Colombian_Transculturation_

Colombian Transculturation: Andrés Buriticá Restrepo Colombian Transculturation: United States Hegemony and its Influence on Paisa Culture The United States seems destined by Providence to plague America with misery n the name of liberty ---Simón Bolívar The stigma of Paisas--natives of Medellín and its surroundings--being involved in drug trafficking has been ongoing since their victory of the Colombian-Cuban drug war in Miami during the seventies. In the streets of Colombia the story is different. Millions of citizens are haunted by memories of homicide, kidnapping and extortion. Colombians fear narcotraficantes because they have witnessed over and over how they betray their countrymen to achieve their purposes. To avoid crime and violence Colombians have protested, formed paramilitary groups against the narcotraficantes and thousands have given up their lives. Colombian citizens, including Paisas, are not in agreement with the trafficking of drugs. Most unfortunately, the effort of the majority of Colombians to end this war is overshadowed by the wrongdoing of a few. United States hegemony has ultimately shifted the blame to the oppressed country. Many Colombians feel guilty because of the constant criticism they receive f! rom the United States. And many Colombians have paid for the narcotraficantes’ evils. paisas, latin, united, states, colombia, america, drug, culture, colombians, world, one, new, paisa, european, country, people, medellín, been, american, about, themselves, individual, ethnicity, identity, first, cocaine, being, because, york, violence, transculturation, narcotraficantes, great, even, ethnic, believe, americans, should, mostly, made, drugs, colombian, war, standards, since, responsible, racial, press, political