A Silence That Speaks: Ayotzinapa and the Politics of Listening
A Silence That Speaks: Ayotzinapa and the Politics of Listening
Details Written by Armando Carmona Published: 07 November 2014
The disappearance of 43 students from a rural school in Ayotzinapa, Mexico dedicated to training teachers that are mostly from indigenous communities has sparked outrage and solidarity throughout Mexico and the world. These horrible acts of violence must be understood within the context of an increasingly vile and murderous narco state.
The outrage has slowly gained momentum and grown into massive demonstrations in solidarity with the families of the 43 students. Though social media has been useful in sharing critical information and calling for solidarity, it is the strong network and infrastructure of independent media and community activists that has responded. Many have been consistently involved in engaging the struggles of the global south while actively working in their local communities.
The Ayotzinapa atrocity happened only a few days prior to the 46th anniversary of the October 2nd Tlatelolco Massacre of 1968, when around 500 students were killed and thousands were injured at the hands of police. Similar to the recent events in Ayotzinapa, the 1968 violence was largely ignored by the mainstream media and state political leaders. This silence has been historically imposed by governments and elites as part of a strategy to maintain the illusion of good governance and institutional truth.
However, the moments of silence that are most significant in the case of Ayotzinapa have been those that have been reclaimed and used to commemorate, honor, and remember the lives of the current victims of state violence. This silence is not one of apathy, disengagement or withdrawal but one of strategic refusal to participate in the dominant narratives and frameworks that reinforce violent institutions, a silence where participants are able to reflect and listen to each other’s struggles. Though a moment of silence is a common practice when mourning, or as part of a historical commemoration, recently silence has been politicized to reflect, analyze and regenerate community.
More:
http://towardfreedom.com/29-archives/activism/3715-a-silence-that-speaks-ayotzinapa-and-the-politics-of-listening