Life on the Border

While listening to This American Life’s podcast titled “The Out Crowd” we learn about the horror stories from the southern border. Immigration from the southern border is met with a fierce and unjust opposition. This was truly one of the most brutal and frightening podcasts I’ve ever listened to.

Some key points that stuck with me:

• The story of the family getting raped was tough to sit through.
• The cartel member telling a father that his child was old enough to harvest organs from made me sick.
• Cartel members target border cities knowing desperate people will be attempting to cross.
• Even under the old rules, the asylum seekers appeared before a judge and many were sent back to Mexico. Is there genuine hope for these people?

I find it important to hear the stories directly from the source. Although this may mean that the story is told in a different language than the audience, the audience can pick up on audible clues and emotion that is being expressed through story telling. This creates a more meaningful delivery and impacts the listeners; it is very raw.

Podcasting has become extremely prominent in today’s culture. It is a new source of audio reporting on the scene, although podcasts themselves have been around for a while. I believe “The Out Crowd” won the award for its rawness, urgency, and message. There are injustices happening around us and it’s more impactful to hear it being told than to read about it.