For some of us who have passed through the ivory gates of institutional knowledge, we might recall some of those Latin American political science or sociology courses and their respective professors. Hopefully you found it to be an intriguing study of a culturally rich region that has been forced to overcome oppression since the glorious days of enlightenment and Spanish conquest, up until our modern Washington Consensus. There is certainly no dearth of history regarding the region.

Aside from Cuba, out of all the nations in the region, none has been more stigmatized around the world than Colombia. We all know the typical, first reaction that comes to mind just when mentioning the country - the illicit, white powder classified as cocaine. Though had it not been for such demanding customers, that stigma never would have developed. Nonetheless, it is no secret that Colombia is the largest producer of the narcotic.

Confusion does not exist with that established reality, it is, what it is. However, there are other conceptions about this nation which do not align with reality. The history of Colombia's internal conflict and the players involved are likely two of the best examples. Not nearly as much in the halls of knowledge, but rather by the mainstream media, general public opinion is shaped. From the complexity of the conflict, to the simplicities of the country's spelling, ill comprehension abounds in regard to Colombia.

Take for instance the spelling of this nation. How many times have you seen it spelled with a u, instead of an o? Columbia, with the letter u, is a clothing manufacturer, a university in New York, the capital district of the United States, and a British region in Canada. The country of Colombia uses the letter o, twice. This is not an error committed in academics or professional investigative reports. But at times in the general media, and often throughout the Internet, its accuracy is unaccounted for.

Moving on to another detail, there are those who suggest that there is no difference between paramilitary and guerrilla groups. Let us address the bold distinction which does indeed exist, at this juncture. Paramilitary groups are comprised of citizens who organize themselves militarily in order to act as, or assist, the country's regular army. In Colombia, the paramilitary group is called Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), which in English translates to the United Self-defense Forces. They are commonly referred to by domestic

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