fantastic letter
the following is a letter published in the rocky mountain chronicle in fort collins.
To everyone who applauded the massive anti-immigration raids, and to the hypocrite SUV drivers who display their racist bumper stickers and yet seem so comfortable watching me and other Mexicans remove the snow from their streets and driveways:
Sure, we come to this country escaping the misery, starvation and exploitation of a damaged and ransomed economy, but do you ever ask yourself what generates such conditions? Such a dysfunctional economy? Think it's just the "bad luck" of being a third-world country? Ever heard of globalization, "free trade" or H2A visas?
You want us to stop coming? Simple. Stop destroying our livelihoods.
You want to close the border? Go ahead, but do so fairly. Close it to both humans and goods, because if our resources can come up but my people can't, that just ain't right. Also close it to the most dangerous illegal entities: U.S. fast-food and retail corporations. If I can't be here working hard to make ends meet with dignity, but these companies, which don't face humiliation, incarceration or death, can easily enter my country, violate labor and environmental laws, fracture the economy and alienate my culture, then your concept of "illegal" is a little twisted.
While the Minuteman loads his guns out of hate and ignorance, I'll load up on love and teach English to my immigrant comrades, while educating and organizing my community, because illegal immigration ain't going to stop anytime soon.
In the meantime, I'll find hope and strength in the smiles of that sweet old lady or the young couple who, regardless of the language we speak, the color of our skin or where we come from, bring us hot tea and cookies at 3 a.m. as we endure 15+ hour shifts of shoveling snow.
Name withheld upon request
Fort Collins
To everyone who applauded the massive anti-immigration raids, and to the hypocrite SUV drivers who display their racist bumper stickers and yet seem so comfortable watching me and other Mexicans remove the snow from their streets and driveways:
Sure, we come to this country escaping the misery, starvation and exploitation of a damaged and ransomed economy, but do you ever ask yourself what generates such conditions? Such a dysfunctional economy? Think it's just the "bad luck" of being a third-world country? Ever heard of globalization, "free trade" or H2A visas?
You want us to stop coming? Simple. Stop destroying our livelihoods.
You want to close the border? Go ahead, but do so fairly. Close it to both humans and goods, because if our resources can come up but my people can't, that just ain't right. Also close it to the most dangerous illegal entities: U.S. fast-food and retail corporations. If I can't be here working hard to make ends meet with dignity, but these companies, which don't face humiliation, incarceration or death, can easily enter my country, violate labor and environmental laws, fracture the economy and alienate my culture, then your concept of "illegal" is a little twisted.
While the Minuteman loads his guns out of hate and ignorance, I'll load up on love and teach English to my immigrant comrades, while educating and organizing my community, because illegal immigration ain't going to stop anytime soon.
In the meantime, I'll find hope and strength in the smiles of that sweet old lady or the young couple who, regardless of the language we speak, the color of our skin or where we come from, bring us hot tea and cookies at 3 a.m. as we endure 15+ hour shifts of shoveling snow.
Name withheld upon request
Fort Collins
posted by matt iv at 1:45 PM
1 Comments:
Fantastic letter indeed, Matt. Thanks for posting it. Hypocrisy is all around. Sad that so many choose to ignore it. I suppose it's easier that way, though. Sadness and defeat. Will/Can it ever change?
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