Why?

When I was a political science professor at Middlesex, I started each semester by asking the students to bring in a political song; one we could use to examine some of the definitions of political science (e.g. the study of struggles and competions for power). To cover all the bases in case they failed to deliver, I would have a few songs in my back pocket--including Tracy Chapman's "Why".

"Why do all the babies starve when there is enough food to feed the world?" These lyrics are swirling in my head as we drive through Managua staring at extreme poverty--words cannot convey the conditions. (This is the second poorest country in the region.) We spend a few hours meeting folks who live in a colossal garbage dump. Yes, their neighborhood is in the dump--and 1000 live off of the garbage that they can glean--in order to survive. It is hot, dirty and desparate.

It is clear we will all complain alot less about our own struggles or challenges when we return home. We will always have a clear reference point to remind us that by sheer luck--by pulling a card from the deck that meant we were born in the United States--we were placed on a very different trajectory.

It is also clear that we will never really leave this place. As we learn more about Nicaragua's history--including America's role--it will be hard for many of us to forget about this country and its people. I suspect TCNJ Bonners and alum will be coming down here trying to support local efforts to improve the quality of life for years to come.

Peace-

Pat