Since we moved to Texas, we have used a privately owned lawn care company, Marcos and his dad, and sometimes other family members, mow, trim, gather up the autumn leaves, and always arrive to do their work with the kind of politeness and goodwill you describe. Yesterday it was very hot and humid (which makes it feel hotter). Marcos dropped off his dad to do the mowing, and dad finished early, then stretched out in the shady part of the lawn wish his head resting on one of the bricks that outlines the garden. I knew Marcos would be back for him soon -- I also knew that he'd just mowed the front and the back and it was H-O-T. So I got a bottle of cold waster and approached him. "Senior? Agua fria? I handed him the water, he thanked me in Spanish and didn't mention my limited language skills.
To your point, it is personal. I've known these people for six years now. I like them. They work hard. They are part of my life and my community here. Here's the burn: Texas is a red state. There are no ICE vans cruising the neighborhoods here. The population of Texas is half Latino. Because of Greg Abbot's strong support for the regime in the White House, we don't see the same kind of round-up and disappearing act going on here. It's not like the having the military in Los Angeles, which is a democratic state. The regime takes into account the political leanings of red or blue. It hurts the blue whenever possible. And I take that personally, too.
Even though I did not know my father well, he taught me one thing that I have been blessed to carry with me my entire life. When I was about nine years old and the Civil Rights movement was gaining strength and attention, he told me that it was "wrong to judge another human being by the color of their skin." I never forgot that and I also am still confused why skin color should affect our kindness and caring of one another.
Your essay from a year or so ago got so much traction, because it speaks to a morality consciousness that does not discriminate based on the hue of one's skin. It points out that we are all one people. We are currently living in a history where our moral consciousness is being asked to come forward and speak out for human rights and human dignity. I take that personally too.
Thank you for the enlightening, timely and wonderfully written piece. We should all take it personally.
I should have collaborated with you on the piece—you add something so important that most, including me just now, miss: that the targeted raids are in the places of “his” political opponents. I’m thankful you have enlightened me to this fact. Now I find it hard to believe that it is probably so that maybe my Carlos and his family could be a little more “protected” in a red state. Our country really is messed up.
It's all so disturbing, Kert, which is why writing essays like this are so important. I don't think that this "round 'em up and disappear 'em" is what voters had in mind.
Thank you for writing this and I will be passing it along! I see and know exactly what you outline here. Having lived the first half of my life in Montana (with it's own history of racism) and my second here in Texas, everything you've said hits home. Yes, the wave of inhumanity is hitting EVERY state, some much more visibly than others. Our Texas media, largely owned or run by very "RED State" folks does little to no coverage of the ICE raids, kidnappings, and unconscionable harassment of our brown and black community members and our more diverse communities as a whole. With such a huge Hispanic population, I am sure they (the media and our state government) do not want to incite greater protest, so they are doing the dirty deeds in quiet, darkness....ONLY, when they capture someone who DOES have a criminal record, is the "headline news" PLASTERED across our media. It is an utterly disgusting and sick means of manipulating the public to fear and hate anyone brown or black, to show that these folks are as bad as they say, and to justify the deplorable actions of ICE and the powers that be. They have been doing this for the nearly 30 years I have lived here, and I know that was not the beginning. Having taught in the Texas public schools and known the kids of our very diverse population here, I have witnessed it, not only through my eyes, but through the eyes of my students. It is nothing short of nauseating and horrific.
With all of that, there are MANY of us opposing the use of ICE, opposing the legislation being made here that so aligns with the White Christian Nationalist--MAGA--and their ilk's playbook, and opposing the long held chain of racism our country has had.
Our neighbors and our family members deserve every bit of acknowledgement and support for the genuine, beautiful, amazing human beings they are. Speaking through our experiences, like you just did are, and will continue to be, just how we change the trajectory this country is on.
Bless you for writing this and sharing it will all of us! I will be sending it out on ~ripple~ and praying it reaches the eyes, ears, and hearts of everyone!
Since we moved to Texas, we have used a privately owned lawn care company, Marcos and his dad, and sometimes other family members, mow, trim, gather up the autumn leaves, and always arrive to do their work with the kind of politeness and goodwill you describe. Yesterday it was very hot and humid (which makes it feel hotter). Marcos dropped off his dad to do the mowing, and dad finished early, then stretched out in the shady part of the lawn wish his head resting on one of the bricks that outlines the garden. I knew Marcos would be back for him soon -- I also knew that he'd just mowed the front and the back and it was H-O-T. So I got a bottle of cold waster and approached him. "Senior? Agua fria? I handed him the water, he thanked me in Spanish and didn't mention my limited language skills.
To your point, it is personal. I've known these people for six years now. I like them. They work hard. They are part of my life and my community here. Here's the burn: Texas is a red state. There are no ICE vans cruising the neighborhoods here. The population of Texas is half Latino. Because of Greg Abbot's strong support for the regime in the White House, we don't see the same kind of round-up and disappearing act going on here. It's not like the having the military in Los Angeles, which is a democratic state. The regime takes into account the political leanings of red or blue. It hurts the blue whenever possible. And I take that personally, too.
Even though I did not know my father well, he taught me one thing that I have been blessed to carry with me my entire life. When I was about nine years old and the Civil Rights movement was gaining strength and attention, he told me that it was "wrong to judge another human being by the color of their skin." I never forgot that and I also am still confused why skin color should affect our kindness and caring of one another.
Your essay from a year or so ago got so much traction, because it speaks to a morality consciousness that does not discriminate based on the hue of one's skin. It points out that we are all one people. We are currently living in a history where our moral consciousness is being asked to come forward and speak out for human rights and human dignity. I take that personally too.
Thank you for the enlightening, timely and wonderfully written piece. We should all take it personally.
I should have collaborated with you on the piece—you add something so important that most, including me just now, miss: that the targeted raids are in the places of “his” political opponents. I’m thankful you have enlightened me to this fact. Now I find it hard to believe that it is probably so that maybe my Carlos and his family could be a little more “protected” in a red state. Our country really is messed up.
It's all so disturbing, Kert, which is why writing essays like this are so important. I don't think that this "round 'em up and disappear 'em" is what voters had in mind.
Such a heartfelt, genuine piece, Kert.
Thank you for writing this and I will be passing it along! I see and know exactly what you outline here. Having lived the first half of my life in Montana (with it's own history of racism) and my second here in Texas, everything you've said hits home. Yes, the wave of inhumanity is hitting EVERY state, some much more visibly than others. Our Texas media, largely owned or run by very "RED State" folks does little to no coverage of the ICE raids, kidnappings, and unconscionable harassment of our brown and black community members and our more diverse communities as a whole. With such a huge Hispanic population, I am sure they (the media and our state government) do not want to incite greater protest, so they are doing the dirty deeds in quiet, darkness....ONLY, when they capture someone who DOES have a criminal record, is the "headline news" PLASTERED across our media. It is an utterly disgusting and sick means of manipulating the public to fear and hate anyone brown or black, to show that these folks are as bad as they say, and to justify the deplorable actions of ICE and the powers that be. They have been doing this for the nearly 30 years I have lived here, and I know that was not the beginning. Having taught in the Texas public schools and known the kids of our very diverse population here, I have witnessed it, not only through my eyes, but through the eyes of my students. It is nothing short of nauseating and horrific.
With all of that, there are MANY of us opposing the use of ICE, opposing the legislation being made here that so aligns with the White Christian Nationalist--MAGA--and their ilk's playbook, and opposing the long held chain of racism our country has had.
Our neighbors and our family members deserve every bit of acknowledgement and support for the genuine, beautiful, amazing human beings they are. Speaking through our experiences, like you just did are, and will continue to be, just how we change the trajectory this country is on.
Bless you for writing this and sharing it will all of us! I will be sending it out on ~ripple~ and praying it reaches the eyes, ears, and hearts of everyone!
Many blessings and MUCH LOVE,
~Wendy💜
Thanks for sharing your personal experience. I agree it's important - that sharing our individual experiences is another form of resistance.