I have to admit that I agree with a large part of Ron Smith’s response. However;

Although del Castillo's was thorough in her article, and again I do not disagree with sections of it, I still feel it falls far from being completely factual, relying on fear and hypothesis as much as actual fact. Using experiences in Central America as a template to what WILL as opposed to what MAY happen as used by Mr Smith, is again conjecture and not evidence. In spite de Castillo’s fears I cannot see EVIDENCE that running twice for Election is tantamount to starting to dismantle the Colombian constitution. Conjecture yes, evidence no. History will prove one of us right. And are alterations to a constitution always a bad thing…. Just how many amendments to the US constitution are there??  If altering constitutions is automatically a bad thing would you rescind all of them? To write that this indicates that Uribe intends to maintain power for generations is pure unsubstantiated fantasy.

The paramilitaries are considered by most Colombians to have had the support of whichever Colombian president was in power. Not just Uribe. This state/paramilitary co-operation has always been considered to exist. Some say the paramilitaries were started by the government. Should it exist? Of course not! No right minded person would support this behaviour, whether it had support from The United States or not. Narco News has achieved many things but if you are implying that Narco News has broken new ground in establishing this link, you are blowing your own trumpet way to hard. Admirably it continues to report it, but it didn’t establish the link!!

In relation the differences between the guerrillas and the paramilitary I can make no distinction. They are both funded by undesirable methods and I fail to see why a death funded by the state is more tragic than one funded by drug trafficking. They are both wrong, end of story!! Smith’s implication is that US support for a group, makes that group somehow more dangerous or deadly. I have news for you, bullets kill, whoever is pointing the gun and the tragedies of those deaths are the same for the families, whatever uniform is worn or who ultimately paid for the bullet. For the Colombian people it is dependent on where they live geographically as to which group they are more scared of. To the south of Cali in Puerto Tejada or in Santander right in the middle of a red zone, the guerrillas are the main source of fear. To the north past Buga it will be more the paramilitaries. In Cartagena they don’t really seem to consider them at all!!

Why is it so common within these pages for individuals to make personal comments as to a writers experience or perceived lack of it. The implication being that, if I had their experiences, I would think like them! As I think differently then I must have no experience………I just have a different opinion and I choose to exercise my right to free speech, hey hang on, that’s an amendment to you no? And amending constitutions is bad, no? And ironically Narco News has good reason to support that amendment doesn’t it? So let’s be clear; constitutional amendments are not, in principal al least, in themselves necessarily a bad thing!!

So for the record, when I am in Cali I work almost exclusively in the barrios Aquablanca and Calvario (I worked until recently among the people in El Basuro de Nevarro, until it closed) and I do not accept Ron Smiths conclusions about needing some kind of enlightenment thank you. I am entitled to my opinions and I would not presume to assume that Mr Smith’s opinions are not experience based, well thought out and valid, even if they sometimes contradict mine.

I use the word bigotry unashamedly. When someone refuses to accede to any point because it differs from their ideology, I call that bigotry. Narco News does an excellent job bringing the news that is ‘missing’ from most media sources. However, it still has, in my opinion, to try to be balanced to be ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ using my definition of these words. (I accept others have a different opinion) However, on occasions it is as much opinion page stuff as it is front page. And then, as the writer has moved away from fact, I feel they need to be able to offer alternatives to the things he or she finds unacceptable.  This is not an attempt to ease my conscience, (why would you consider it needs easing?) it is because I want you to tell me what the alternatives are. How hard is that… of course if you don’t actually have a thought out reasoned alternative, it does become a problem maybe!! I welcome reading the opinions of others, complete with their different experiences, as well as hard fact. One of the best things about Narco News is that it allows this freedom for its contributors. This cannot be praised sufficiently.

As to whether a journalist should report the positive and the negative or course it is their choice, but journalism is not just about reporting facts, it is a process that can bring about a change in public opinion, as happened with the famous photo by Nick Ut of the naked crying Vietnamese girl during that terrible war.  I am more open to reasoned balanced reporting than I am to a continual bombardment of negativity when it comes to rethinking my opinions. And maybe, just maybe, I am not alone!!It depends on whether you actually want to change minds!!

Take Colombia, it is clear that the US should not interfere…………
But what are the realistic alternatives for government. If not Uribe… Who….. And why???  If the writer is clearly writing what amounts to an opinion piece and they are apparently so well informed why not pass on this information. Why would I not want to know the options? So something positive is achieved.

Mr Smith, the guerrillas are hardy in a squabble about drugs. This is a well structured, impressively run international business operation.

I would like to see more opinions of ordinary Colombians, how much more ‘authentic’ can you get! Their opinions are surely more relevant than the opinions of anybody else. Certainly more than mine or Mr Smith’s. Unlike del Castillo, whom I assume to be Colombian, I do not feel that the Colombian people, her compatriots, are all duped by the media. I credit them with some intelligence. However, I would welcome the opinions of your Colombian compatriots far more than Ron Smith obviously appreciated the opinions of mine. It is their damn country, not yours or mine!!!

Negative press sells papers worldwide and it is sad to see that some people want to see this continual air of negativity continue across ground breaking enterprises such as Narco News. Why is it so hard to see that ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ journalism could embrace success without selling out to oppressive governments or individuals? Why is balance so unacceptable? Or is this all really just a thinly disguised exercise to just continually knock US policies without a real desire to actually offer an alternative other than pseudo-intellectual posturing. I really hope not!! One of the most common complaints that I have heard from Colombians is “Why do the international press only report the bad things about Colombia?” And I share their distress.

If you interested click here where you can read an article with a 22 year old punk musician from Medellin who answers questions relating to drugs, Uribe and US involvement. I suspect his opinions mirror that of many of the young today.

To attack the messenger... no. To ask them to clarify the message... yes!!