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Caroline Peters

Mr. Wheatley

Christian Ethics – H

21 October 2010

Oscar Romero

Oscar Romero was a priest in El Salvador that was appointed to the position of archbishop. Initially he was intended to be a puppet that did nothing more than say mass and keep himself removed from politics. Romero went against what was expected of him and stood up for the El Salvadorian people and their rights as human beings. He gave the people a voice in a time of great turmoil. Due to the words and actions of Oscar Romero the people of El Salvador discovered their right to freedom and gained the confidence to speak out. Eventually Romero was murdered, but his message was never forgotten.

The most lasting image of the Salvadorian way of life is the poverty evident in many of the villages. Economically the people suffered greatly, but spiritually they were plentiful. The image of a group of Salvadorians marching into reclaim the church was powerful and moving. The people that stood by Romero showed an immense amount of bravery.

The human rights violations in this film were unbelievable and difficult to accept as true. The idea of people killing men, women and children for a political gain is a very scary thing. Seeing people torn from the beds and families to be tortured and killed sheds a light on the cruelty that exists within the human race. I think that these images are necessary to show the world of the injustices that exist and must be addressed.

Human rights were promoted and protected by Christians in this story when the people come together to pray and celebrate the mass despite the hardships in their lives. Some of the priests began to turn to arms as a method of defending themselves, but Romero remains steadfast in his preaching that they must seek peace through peaceful means. People stand up and continue with their lives rather than hiding or running away from what often results in certain death.

Oscar Romero is called a modern day prophet because he fearlessly spread a message of hope and peace to the Salvadorian people in their time of need. He was not intimidated by threats or demands to comply. Instead Romero risked his life countless times to reach out to both the good and the bad people. He made statements that would undoubtedly anger the political leaders and guerillas alike. The most important message he sends is that violence does not solve anything and the bloodshed will not stop until people acknowledge that.

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In the world today there are many injustices that are overlooked. Just as the Salvadorian people were persecuted for trying to vote, so are people in places such as Iraq. Freedom is an ongoing struggle and people like Oscar Romero give the people a voice. Mother Teresa is a character like Romero, not through addressing political injustice, but through her compassion for all people.

I was touched by this film by the amount of trust and faith the Salvadorians had in Romero. Additionally, the unbelievable bravery of Romero throughout his time as archbishop shows the effect one person can have on the world. Overall this movie may have been long and dragged out at times, the message it sends is more powerful than words.