Corruption is lurking around the corner, waiting for the perfect time to pounce on innocent people. Abuse of power is everywhere, like cockroaches hiding under your couch, once you see one you know they’re everywhere. Watch out, keep your wits about you and don’t trust anybody. Many superior people are taking advantage of their role and in a bad way. Do you really want people we should be able to trust being corrupt behind our backs? The book Trash by Andy Mulligan outlines the problems people face dealing with corruption and abuse of power.
It includes various examples of inequality, immoral behaviour and abuse of power. Sadly this wretched behaviour is often found in many countries, and many people face it on a daily basis. Who knew somebody could learn so much from a fictional novel. The book Trash has many examples of the police abusing their power. Shouldn’t police be people we can trust? Yes. But nope, they’re the ones breaking and disobeying the law. Proof from the novel is when police are abusive towards Raphael. Raphael shares with the reader what a policeman said to him. ‘I’m going to kill you, you liar! He lunged at me, and I was falling backwards. ”
The police in Trash resort to physical abuse and exploiting the children and their rights to gain evidence for police cases. Children are powerless compared to adults let alone police and they cannot defend themselves in these situations. Another example is when police put Raphael in a near death situation in order to get answers from him. “He hoisted me and bent me over the window so I was staring down, so all they had to do was tip me out. Raphael could have died and the police undoubtedly would have gotten away with it. These actions are inappropriate and against the law. The police should inforce and obey the law not abuse their power and authority. A second aspect in Trash of corruptness and abuse of power is when character Gabriel Olondriz finds out that respected and trusted Vice President Zapanta has embezzled thirty million dollars that was supposed to go to the people of Behala.
Gabriel explains his story to Olivia and Gardo, he says to them “We got copies of false contracts and bank transfers to invented accounts. Gabriel wanted to fight abuse of power and had gained so much evidence for the case. Gabriel says “I was naive. My office was raided. The same night there was a terrible fire at my house. ” All his evidence went up in flames, but Gabriel had lawyers and his lawyers weren’t concerned. But they had been bought by Zapanta and all his defence was fed straight back to him. This is how Gabriel Olondriz lost the case and ended up in jail. Zapanta easily got away with what he did because he had money, connections and authority.
This is how he got away with his behaviour. We should be able to trust superior people like the police and presidents not have to question their actions and judgments. Zapanta wastes money on pointless things for himself, Raphael sees his house and exclaims “How many people live there? ” he then says to Gardo “I bet it’s just him. ” Raphael is astounded because he is poor and believes him and Gardo need money more than a silly house. The vice president spends stolen money on himself.
Raphael says to the reader “He’d build himself a palace, for the king he thought he was. ” He doesn’t care for the poor or people in need of help and support, all the Vice President cares about is himself and his reputation. The police are disrespectful to the people and don’t regard the poor as people of value. Sometimes the police don’t seem to remember that people living in rubbish dumps are even people, the police just regard them as garbage. This is shown in Trash when a policeman says to the other officers in front of Raphael, “This piece of trash can read? This explains to the reader that police don’t regard Raphael as a person with a brain or any other significance.
Trash has ben a fantastic book to read and has broadened my understanding of the world and situations sadly people face on a daily basis. It contains many very real situations and scenarios. Corruption and abuse of power must stop, everybody has a right, everybody has value, everybody should be equal. So I ask myself this question everyday ‘Why are such bad things happening to people with rights and value? ” This isn’t fair, this isn’t right, corruption is not an option!
