The People Working the Streets

Last night in San Cristobal de Las casas, the capitol of Chiapas state, something happened which made me think deep about the situation of the peoples working the streets. The people of the streets are those who walk around all day and night asking you to buy this or that, lowering their prices while they stare at you with a look of desperation for you to buy their goods. These people are the Maya by a vast majority as I can see. A people who, since the conquistadors, have lived in abject poverty. A people ignored by the passerby and a people not given anything resembling a helping hand.

Last night as I was drinking coffee with Andra and a horrible thing happened. A human was ignored as being so. This was around 9 or 10pm when an older lady came to our table to ask us to purchase her goods. Andra politely said no thanks and she moved on to the next table. Now at this table there were three Spanish speakers, probably Mexican, enjoying good conversation and coffee. The old lady came to the table and asked if they'd like anything but she was left with no answer. After standing there for a few seconds the people`s conversation continued and they seemed to not notice the poor lady and she left. This may not seem so bad to many people but then again so many of us lack a consiousness or an understanding for other`s situations when we`re living a secure and sometimes glutenous lifestyle. To me this is unacceptable. To deny someone as being human is a crime and rigorous humanity courses and reeducation are necessary for these sick sick three people.

Actually it's true that while your walking and eating these humans working the streets can get a bit annoying and it gets stressful having to continually say no to woman after woman, little child after little child. Maybe you think "get out!" "leave me alone!" but I can assure you this isn't their dream job. I can confidently tell you a seven year old kid doesn't want to be going from person to person begging them to buy their little figurines. This is not a job which provides one with much dignity but given the situation of many Maya throughout Mexico and Central America they do this as survival to eat, to live.

From what I've heard there is much racism in Mexico against the Maya and from things I've read the perceptions of these indegenous people are that they are lazy. I don't think working all day and night selling petty items counts as being lazy- I thinks it's getting by. This reminds me of pathetic excuses of why so many African Americans are still in deep poverty in the U.S. The most popular excuse from racists being that they are too lazy and overuse the dehumanizing welfare system which actually circulates communities through the cycle of poverty, instead of creating development such as decent jobs with decent pay and decent schools with decent training for university and vocational schools. But this would require a restructuring of the neo liberal system of inhuman economics. This would be revolution.

I hope the people of the world in every country when faced with a child or an old lady asking them to purchase their goods, remember this wasn't just of their own doing. For one, how could a child choose this destiny.

What can we do for these people in abject poverty? In my opinion we must as conciouss individuals patiently explain to the people that the people working the streets are human and not yours to look down upon. We must organize those downtrodden to be empowered. And all of humanity must invest in the lives of one and all, through development. Already here in the state of Chiapas and the capitol San Cristobal the Zapatistas are working on this task, but it will require a shift in the concioussness of humanity to accomplish it here in Chiapas and in the world. I say with them, the Zapatistas, to the neo liberals: ¡Ya Basta!