Revealing the truth or sticking to censorship?

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines courage as the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. Mexican journalist Lydia Cacho embodies everything hat courage defines. It is safe to say that every person sitting in the audience was bewildered by Ms. Cacho's speech at the A.R. Sanchez Lecture Series.

The A.R. Sanchez Lecture Series is a distinguished TAMIU event that showcases who present stories of their experiences, projects, or research. The A.R. Sanchez Lecture Committee, which is made up by TAMIU faculty, chooses the best and brightest minds to come and speak at our beloved university. This year the committee presented Lydia Cacho, and it was a perfect choice for the job.

Lydia Cacho is a journalist, who was born in Mexico City. As A journalist, she sticks out from the rest in her attempts to expose the truth at any cost. Her book Demons of Eden caused a riot in Mexico that even led to her imprisonment and torture. She has published hundreds of news articles, and other non-fiction work, and works as a philanthropist in Cancun, Mexico. She was a complete presence to be among and it as an honor to have her at TAMIU.

Censorship in the Mexican press was the topic of the night, and Lydia Cacho was more than ready to talk about it. Her experiences with censorship made her the perfect person to address this stirring issue. Regardless of any discrimination and oppression that she faced, she still feels that journalism is the key to the truth and is convinced that it holds an immense power. As she puts it, "I do believe in the power of ethical journalism to improve society."

Prior to attending the A.R. Sanchez Lecture, Cacho had her own experience with censorship. After denouncing criminal activity amongst well known Mexican businessmen and politicians, Cacho was the main target for threats, bribes, and imprisonment. In her lecture, she explained how she was even offered $1 million in cash to stay quiet, and to keep the news to herself. From banishing evidence to selecting cirrupt judges for the case, everything possible was done to keep the news under radar, and she was even called a terrorist for writing her book. "They wanted to keep me quiet. They wanted to shut me up." Cacho's life was, and is, in danger, but that never stopped her from doing what she had to do. To Cacho, revealing the truth behind the curtains was her only option and she felt that she needed to protect the victims of the crime. As she stated, "If the [victims] risked their lives to tell the truth, then I must risk my life to tell their story."

If the truth is so important, why is censorship such a big problem? Cacho addressed many reasons for that. The two big reasons for this problem are the Mexican government and the organized crime. As she puts it, "reporters feel like they are walking through landmines when covering a story." Journalists never feel safe to tell the truth, even if it is the most important thing. There are times when journalists have had to sacrifice ethics to keep the job, and she mentioned several noted news anchors that have done so.

So, why is it important for the students of Texas A&M International University to hear about censorship? Ms. Cacho addressed this question as soon as her speech started. In her opinion the students, of any university were the future leaders of the world. It is important for them to be informed and to know about issues that concern today's world so when the future comes they can make grand decisions. Cacho feels the need to tell her story to anyone who will listen to it, to spread her message across and let it be known of the problems that censorship creates.

The reiteration of being an individual and sticking out from the masses was a topic that never died down during the lecture. Cacho made sure to remind her audience of this. If there was anything to learn from Lydia Cacho it was to never forget who you are and what you are fighting for. As she stated, "to be a good journalist, you have to have your mission and follow it through...Yes. Sometimes it is dangerous, but it is worth it. I promise." She did not just address journalism students with that statement, but the entire audience at the lecture. She left students, faculty members, and administrators, with the need to be an individual and to fight for what we believe in.

Despite everything she went through, and all the violence she faced, she has never turned her back to her country. "Some lose hope and leave the country, but some stay for the hope and dream of freedom," and she is definitely those that stay. She seeks and pushes for the end of censorship, and she will not leave until the war is over. Her actions and her decisions to continue fighting is what makes her the epitome of courage.

On October 21, 2009, Texas A&M International University witnessed the presence of a woman that has stood out from the masses. Lydia Cacho was here to tell her story, and it was a complete honor to have her before us.