We died in your hills, we died in your deserts
We died in your valleys and died on your plains
We died 'neath your trees and we died in your bushes
Both sides of the river, we died just the same.
We died in your valleys and died on your plains
We died 'neath your trees and we died in your bushes
Both sides of the river, we died just the same.
-- Arlo Guthrie
I promised not to keep stopping you to tell you the same story. I am not the Ancient Mariner, and you are not one of of three. But. Here is a story I came across today.. It spans nearly 90 years. It is chapters from an old story. It's in the Bible. It is a new story. See today's Times.
Here is some suggested background music.
Please read the story. I'll stop now.
My cousin's wife is Mexican. Comes from a prosperous family. Here legally. She has not visited Mexico since Trump was elected for fear of getting hassled at the border. She told me she was happy the kids and grandkids don't "look Mexican" (my cousin is quite blond). She has told them not to speak Spanish to her in public anymore. She doesn't teach the babies songs in Spanish anymore.
ReplyDeleteIt's not tantamount to a strip search, but we are doing something very wrong when a mother is grateful the kids don't look and speak like her.
Where does your cousin live, Jean? Obviously not in California. I just spent some time out there, and made a point of simply observing who was around, who was in the same stores, restaurants, parks. As usual, it was pretty much everybody. Whites, blacks, Asians, Latinos, Muslims, Hindus, Jews etc.
DeleteAlthough some of SoCal's Latinos probably would not want to cross the border, even if legally in the US, there seems to be no concern whatsoever, about using Spanish. It's everywhere - bilingual menus, bi-lingual signs, bi-lingual store ads and greetings. At a local Target I visited, the banners across the aisle alternated between Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas.
Sounds like Walmart here. I don't know if people here avoid visiting Mexico now. I assume most of them are here legally. They mostly work in the packing plants, though some are branching into other jobs. Supposedly the employers are using e-verify. Nobody's shy about speaking Spanish openly.
DeleteThey live in northern Michigan. There are places up there with more hispanic people, mostly migrant farm workers who settled there. But not where she lives. She speaks English fluently, but the fact that she feels hinky about using Spanish for fear of pissing off Whitey is a shame.
DeleteAnne: you have (re)discovered one of the blessings of California. Whenever I visit my sister and family in eastern Iowa right on the Mississippi, the first thing I notice is the blatant whiteness of EVERYONE!
DeleteIt's a story that needs to retold, Tom. If I have to listen to the Orange Poltroon repeat lies again and again, I can hear the truth repeated. Even hard truths are easier to take than repeated lies.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Stanley!
DeleteThat's why I think I'll scream the next time I hear anyone say, "Would you be okay with someone just walking into your house off the street? Then why are you okay with them walking into your country?" They just don't get it. They're not trying to get it.
ReplyDeleteA few years back there was a thing going where people put a little hand decal on their door if they were willing to be a "safe" house for a child who was lost or felt in danger (I don't know, maybe that is still being done). As a nation we have become the crank in the neighborhood who has "no trespassing" signs plastered all over, along with "beware of the dog", and just in case people didn't get it, "violators will be persecuted." (BTW I do know how to spell prosecuted.)
Whoops, I gave Arlo credit for his Dad's song. I paused when I wrote Arlo, but then I thought the event was probably too late for Woody and let it go. Shouldn't have.
ReplyDelete