is so concerned about DWIs (Los borrachos, he means), then why doesn't VIA offer 24-hour service during Fiesta?" Are you listening, VIA? I know you offer special service for the basketball games, the Rodeo, And God knows what else... Or is the City wanting the fines from the DWIs or maybe just wants to put more borrachos in jail? http://www.viasmartmove.com
3 comments
Read more
Today is Tuesday, May 3rd, and so much has happened.  A brain tumor.  More yoga and walking.  A little less combat.  Weight dropping.  Spirit rising.  Back in the city, where I belong.  Looking for good photos to give you, organizing my crazy files.  And a new President!  So much to say, more than beating up on him -- that will only take us so far.  Time to hit the streets, challenge the fears that he represents.  Don't be afraid, no tengan miedo.  If I survived a massive brain tumor -- big as a grapefruit -- we can survive and transcend this. More tomorrow.  One day a week from now on. 
2 comments
Read more

Twelve Heads in a Bag: Hector Saldana's Krayolas painting in bold, true colors

Longleaf pines are native to the southeast United States, and their conservation status is vulnerable. Only three percent of this historic, unrottable pine tree forest that can live up to 500 years remains. With long leaf pine (no smack gum) by the comeback sensations, The Krayolas, it is clear they intend to make great music for the long haul. I’m talking about one song in particular, “Twelve Heads in a Bag,” a deceptive rock-ballad (written and sung by Hector Saldana, with Max Baca on bajo sexto and Michael Guerra on accordion). Twelve Heads… is dedicated to the beheaded victims of Mexico’s drug wars. As has been said before but needs to be said again, it is the first corrido of the 21st century and it’s for the history books. Twelve Heads in a Bag makes you want to dance with a Lone Star in your hand, no matter the barbeque stains on your Tshirt, wondering why it wasn’t you in that bag.
1 comment
Read more