"I have no more poetry in me." Que lastima, how sad this is for me as a poet myself. Javier Sicilia was a professor in Cuenervaca, Mexico. He is brilliant, soft spoken, and a man full of pain, yet also a man full of hope. After the death of his son in Mexico City, Professor Sicilia silenced his writing. He has stated that he will begin again when the violence ends. He son was killed by United States and Mexican Government backed "drug cartels."
He spoke in Spanish to a mixed crowd of University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA, students, intellectual, and members of the community. I was in complete awe of his gentleness, and his tenderness, despite his tragic loss. He is so incredibly intelligent and he shared so much of his great wisdom with us during his speaking. He spoke to the entire audience as if he were speaking to each one of us individually. One could not help, but to be, simply moved, by his humbleness.
He is not bitter, nor angry, perhaps at one time, he was, yet he took this anger and transformed it into a movement, "Peace and Justice with Dignity." He, and many from Mexico, and others from around the world traversed every state in Mexico, and then the Caravan came up to the United States to do the same; he had a message. "It is time for change on behalf of both countries and governments."
He wants the Mexican Government to bring radical reform and usher in laws that will curtail, and put an end to the illicit drug trafficking, and the killing of so many people in Mexico. He wants the United States to become aware of how much of a part they are in this trade and violence. WE have the demand for the drugs, we send weapons of death to Mexico, and we have strangling policies that keep many peasants and farmers in poverty which allures them to plant illicit crops or the young to go astray. He wants legalization of some of the drugs brought here to the states. He wants to the United States to realize that this is not solely a "Mexican" problem...it is a United States problem as well and we are greatly responsible. Professor Sicilia told us that there have been over 60,000 deaths and over 10,000 persons missing since these "drug wars" commenced in Mexico in the mid 2000's. These are staggering totals. It is time for and end to this cycle of death and destruction from the United States to Mexico. (Since this writing in 2012, the number of missing has risen to over 60,000 and the deaths to 100,000)
A vigil was held in the South Stockton Latino Community after his talk, and a questions and answers time with Professor Sicilia at the University of the Pacific. At this lovely vigil, I had the great opportunity to meet, hug, and kiss the cheek of this beautiful man..."Let there be Peace on Earth" and Let it begin with us...
I will become a voice for this magical man, I will write poetry with him in my heart, his son, and all those who are plagued by this brutal and vicious "war on drugs" in my beloved Mexico...Paz y amor por siempre, Maria
Maria Juarez Beam...(Boheme)
Musical Selection: "Let There Be Peace on Earth"
Harlems' Boy Choir
https://youtu.be/vXFeeJ6LSMc
It is so moving...it can bring you to tears...
Here are some links to the "Peace and Justice Movement with Dignity."
http://www.caravanforpeace.org/caravan/
http://uprisingradio.org/home/2012/08/29/mexicos-caravan-for-peace-and-justice-with-dignity/
http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101745_2102138_2102238,00.html
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