Some people just don't understand...
I don't like talking about political issues just like I don't like talking about religion. They're private and totally subjective because it's not something that is as simple as black and white. Everyone brings in a certain perspective based on your experiences and it gets too touchy. I was just talking to an old high school friend. She's a special ed teacher on the east coast (I'm in the southwest). We got to talking about student loans and it somehow got on to immigrants' rights (I don't know how). She started saying that she wasn't republican, but she understood some of the issues they have with immigrants coming here illegally and having kids and having to give them the same benefits and all that. Being the kid of immigrant parents, it was tough to swallow. I told her that you get the same benefits because you are American regardless of the situation. So she tells me that it's true BUT that you had the privilege of being American b/c your parents broke the law. I just don't like the "BUT" in there. I'm American b/c I was born here, PERIOD. Yes, what my parents did when they were 18 was illegal, but the reason I don't like discussing this stuff is because you can't make someone understand the "circumstances" behind that. I don't think I can even explain it b/c I didn't have to go through that, so I don't know that feeling of desperation that could drive you to risk your life and leave everything behind hoping that there's something better out there.
We're still as cool as ever (hey, real friends don't just nod and agree with everything you say). It's good to hear other opinions, but we ended up with more questions than answers and you can only answer based on what you know. There is no easy way to "fix" any situation. We just have to deal with what is there and work on whatever we want to see change (and, no, it's can't happen in one year). This is one of the reasons I became a bilingual teacher. I'm hoping that I can help my kids understand que sí se puede and that they learn to feel proud and excel in what they do so they can become nurses, doctors, mechanics, teachers, paleteros (according to my little cousin:) )or anything else they wish to become.
If I could just figure out how to fix that little problem of corruption, poverty and discrimination in the world...
posted by amor59 @ 11:53 PM
5 Comments:
hmm..paletero...is that with a cart or ice cream truck?
What I hate the most about the "breaking the law" argument is that many (I would venture to say half) of all European immigrants broke the law when they arrived here. Do I have the right to question them too? We’re here to stay. They can’t stop us. As long as you squeeze the Mexican economy by the nutz more and more paisanos will be crossing the border. Not because they love the U.S.,...not because they want to get on welfare...but because they want to work...something that the mal gobierno de Mexico cannot give them. Well I guess I better stop there...before this becomes a novel.
Exactly! I tried to say that about a million different ways, but it's hard to make someone understand that if they can't relate to it. She kept asking, "why not just create more jobs/schools, give loans, or the people who have already prospered here go back and change things?" The more challenging question is "HOW????"
Some think that it would be a good idea for the U.S. to present Mexico with a Marsall Plan type deal such as what was given to post WWII Europe. Here's an article on the topic...
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0819-10.htm
Very interesting post. Although I'm a gringa, I completely understand your point of view. Maybe I'm just more empathetic because I teach immigrants English (many of my adult students are in the US illegally) and I hear their stories first hand and see the pride they feel in their courage to make a better life for their families. I do wish our government would help rather than continue to hurt the situation.
Thanks for the link, gustavo. Muy interesante. I wonder if something like that would pass or how to get it on the agenda?
Megan, thanks for what you do. My mom is taking ESL classes and she loves it. She likes being around all diffrent kinds of ppl who have a common goal of bettering themselves.
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