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Issue 6:

 

 

Article 2: (en Español)  Katrina, un Espejo de Nuestra Realidad    Por: Zulma Prieto
                  (in English) Katrina as Our Daily Mirror

Zulma Prieto is editor of El Puente, this area's Spanish newspaper. Zulma is also a great community activist, concerned about all people who are downtrodden in our society. While this month we celebrate Hispanic Heritage in the United States, Zulma does not want us to forget the inequalities that exist and were evidenced by the tragedies associated with Katrina. Read her article, think about the issues it raises, and, hopefully, it will move you to work for greater equality and justice for all. Read her comments in either English or Spanish -ED-

 
 
 

Katrina, un Espejo de Nuestra Realidad      Por: Zulma Prieto

Katrina nos est?dando la oportunidad de mirar  nuestra realidad, tanto nacional como localmente.  Ante esto podemos escoger el apuntar a las muchas fallas que ocurrieron en el sur del pa?.  En esa forma nos absolveremos de cualquier responsabilidad de la situaci? vivida por los pobres en cualquier parte del pa?, o podemos decidir ir un paso m? all?nbsp; del enfoque folkl?ico acerca de las culturas y la diversidad.  En esa forma podemos empezar a cuestionar la realidad de un pa? que gasta m? dinero en defensa y castigos que en educaci? y prevenci?.

Katrina le ha mostrado al mundo que hay un tratamiento injusto de seres humanos en este pa?.  Adem? nos mostr?que aquellos que fueron dejados atr? en el momento de la crisis ya hab?n sido dejados atr? en la vida diaria, en todas las oportunidades econ?icas y sociales que cada uno deber? tener en este pa?. 

Cada d? los medios de comunicaci? nos muestran m? detalles que evidencian la total desorganizaci?, falta de cuidado e irresponsabilidad que tuvo lugar en todos los niveles de la administraci?, del Presidente para abajo pasando por todos los servidores p?licos y oficiales designados de cada jurisdicci?. 

Katrina desenmascar?muchas caras de la realidad.  Nos mostr?una tragedia que no ocurri?en un d?, sino por el contrario, tuvo lugar como una despreocupaci? por  vidas humanas que se va acumulando, por lo cual termin?en la muerte de muchas de ellas.  Antes de que se presentara el hurac?, hubo a?s de falta de fondos para resolver el problema de las compuertas de los diques que cedieron y produjeron la inundaci? de la ciudad.  A la vez, hubo una total falta de atenci? a las ?eas empobrecidas, que no son visitadas por los turistas, ni eran de importancia para el flujo comercial de productos en los puertos importantes. 

En ingl? la  expresi? ?Acto de Dios? se refiere a un desastre natural, pero cuando los dineros necesarios para reformar los diques  se gastaron en actos de Guerra fue ese un ?Acto del Gobierno??, o simplemente un ?Acto de la Humanidad??  Y tenemos que aceptar la expresi? de un ?Acto de Dios? cuando una vez m? fallamos en no ver que la causa del cambio del clima se debe a la mala utlizaci? de los recursos naturales. Estados Unidos decidi?no firmar el tratado de Kyoto que controla los problemas medioambientales a pesar de que este pa? emite m? del 25% de los gases que contaminan la tierra y produce los cambios climatol?icos, y sinembargo decide seguir usando los recursos para beneficio de unos pocos en detrimento de la mayor?. 

Podemos continuar mirando hacia otro lado mientras cubrimos nuestros errores, pero tarde que temprano los errores producen caos y muerte.   

Tambi? podemos continuar dici?donos que el mundo debe aprender de nuestra democracia, orden e igualdad de oportunidades para todos, pero no podemos ignorar que le estamos fallando a nuestra propia gente aqu? en casa.  La gente del sur no tuvo la representaci? debida, ni se les consult?acerca de los asuntos que les afectaban directamente y las decisiones se tomaron en base a los intereses comerciales. 

Una tragedia como la que se present?con Katrina, nos permite reflexionar acerca de la muerte, pero sobre todo acerca de la vida. La mayor parte del tiempo es m? f?il ver los errores y fallas en forma lejana; al fin y al cabo si uno es espectador puede enjuiciar a otros de lo que se hizo mal o no se hizo, pero quiero aprovechar esta oportunidad para invitar a la gente local a examinar si existe la pobreza en esta ?ea y cuales son las causas de la misma.  Tenemos situaciones aqu? que dejan indefensa ante el poder a una parte de la poblaci??  He escuchado a varios inmigrates comentar que han sido contratados por cinco d?ares la hora.  Es ese un salario que permite alimentar a una familia o tener vivienda apropiada?  Tambi? he escuchado a otros a quienes se les ordena trabajar horas extras, pero no se las pagan a lo que manda la ley; por el contrario, les ordenan marcar su tarjeta de tiempo de salida y usar una nueva para otro turno, evitando asi tener que pagar el tiempo y medio por hora que se?la la ley.  Qui? controla estas situaciones y qui? escuchar?sus quejas? 

De acuerdo a la gente que est?en control, estos inmigrantes no tienen derechos pues est? indocumentados. Sin embargo, las compa?as que los contratan contin?n haciendo m? dinero por esta clase de situaci?. 

La mayor? de la gente no quiere ser un caso de caridad.  Ellos no desean ser los receptores de los pavos de Acci? de Gracias y las canastas de Navidad anuales, ni quieren estar en fila para recibir donaciones.  Ellos prefieren recibir un salario justo.  Si usted estuviera en esa situaci?, c?o le gustar? ser tratado? 

Sabe usted lo que ocurre en su ciudad?  Ha tenido la oportunidad de escuchar a una persona que no est?debidamente representada? 

Podemos hablar de diversidad y de la maravillosa oportunidad de mezclarnos con gentes de otras culturas, pero queremos ir m? all?de lo folkl?ico, a la vida real de esos individuos? 

Al momento de hacer decisiones, asistimos a las reuniones donde algunos hablan de los asuntos pero no hay representaci? de la gente afectada por el problema?  Si ese es el caso lo que tenemos aqu?es una situaci? que puede terminar en un dique roto con aguas de violencia y estamos siendo parte de la acumulaci? y la ruptura.

Katrina as Our Daily Mirror           By Zulma Prieto

Katrina is giving us the opportunity to really look at our reality both nationally and locally.  We may choose to point fingers at the many wrongs that have taken place in the South therefore absolving ourselves of any responsibility for the situation lived by the poor everywhere in the country.  On the other hand we may decide to go a step further from
the folkloric approach to cultures and diversity and start questioning the reality of a country that spends more in defense and punishment than in education and prevention.

Katrina has shown the world that there is an unfair treatment of human beings in this country.  It also showed us that the people left behind at the time of crisis had already been left behind in daily life by all economic and social opportunities that everyone ought to have in this country.

Each day the media brings out more details that point to the total disorganization, lack of care and irresponsibility that happened at all levels of the administration, from the President down to any of the civil servants and appointed officials of each jurisdiction.

Katrina uncovered many faces of reality.  It showed a tragedy that did not take place in one day; on the contrary it was an accumulation of disregard for human lives that ended in the death of many of them.  Before the hurricane there were years of lack of funds to solve the problem of the levies that gave way and flooded the city. Along with that there was the lack of attention to the poverty-stricken areas that were not visited by tourists, nor were they important for the commercial flow of products at the important seaports.

In English the expression an "Act of God" makes reference to a natural disaster, but when the moneys needed for the levies were spent in act of war is that an "Act of government"? Or is it just an Act of Humankind?  And do we have to accept the expression an "Act of God" when once more we fail to see the cause for climate change due to the bad use of the natural resources.  United States decided not to sign the Kyoto agreement that would control environmental problems.  This country issues more than 25 % of the gases that pollute the earth and produce the climatological changes, yet it decides to go ahead in its way of handling the resources to benefit a few to the detriment of the majority.

We can continue to look the other way while covering for our mistakes, but sooner or later the accumulation of errors produces chaos and death.  

We can also continue to tell ourselves that the world must learn from our democracy, order and equal opportunity for all, but we cannot ignore that we are failing our own people at home.  The people in the South had no true representation nor were they consulted when issues that affected them directly were resolved to the benefit of more commercial interests.

A tragedy like the one presented by Katrina has the opportunity to make us reflect about death, but above all about life. Most of the time it is easier to see the failures and mistakes if you are detached from the situation. If you are a spectator you can pass judgment on what others did wrong or what was left undone.

I would like to invite the local people to examine whether there is any poverty in this area and what causes that poverty. Do we have any situations here that leave a portion of the population defenseless before the management of power and authority?   I have heard from several immigrants that they are hired for five dollars an hour. Is that a salary that would
allow a person to feed a family or have appropriate housing?   I have also heard from others how they are ordered to work overtime, but they are not paid the overtime according to law. Instead they are told to "punch their card out" and punch in again as if working a new shift so the companies do not have to pay the workers overtime.  Who controls these situations?  Who will hear their plight?  

According to the people in control, these immigrants have no rights because they are undocumented. Nevertheless the hiring companies can make more money if they continue with this kind of situation.

Most people do not want to be charity cases.  They do not want to be the recipients of big Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas baskets once a year, nor do they want to stand in line for handouts; they would rather have their rightful salary.  If you were in such a situation how would you like to be treated?   

Do you know about what happens in your own city and town?  Have you ever taken the opportunity to listen to an under represented person?

We can talk about diversity and the wonderful opportunity of mixing with peoples from other cultures but do we want to go beyond the folklore into the real life of those individuals?  

At the time to make decisions do we attend high-level meetings where people talk about the issues, but where there is no representation of the people suffering the problems?  If that is the case what we have here and everywhere else is a situation that may end in a broken levy with flooding waters of violence, and we are been part of the accumulation and rupture.

 

 

  
 

Article 3:(en Español)  Celebrando la Riquenza de Nuestra Cultura Hispana    by Carlos Caraballo
           (and in English) Celebrating The Richness Of Hispanic Culture

Carlos Caraballo of Schenectady, NY describes the origin of Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration.
Carlos is Director of the Better Life Empowerment Center in Schenectady. The Center provides basic skills development and computer training for low income persons in the Schenectady area.  -ED-
 

  
 
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