Check out this article The Most Dangerous Gang in America.
This article talks about how Northern VA is a hotbed for gang activity. There is an incident where a gang member hacked off another kids fingers with a machete. What is crazy is that my mom knew the attacker because she works in the school system as a translator. This article makes NOVA seem like a war zone with fighting gang memebers. I am not there anymore, but the situation is not as cut and dry as it makes it seem. It makes me sad that only way El Salvador and Salvadorians makes it into the news is because of the violence. Even up here in Vancouver people know about MS. However we don’t hear stories of hope in the media. We don’t see support for the day laborers who break their backs cleaning, building, lawn mowing there way through life. Well I got to tell you there are some Salvadorians that should be in the media. My sister just got a job at the United Way trying to develop “best practices models” for social work around the nation. One guy you should know about is Raph, a studious Salvadoran who gave up going to DC United to study in college. Ponete las pilas, hermano. You got my little mother daily saving lives in an elementary school just being present for these little kids and their families. Not all truchos are violent.

Another thought, maybe this violence on the streets of the US is the manifestation of the things they taught the para-military groups in the eighties returing to their backyard? One time I was talking to this homeless Salvadoran guy. He said that before the war there were no gangs in El Salvador. Then the nation was hit with war and brutal military tactics. The people fled to the US to urban slums where they attended the “Universities of Crime” and then were deported back to El Salvador and started gangs.

Also, I think Tony Saca’s plan and the FBI plan of the heavy hand is not the solution. This messed up system of economics where the poor remain poor has got to be changed. The poor sending their family memebers to the US has got to change too. The millions of dollars coming in daily has got to stop being used up in a consumerist culture. We got malls that would shame the best malls in the US and they haven’t brought anything to El Salvador.

So what? Well I don’t know. I am just spouting out some ideas. It is late at night and I am frustrated with the negative media Salvadorans always get. Why is it that Latin@s get into the limelight through violence and drugs? I am glad we have got some prophetic voices out there in Latin America. You guys keep shouting.

Lisa and I are going to El Salvador in July. I am excited to talk to people down ther and see what is really going on and see how things are going down there. I am excited because we will spend time with Habitat for Humanity and church in San Salvador that is making a difference down there. Hope to relay some stories of hope.