Last thoughts on Honduras

Most everyone in Honduras is in the same spot of scraping for work and wondering if it is all worth it.  Most all are young, full of energy and what the U.S. would consider poor. 

One thing this trip has made me consider is the broad definition of the word "gang".  The battle between gangs is the repeated objection against gangs from Honduran people.  The second major complaint is the "war tax".  The "war tax" is essentially extortion for what gangs claim are protective measures from the enemy gang in the neighboring barrio (neighborhood).  The safest neighborhoods are the ones where there is no question as to who runs it, thus not as much bloodshed.  

 One of my last interviews was with an high ranking officer of FUSINA.  We talked about the repeated offenses of murder and kidnapping by people dressed as the police and he explained to me that somehow gang members steal police uniforms.  I think we both knew that it is very likely that the gangs didn't have to steal anything.  

We also talked about how the police wear masks to protect their identities.  If one is to be a legitimate police officer they will be in great danger to live in just about any of the barrios within Tegucigalpa.  However if the police are as corrupt as most of the people in Honduras have told me, then an honest legitimate police officer will be in great danger being within the police force as well.  

How deeply this corruption might perpetuate throughout every branch of government is beyond my knowledge.  Without doubt though, Honduras is percolating, full of desire, potential and possibility.  Full of people wanting to work.  

But it would be wise to not pity them for being poor.  As the amputee migrant told me in an interview, "poverty does not mean death or even a miserable existence."  I would add that perhaps it is easier to live a miserable experience within wealth and with the fear of losing your wealth, hence miserly.  

Being poor means to be tightly tied to a bigger community, whether by choice or by necessity.  Each individuals fate is closely tied with the fate of the whole much moreso then within the wealthy communities.

A friend described it to me perfectly the other day, he said he was saving up some "Fuck you" money.  That is money that gives him the security of knowing that at some point he can tell his boss "Fuck you."  Eventually he can save up enough "fuck you" money and move to Tahiti if he so desires.

This affluent independence makes our communities weak.  It also makes us more prone to depression.  It is difficult to fortify this concept in words and it sounds trite coming from an outsider whose economic existence has always been somewhat better.  My only defense is that I can feel this truth, in every barrio and village I walked into.

I want my share of comfort and the power of being able to walk away independently.  There is nothing wrong with that desire, but with its acquisition comes unintended consequences. 

Ultimately the strength of every community and individual must come down to resiliency.  

There was a man that spoke English in El Chimbo that I ran into occasionally near the banana stand.  His front neck was scarred from the removal of a large tattoo.  He was waiting a year to try to cross the border again because he was on probation.  The probation specified that if caught trying to cross again he will be in prison for 7 years.  He told me all of this tired after a 10 hour shift of heavy construction labor for which he profited the equivalent of one hours pay from McDonalds.  Frustration seethed from him as we talked. 

He was at such an economically rigged disadvantage and yet with this knowledge he still awoke every morning for an honest day of work.  How much stronger Honduras would be if only he could be paid his worth in his own country, rather then feel the need to leave for a foreign land and to send his honest pay back.*

It is inherently unfair and is hard to fix, but is not beyond repair.

* This (remittances) actually accounts for around 20% of Honduras GDP - http://www.indexmundi.com/honduras/economy_profile.html