the dirty secret

remember forever ago when i wrote about the civil war in El Salvador and US invovlement ?

in 1932 farabundi marti led a peasant uprising against the oppressive government. this uprising was concentrated in the western departments, and primarily in the town of izalco. this uprising resulted in what is known as "La Matanza" ("The Massacre"). Decades later, during the uprisings and civil war of the late 70's and throughout the 80's, it is in this same area, the area who already knew what the government would do, that tried to keep a low profile, to stay in check. throughout the war, funded and trained by the us, the government perpetrated massacres and zone purgings throughout the tiny country. this was their main tactic against the guerrillas because it was what worked. and to dispel any illusions, us policy makers in support of funding the government were aware (of course they were) of the salvadoran's government's strategy. in fact the most cut through death squad of them all, called the Atlacatl Battalion was specially trained in the us.

because the dirty secrete is: the death squads work.

working at peace camp with elementary school students the past week, i keep thinking about this, this dirty secret. i work in one of the "specials" of camp -- the peace room. we try to teach peace and to model it. but how do you model peace when the kids are yelling, maybe pushing, not following instructions, and in general just being rowdy crazy kids -- partly because they are and partly because they want attention.

the dirty secret: they respond to yelling, to being shouted at and put down. they're used to it.

and here's what i concluded: violence (be it death squads or yelling or put downs) work to control. to keep people in line and obedient. but as far as inspiring development (for a country or a child) violence inspires the opposite effect. there is no learning curve or teaching that happens in violence, but rather a diminishment of spirit just exactly where it needs to be built up.

and something crazy too! not always, but sometimes, asking nicely works better! there was one day when the kids were being yelled at : quiet down! sit back! and they listened or ignored as they decided. but, the kids around me, if i would lean over tap them on the shoulder and say "could you sit down please sir?" he would. or just in general, the "if you can hear me clap once, if you can hear me clap twice, ok all eyes and ears on me!" works exceedingly well.

such discoveries. and they are little but somehow the seem soo big. and i'm not gonna lie i'm keeping notes in my head, and trying to figure out how to say " if you can hear me clap once" (si puedan oirme, aplaudan una vez ?) and what the spanish equivalent of "all eyes and ears on me!" would be.

i'm loving my kids at camp. and it feels really special when one of them whom i had been close to last fall comes and finds me again, remembering me now. and at the same time i can't wait to go back to el salvador. and it won't be with the same kids i was with. i'll be 2 hours away from there but. i'm counting.




and are you laughing yet God? 'cause i've got PLANS!! :D lol