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From: jdb@qubix.UUCP (Jeff Bulf)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Re(2): Nicaragua - (nf)
Message-ID: <505@qubix.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 14-Sep-83 22:43:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: qubix.505
Posted: Wed Sep 14 22:43:11 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 15-Sep-83 06:24:15 EDT
References: <5@ucbcad.UUCP>
Organization: Qubix Graphic Systems, Saratoga, CA
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I had the experience of hearing that Sandinista Hymn (not Nicaraguan National
Anthem) several times in various cities in Nicaragua at the climax of the 1980
literacy campaign. "We're struggling against the yankee -- enemy of humanity."
Once there were more than 500 000 poeple singing with gusto.
     The interesting part is: every time I heard or saw that saying, some
Nicaraguan told me "No es la gente!" -- "It isn't the people!"

In the few weeks I was there I heard many accounts of horrors from Somoza
many of them involving torture or mutilation. Everybody considered him
a "yankee" puppet. I heard numerous denunciations of my government, but
NOBODY took it out on me as an American.
 	Another american asked a local why they were so friendly to people
whose country was so apparently hostile to them. The reply was something to
the effect of "For many years we had a government that didn't represent us.
We know what it is like".
	My point is: the Nicaraguan people --near as I could see -- were
NOT anti-american. Not against our people. They seemed to feel that if our
people understood what our government was doing, Nicaragua would be in less
danger from the "yankee"
             :    wq