Colin McMahon’s June 2 article on Salvadoran gang members having learned the ropes from their Los Angeles counterparts was full of sad irony. In spite of our country’s lofty desires to spread peace in the world, we continue to contribute, for this little country, “lessons in violence.” In the past, billions in “aid” went to arm a government that sanctioned and participated in the violent killing of thousands of innocent Salvadoran men, women and children, as well as the deaths of American missionaries and the assassination of Archbishop Romero.
Now, it is frightening that, again, the best we have to offer in aid to some of the poor who have fled this war-torn country in search of peace on our streets is more violence. Maybe Mr. McMahon should go back to El Salvador and do a story on “lessons in peace” for our increasingly violent country. This time it would be more uplifting and educational to have a story about the countless Salvadoran poor who have been able to transcend “our lessons in violence” and become living examples of true peacemakers.
