History on Fire
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EPISODE 104: The Saint And The Death Squads
🕑 Added 2024-02-13 07:34:03 +0000 UTC
“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter he kingdom of God.” — Matthew 19:24
“And the great owners, who must lose their land in an upheaval, the great owners with access to history, with eyes to read history and to know the great fact: when property accumulates in too few hands it is taken away. And that companion fact: when a majority of the people are hungry and cold they will take by force what they need. And the little screaming fact that sounds through all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed. The great owners ignored the three cries of history. The land fell into fewer hands, the number of the dispossessed increased, and every effort of the great owners was directed at repression. The money was spent for arms, for gas to protect the great holdings, and spies were sent to catch the murmuring of revolt so that it might be stamped out. The changing economy was ignored, plans for the change ignored; and only means to destroy revolt were considered, while the causes of revolt went on.” — John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath.
I’d like you to picture some of the most awful human beings you could possibly imagine… genocidal maniacs, torturers, child rapists. Got the picture? Ok. Now I’d like you to imagine if you can conceive of any circumstances in which not only you wouldn’t do everything in your power to stop them, but you would actually support them. Can you think of any scenario that would warrant you supporting people like that? Can you picture yourself fighting hard to make sure they have millions of dollars and supplies to carry out their activities? Keep your answer in mind for the remainder of this series.
This is a story about what happened in El Salvador in the 1970s and 1980s, and the role that democratic as well as republican administrations played in this tale. As much as humanly possible, I’ll try to let the facts speak for themselves and not inject too much of my own commentary. It’s not always going to be easy since it’s an intensely emotional subject. In a larger sense, this tale is a microcosm of the Cold War itself. It’s a disturbing, unsettling story about starving peasants and impossible choices. It’s about President Carter’s words weighed against his actions. It’s about the US government’s efforts to cover up the murders of four American churchwomen. And it’s about the heroism of one man, Oscar Romero, willingly sacrificing himself to shine a light into the darkness.
Comments
History on Fire
In a little over a week for the general public, but sooner here on Patreon. I'll try to publish it on Wed here
J Raza
Just out of excitement and planning some focus time for the episodes, any rough idea when we are getting the part 2? My query in no way is about getting it out quicker, take as long as you feel like to do justice. Positive wishes,
History on Fire
Thank you for that suggestion. I'll check it out!
Nelson Bonilla
Great episode! My family is from El Salvador and I'm always looking for great sources on Salvadoran history. I'm not sure if you came across this book in your research, but if not, I highly recommend the book titled "Enrique Alvarez Cordova: Life of a Salvadoran Revolutionary and Gentlemen" by John W. Lamperti. It's about the former minister of agriculture who came from a very prominent family and tried many times to implement land reform, but was blocked at every attempt. He started a worker owned co-op farm called El Jobo - one of my uncles worked there. Eventually he was murdered for his attempts at reform.
