Photos From the Left

Along Seventh Ave, near where students were protesting today, somebody hung these photos portraying Colombia's troubles. The photos also seemed to equate terrorism with 'imperialism' and capitalism. 

That's a simplistic and one-dimensional view of Colombia's situation. Part of the roots of Colombia's chronic violence certainly do lie in its unequal wealth distribution and government corruption and rights violations. But does that mean that the violent, self-declared 'socialist' guerrillas - who violate human rights on a massive scale - are in the right, as the photo display seemed to suggest?

One of the photos says 'Against imperialist terrorism, don't purchase their products.'

A criticism of a homage to Andres Lopez Galarza, a Spaniard who founded the city of Ibague and was mayor of Bogotá - but also massacred indigenous people, according to the photo. Similarly, perhaps, Andrew Jackson, who traded slaves and drove Native Americans from their homes, is a disgrace to U.S. currency. We can lament the past, but we can't change it. But we shouldn't celebrate parts of it, either. 

Tombs of peasants allegedly murdered by the military. 

Bolivian Pres. Evo Morales and Venezuelan Pres. Hugo Chavez, two icons of the left, at a 'Peoples conference against climate change and for the rights of Mother Earth.' But Morales has been declared an enemy by Bolivian indigenous peoples for supporting a highway thru indigenous territory, and Chavez deeply subsidies gasoline, feeding pollution and providing a handout to the rich and big corporations.

A homeless man sleeps on the sidewalk under graffiti saying 'Long live the popular battle.'

'The new false fatherland calls us to take up civil disobedience.'

Celebrating Argentine-Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara. But wasn't an Argentine who tried to start revolutions in Africa and Bolivia an example of imperialism or something?

Corrupt politicians, mafia and injustice - for how long? That depends on us.' True enough.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours