Dominick Nordin

Plata o Plomo: Silver or Lead

The essay Plata O Plomo: Silver or Lead by Marie Javdani is an informative texts that explains
cause and effect in how a persons behavior in drug use can have a tragic effect in someone elses
life. The essay emphasizes a change that needs to take place to fix the drug and violence in
Columbia and explains the flaws that our United States government makes that contributes to the
issue.

Javdani goes into great detail about why the drug problems in Columbia have gotten so out of
control. She explains that because of supply and demand, in order to keep the supply going, more
land in needed for growth of Cocaine, which indicates more lives and homes are at risk for
destruction. She then expresses how the aid from the United States is used improperly by the
Columbian government but little can be done due to international law.

Javdani expresses how little things individuals do can and will contribute to a much larger
problem. When referencing how Eric buying drugs caused Miguel to lose his life, she explains
how individuals like you and I can be a contributor to a drug war and man slaughter. By making
changes in the way we live and by finding different ways to help, people may be able to slow
down the violence and eventually work towards ending it.

New solutions are offered by the author towards the end of the essay. She expresses that instead
of the United States sending large amounts of money to a country it has limited control over to
provide treatment and education. She explains that even though money cannot stop the problem,
treating people who are addicted will slow down the demand of heroin and Cocaine, and
education will prevent others from getting sucked into the life style and hopefully reduce the
need and want of these drugs.

Discussion questions:

If the United States can see that sending money isnt slowing down the problem, why havent
they offered other help and resources?
Schools are already teaching students about drug abuse but it is clearly not helping, what else
could schools be providing students?