Voices of Violence
Throughout my life and growing up I have come closer and closer to a legacy that was left to me. I have been getting more and more involved in this world of writing, opinion journalism, and politics. I recognize that my hunger for understanding all that goes on in this country grows with each passing day.
When one is a child, news and reading are things that are not fun and things that only adults or older people do. Clearly, the opinions that one had at this time in life were reduced and insignificant. But as one grows up, everything becomes more meaningful.
Being able to have my own ideas and opinions. Having the freedom to express what I think with all honesty. Not being educated to be one more erudite member of society. I have reached my most recent realization. All media, in all communities in the world, are the loudest and strongest voices and promoters of violence. As a society watches more and more violence, well, the more it learns it, the more it becomes engrained. It is through RCN and Caracol News that a child watches for the first time how the crystal bubble he lives in is shattered. It is through watching videos published by the media that he realizes the world he is living in. It is frightening!
Throughout the years of incessant violence in Colombia, the media has become sensationalist and alarmist. They have stopped telling the news, and have started changing things like murder and robbery into ways of making money for themselves. Always exaggerating, and never telling the full story. And the defenders of the right to information use self censorship as a shield.
Still, lately, I have found things completely contrary to what we always watch from 12 noon to 7 p.m. on the news, on all channels. I have found something which goes further than simple news reporting. I have run into something I have always been looking for. Something which tells everything that the news, the story, the facts and the statistics won't tell.
I watched two shows on TV, on RCN channel, which proved to me that certain things tell everything that is behind a murder. They tell a disinhibited truth. The first program was "Misión Impacto" and it spoke of the reality of regions in Colombia where the absence of State is extreme and imminent. The second, "Crónicas RCN-Police Out of Control."
In 'Misión Impacto' Catalina Escobar, for those who don't know her, is a businesswoman who unfortunately lost her son when he was very young. She created the Fundación Juanfe, which is, according to her webpage, "a non-profit organization which acts to improve the quality of life of the infant and adolescent population of the city of Cartagena. This objective is reached through integral health care, psychological and emotional support, and education in productive activities." On the show it was possible to see the reality of absolute poverty in Colombia. It showed the abuse of minors and especially young women. A reality which would make most people cry by just watching it. I had never seen so clearly in the media something so profoundly tragic. More than a "social service" for Catalina (everyone's mother) this is something which is born in the deepest part of her heart.
The second I liked much more because it was about the National Police. I think, that lots, if not the majority, of the national police sell out for as little as a cup of coffee. I might add that police in many places are exactly alike. This program showed how these individuals abuse authority. In this episode they told a story of a tragic incident for all involved. On the victim's side, not only the woman but all those around her suffered. She was a married woman. On the murderer's side, in this case a policeman, only he can tell the truth about what happened. In the episode he tells how he shot his weapon unintentionally because he almost fell off his motorcycle. An important point is that the bullet hit a woman in the mvoing car he was pursuing and was not necessarily close by.
The importance of these shows is not the reason why Catalina Escobar has such a big heart. Or knowing whether or not the policeman shot with intent to kill, or if it really was an accident and he is now the victim of injustice because of this. It is knowing that there are places, even if not many, where we can find the true truth. Places which tell exactly what happened, the reality. Places that are not sensationalistic. That don't take advantage of the violence to make it entertainment, but instead use it to tell the truth and create awareness. This is the only way we can begin to be better.
The second I liked much more because it was about the National Police. I think, that lots, if not the majority, of the national police sell out for as little as a cup of coffee. I might add that police in many places are exactly alike. This program showed how these individuals abuse authority. In this episode they told a story of a tragic incident for all involved. On the victim's side, not only the woman but all those around her suffered. She was a married woman. On the murderer's side, in this case a policeman, only he can tell the truth about what happened. In the episode he tells how he shot his weapon unintentionally because he almost fell off his motorcycle. An important point is that the bullet hit a woman in the mvoing car he was pursuing and was not necessarily close by.
The importance of these shows is not the reason why Catalina Escobar has such a big heart. Or knowing whether or not the policeman shot with intent to kill, or if it really was an accident and he is now the victim of injustice because of this. It is knowing that there are places, even if not many, where we can find the true truth. Places which tell exactly what happened, the reality. Places that are not sensationalistic. That don't take advantage of the violence to make it entertainment, but instead use it to tell the truth and create awareness. This is the only way we can begin to be better.
No comments:
Post a Comment