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.

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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

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Between Marat and Robespierre..

This has got to be my favorite description of where the teachers of Section 22 stand..... and it sounds exactly like where the GOP in El Norte stands.
From noticiasnet.mex:
La Sección 22 del Sindicato Nacional de los Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE) vive su propio drama de Marat y Robespierre, es decir entre moderados y radicales. Los primeros proponiendo una revisión de la movilización iniciada el 19 de agosto y los segundos, exigiendo la continuación del movimiento hasta lo que parece una utopía: la derogación de las leyes educativas.

En medio, el dirigente del Comité Ejecutivo Estatal, Rubén Núñez Gimez, sufre su propio conflicto interno: soportar las acusaciones de “traidor” y las rechiflas de sus propios representados o ceder ante los extremistas del todo o nada.

Section 22 of the National Union of Educational Workers (SNTE) lives its own drama of Marat and Robespierre, i.e. between moderates and radicals. The former proposing a revision of the mobilization started on 19 August and the latter, demanding the continuation of the movement up to what looks like a utopia: the repeal of the educational laws.

In the Middle, the leader of the State Executive Committee, Rubén Núñez Gimez, suffers his own internal conflict: be called a 'traitor' or give in to extremists of all or nothing.
I am trying to go easy on the situation in the US, but holy shitski, the place has clearly gone over the deep end.... and the whole world is watching... with mouths agape.... and hoping against hope that they do not choose to crash the world economy, which it sure looks like they are hell bent on doing. 
Also, too, if you f*ck up my remaining existence by vaporizing my existing money... I will be upset.

3 comments:

Lopez Kilpatrick said...

Every week we ask if our niece is back in school, and every week it is the same thing... not yet. This weekend they told us that maybe by middle of October. We can only hope.

Anonymous said...

...and what about when they return to Oaxaca?
Will it be our turn for a 'planton', 'bloqueos,' 'marchas' etc.
Thank god they were in DF since August and not here!

Christopher Stowens said...

We will see what happens. It is simply a mess and the kids lose the most. It is interesting, but the press seems to want to push news about all of this off the front pages.

I am sure when/if they ever return, it will be tense, at least for a while.