Monty Python, She's a witch!

"Traditional [tolerant] attitudes towards witchcraft began to change in the 14th century, at the very end of the Middle Ages. ... Early 14th century central Europe was seized by a series of rumor-panics. Some malign conspiracy (Jews and lepers, Moslems, or Jews and witches) was attempting to destroy the Christian kingdoms through magick and poison. After the terrible devastation caused by the Black Death [bubonic plague] (1347-1349), these rumors increased in intensity and focused primarily on witches and "plague-spreaders." Witchcraft cases increased slowly but steadily from the 14th-15th century. The first mass trials appeared in the 15th century. At the beginning of the 16th century, as the first shock-waves from the Reformation hit, the number of witch trials actually dropped. Then, around 1550, the persecution skyrocketed. What we think of as "the Burning Times" -- the crazes, panics, and mass hysteria -- largely occurred in one century, from 1550-1650. In the 17th century, the Great Hunt passed nearly as suddenly as it had arisen. Trials dropped sharply after 1650 and disappeared completely by the end of the 18th century". (Gibbons, Recent Developments in the Study of the Great European Witch Hunt)[source]

You would think we have left the Dark Ages in the past right? Well, apparently not here. After an amazing demonstration of protest on November 20th, for the missing Ayotzinapa students (part 3 of 3), some brutality from the police was also displayed in behalf of our government. That was not all. They also took 11 students along with them to high security federal prisons outside Mexico.

Yet, this situation went from strange to completely unbelievable as "the PGR presented as a central proof to consign the 11 students during the marches to the Zócalo on November 20th, the police testimonies who arrested and accused them of being a "subversive group" based on yelling from the students who were calling themselves "compa" (buddy) or compañero (mate)".

I always thought I had a vivid imagination but I know I wouldn't be able to make this up. Now it's 43 + 11 students (although we're not able to keep up with the real numbers), but are we going to keep adding up numbers if we march for the eleven ones? We'll see. Clearly that's the intention of this government's strategy but I don't know if that's going to keep everyone in their houses.

This is where I think the dark ages have come to cover all Mexico under a retrograde system of imposing law under mere suspicion. They will measure us against the weight of a duck, put us a nose and cry for witch!

But I wonder, will they have enough space for all of us?