The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

El planton - The sit-in...cont

First of all, I am a guest here, so I cannot and will not overstep my place.  Secondly, these a complex issues made more complex by recent history, namely 2006 and the tenure of the former governor, Ulises Ruiz.  The current governor, Gabino Cué inherited one hell of a mess.... sound familiar?

If I had to posit a guess, I would say that Section 22 has over-reached, like the GOP has in the States.  There will be blowback.  People are just basically pissed off by the whole thing. 

The traveling vendors have taken advantage of the situation and compounded the logjam in El Centro.  The merchants to the south of the zocalo are a very tough, no-nonsense group.  To the north, it is a more genteel crowd, but no matter who or what, businesses need supplies and customers.

Cué has made offers and they have been rejected.  I am sure negotiations are taking place.

However, some of the teacher's demands are the equivalent of ending poverty and corruption.  Oaxaca is the poorest state in Mexico.  If ending poverty were even possible, not teaching children in school, should not be a bargaining chip, because it will take years to solve those sorts of problems.  No, this a power grab and we shall just have to see how it plays out. 

I will let the current pictures speak for themselves.

Tents around the gazebo.

Impassable paths at the northwest corner of the zocalo.

Comida set up in front of the entrance to the cathedral... looks pretty good, eh?

One of the main entrances to the zocalo.

Heading north from Benito Juarez market into the zocalo.

The Governor's Palace blocked off.

Heading up Garcia Vigil.

As I was leaving down, the Port-a-Johns truck sped by  heading into town.

Life goes on....

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