Adding to my string of posts that highlight some things I find disgusting, I offer this. This link doesn’t provide the picture that accompanies the hard version I found on my sidewalk this morning. And that’s too bad because in this case a picture’s worth a million words. Two ladies standing behind a policeman, are screaming at someone who’s not in the frame, they’re mouths gaping, their lips curled back, baring their teeth like animals, as though they can barely keep their sanity.
I don’t pretend to be an expert on the issue of illegal immigration, but for a group–a town–who claims their problem with immigrants isn’t racially motivated, the signs they were schlepping sure tell a different tale. DIVERSITY=DEATH and WELCOME TO AMERICA. NOW SPEAK ENGLISH.
Nice. That really explains how their issue with immigration isn’t about race or culture.
I know American citizens–eighty years, ninety years-old who barely speak English. They’re patriotic, law abiding, successful in their own ways.ÂÂ
Yes, there is a problem that needs to be solved, but this isn’t the way to go. Like many issues in America, this one is multi-layered. To be honest, I’m not sure I disagree with the move to punish companies that hire illegal immigrants–I think corporations are endlessly getting away with breaking laws in every arena possible. But, the way the issue is gelling in the streets, it takes on a venomous, spiteful tone. You can’t just yank one layer of the problem away, without undergirding the rest of it.
This kind of situation, the rally–the emotion–literally nauseates and saddens me. I simply can’t believe the hate that bubbles up as people try to further careers and make names for themselves. I can’t imagine feeling the hate myself and it scares me that 700 people in Hazleton, PA seem to.ÂÂ
There are people living in that town who oppose the mayor’s plan and boy do I feel bad for them.ÂÂ
I don’t understand people like the 700 who attended the rally with such blackness in their hearts and God, I hope I never ever feel what they do because if I do, that’ll mean I’ve lost my humanity. In my opinion, anyway.
I realize I have no answers and I don’t personally live with much of this, but if people don’t figure out how to have this conversation like adults, it’ll never be solved. Take a look in those history books, Hazleton, you’re not covering new ground here. Find another way.ÂÂ
I live on the back of the immigrant. I don’t forget this.
I don’t think you can judge an entire side of an issue by it’s extremes. Also, the minute the word “racist” is thrown into the fray all chance of productive debate is lost, which is exactly what it is intended to do in many cases.
I cannot help but wonder what those angry women would do if their husbands were transferred to Saudi Arabia, say, or Korea. Would they immediately and eagerly begin to learn Arabic or Korean? Would they quickly try to immerse themselves in the culture, buy and cook the local food, wear the local clothes? Somehow I doubt it.
Here are some interesting facts those ladies may not know: Lawrence Welk, the conservative sixties icon of Middle America, did not learn to speak English until he was twenty-one. Back in the 1790s, one-third of Pennsylvania spoke German. California used to belong to Mexico.
The U.S. was built on diversity. It is one of the things about us that make us unique.
Hey guys, thanks for your comments. Jaye, I agree you can’t judge something by the extremes of the case…it’s just that the extremes are always what’s out there as the norm, as though they aren’t really extremes. I understand that, but I think the quiet middle–even if they operate MLK style need to get their presence out there to counteract the crap that doesn’t represent who they are. And like you said hot button terms and signs and whatever it takes to prick our fears to life does nothing to work through these issues. And believe me, I have my own biased thoughts I held back in posting this, should I share the bias, the thought that keeps nagging at me making me nauseated? Okay, I will, in my mind, I look at the women in that picture–that I still can’t find–and I think to myself, “I bet they consider themselves great conservative Christians” and that spurs my disgust because they look so freaking hateful… I realize the women could be agnostic or muslim or buddist–nah, they couldn’t be buddist–but that’s what came to my mind and made me extra pissed on behalf of my Christain self. Again, I could be wrong about the entire context. If I am, I’d love to know.