Uncertainty in Santa Cruz

The pop, pop, pop of explosions is a haunting, telling sound. It has been going on for a couple of days now...the latest noise in an ongoing controversy.

I would be lying if I claimed to understand well what the conflict is about, but I know enough to say that it is about revenue from gas taxes and a new constitution for Bolivia, both of which Bolivia's President, Evo Morales, supports and therefore finds himself as the primary target of this recent disturbance.

However, Mr. Morales, even if feeling the political aftershocks of the Santa Cruz riots in his home in La Paz, is far removed from the destruction being done here, primarily by the Cruceñista youth movement who have organized the taking of several government buildings, including the nationalized phone company Entel and the local bus and train station in addition to others, even the national airport, which was quickly re-taken by the military.

Fortunately, the loss of life has not been large in number - 1 is the current death count, but every human life is precious and no amount of money from gas revenues can return that person to his or her family. There have been numerous persons injured and the excitement of the mob before destruction is contagious...

No one knows when the ransacking and rioting will end, but hopefully soon. Hopefully soon the roar of micros and taxis will not be echoed by exploding flares and tear gas... Hopefully soon we will all be able to travel back and forth freely as we did before.

It is a concerning thing to witness...the destruction of a mob. The city is a different place. It is as if the people involved allow the spirit of violence, the spirit of destruction to compromise their better judgment, their better self who respects human life and public property.

I am no expert, and don't quite know what to think, but I do know Jesus' example shows me, tells me, that violence is never justifiable...that human life is God-created and holy and that life is to be given, not taken. It makes me sad to see humans harm each other...it makes me sad that politics and manipulation have made a mob out of good people.