Member Since: 3/5/2014
Posts: 7,164
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The Government Is Using Subliminal Songs To Scare Immigrants
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Migrants from everywhere, entrenched along the rail ties. Far away from where they come, further away from where they go,” singer Eddie Ganz croons in Spanish over the Caribbean beat of the marimba, a wooden xylophone-like instrument from Guatemala. “They call her the Beast from the South, this wretched train of death. With the devil in the boiler, whistles, roars, twists and turns.”
People throughout Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador call their local radio stations to request this song, a harrowing tale of violence and death set against the backdrop of Central America’s traditionally upbeat cumbia music. “La Bestia,” or “The Beast” refers to the notoriously dangerous freight train upon which thousands of migrants ride from Southern Mexico, risking robbery, kidnapping, rape, and murder just to make it to the U.S. border. It’s a familiar tale told by an expected source. In fact, the popularity of “La Bestia” owes itself in large part to the fact that its audience is not aware of its origins. The song, and others like it, are part of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection campaign to deter illegal immigration to the United States.
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Last week, CBP announced plans to launch a new, million-dollar “Dangers Awareness Campaign,” aimed at discouraging families in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador from sending their children with smugglers to cross the U.S. border through Mexico. Billboards and public service announcements to be aired on television and radio in those three countries as well as U.S. cities with large Central American populations.
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“La Bestia” is not the first song commissioned by CBP, but it is the only one written specifically for a Central American audience. In 2004, CBP launched it’s first messaging campaign in Mexico called “No Mas Cruces,” which intentionally can be translated as both “No More Crossings” or “No More Crosses,” as in crosses on graves. The objective of “No Mas Cruces,” was to spread awareness about the dangers of the Sonoran desert, where hundreds of migrants die every year. Part of that campaign included distributing a CD of five songs about the risks involved in crossing the border to radio stations throughout Mexico. The songs, called “migra corridos,” a play on the popular narcocorridos or gangster ballads after which they were modeled, became hugely popular with listeners. “La Bestia” is currently played by 21 radio stations throughout Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.What makes the music seem a bit manipulative is the fact that the songs are played as part of the radio stations’ regular rotation, with no disclaimer about who's sponsoring them.
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absolute ****ing idiots are running the u.s. my god.
full article - http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...mmigrants.html
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