Lately, the country is in a state of half shock because public universities are "full" of infiltration of the FARC. All for a few videos of the District University of Bogotá, where a group of hooded speaks to students in first semester. In a speech otherwise trite and actually speaking a lot but says nothing. Cry and you're a consigans. And the audience was not even excited, I think that hardly applaud. Actually implemented something they have done the "troublemakers" throughout history. Disrupted a public event and drove his cart. You can see for yourself here.
But RCN and Caracol, in search of a scoop, have made a scandal and
so. And speak the senators, presdiente, ministers, rectors ... in Anyway, which displayed them, probably all talked less reasonable college student. And the fuss that has adversely affected the image of the university and the collective imagination of Colombia. A collective imagination greatly influenced by the media.
The image of public universities to Colombia is very rare. On the one hand, the academic level of these institutions is not disputed. Skip to the U.S. public is not at all easy, and is considered a privilege to study there. They are respected throughout the country, the relevance of their research, and provide professional and productive force in Colombia with high level students. When one says that studies and to go beyond well, they look like you're in a fight academic endless, and you can feel a kind of admiration in his eyes. But despite all these estgima always loads the revolutionary student, as a legacy of the lengthy strikes and leftist movements of the 70. And the stigma has always been there, although it is not true for the entire student body, and world events as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the evolution of the guerrillas in Colombia have not changed the perception of the left (or at less than the path of armed struggle) of most of the student body. While the student movement remains a
But until Now, these stigmas have been more or harmless phenomenon. At least for the bulk of the population. You know things are not so, plaster become part of popular culture, and one laughs at it. Not all students of the public are left U also because not all students at the Universidad de Los Andes are Gomel, not all biologists pulled marijuana, and all the pretty girls who study media are dumb girls with prospects of becoming beauty queens.
Still, one can not ignore the reality of your country or your university. Someone once commented that the public university is a miniature mirror of the country. And the presence of guerrilla and paramilitary it is a reality. And the threats are flying right and left. But it's not automatically on entering one is recruited or threats. A student of mass these things or what you are worrying about staying up late or, in most cases is too busy throwing her dogs to her friends or studying for a partial. But if you want to search for guerrillas encountered. The paramilitaries also. Their presence is evident in graffiti, and can panfeltos one or other mail. And again the example of the mirror in miniature, the Colombian city, but you know there is guerrilla warfare and paramilitary groups in his country continue with their lives, with the concerns of everyday life. And while many of us hurts the country, see us continue our lives without directly affected by the circumstances. Something similar happens to the student who is a student and now.
While the thought of openly professing left, this is not an ideological imposition. The student movement strongly opposed the current government, but it is not merely a reactionary attitude, the Uribe government has not been particularly beneficial to public universities. In addition, the student movement is becoming less representative, since most students have developed a position of apathy towards politics inter and extra university. The strikes still exist, but that last are as thorny topics that can have a harmful effect on U. Bush's visit or the FTA provide for a demonstration with potato bombs a day. And fewer and fewer students support this type of action, do not feel represented with this facet of the movement.
precisely these violent actions that have the country off the floor. And the press today is echpandole fuel to the fire, while in the collective imagination of all students in public universities we become guerrillas, and for them this is confirmacon that disagree with the Uribe government, and that worries Piedad Córdoba for the safety of the student representatives. I think this bad reputation is very harmful, and may improve the balance of opinion towards support issues for the University as dangerous as the entrance to the campus police to arrest students or less budget support for eduacion, if that money as "the going to waste the guerrillas there. " These violent protests are a real problem, but the repressive methods, rather than diminish them, surely increase. Other approaches are needed. Another consequence of this is that many students at that age where they study increasingly considered less the option of studying in the U.S. public, and this is a big loss for college and for themselves.
This point seems particularly sad. For those who do not know I am a student and a graduate of State University. Passing on the Nacho was an incredible experience, apart professionally, enriched my outlook on life, society and people. I left a school in Medellin bed throws, and joke that my colleagues said they knew more Miami Laureles, although in many cases I was right. Being in the nacho made me break a lot of bubbles, and look at my reality with more critical eyes. And sharing with people whose economic situation is very different from mine confirmed me know that all are equal, and that one can find common ground in their thinking with people very different past. Going through public U made me break social stereotypes, me and my teammates. That's how you create country, undifferentiated from other people, not believing that we are poor against the rich. It does not feel different, and work for what will suit us all. I would hate to see the private university students, although they pay other universities, decide to study in public universities. Whatever the reason may be. Public means that across the country, not just those who can not afford private schools. The current bad press and stigma, make the Public University is the least attractive option, although it may end up being the best option of all. For everyone.
I leave with the publisher of The Spectator today . In my opinion it is a very clear and correct the situation.
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