My Illegal Mexican Father
I’m a Caucasian American citizen. Born and raised in Texas. Down here the immigration and border security issues are hot topics. Recently, I was on YouTube and I ran across a rather distastefully done video that disparaged Mexican immigrants. The comments there were loaded with racism, stereotyping and curse words. It hurt my heart to read some of them.
My own father was a coward who left before I was born. The “American” side of my family was the typical, dysfunctional, fragmented and yes we have a few of the racists in there; and they tried their best to indoctrinate me with the small-minded ‘voices from the past’. They must have been late to the party, because I resisted.
When my mother married my stepfather who came from Mexico illegally we had some problems. Not because of race, though. I was the rebellious drug-head snot-nosed spoiled teenager who eventually grew to love him because he helped to make a man out of me. He did not put up with my bullshit and taught me the value of family and hard work. Without him, I am quite certain I’d be in jail, or dead.
In my life I’ve had many many friends and acquaintances who are from Mexico both legal and illegal. Some of them are the hardest working, honest and good-hearted people I’ve ever known. Some of them sold drugs and some were some of the laziest and filthiest people I’ve ever known. Some of them are gay, some of them straight, some bi-sexual. Some of them I’d happily share my home with any time, others I wouldn’t care enough to spit on. Some extremely smart and some extremely dumb.
My fellow Americans, my point is that they are us and we are them. We are all human. When you throw a brick at someone, you are really throwing a brick at yourself. You are hurting the generic human; you are harming humanity itself. I’m not saying we shouldn’t enforce our laws and secure our borders, or that we should or shouldn’t give amnesty. All I’m asking is that people keep a cool head and debate these things rationally.
Whether you’re for or against amnesty or putting up walls, I can only hope that if you are the kind that is quick to judge or stereotype and quick to anger — you will stop and consider my story before hurling more bricks. The life you save might be your own, or someone you love (or might love in the future!).
Native Americans remind us: No tree has branches so foolish as to fight among themselves.
Popularity: 25% [?]
