On the flip side, I was at King Soopers (grocery store) yesterday doing our weekly shopping and I cruised through the deli to see if they had any organic free range liver, which I think is one of my top 3 favorite foods of all time next to freshly ground almond butter and apples which go very well together! Apples and almond butter... not almond butter and liver which only works when you have the right bottle of Pinot and the liver is rare... but I digest. The guy behind the counter was cleaning some sort of a meat machine, I approached and greeted him with a 'Hello, how are you?'... and he didn't look up and he didn't say a word. He kept cleaning and I paused for half a beat and walked away. He said (to my back) 'Can I help you?' and I continued to walk away. He was a white 30 something guy with a fohawk. On a day with out my boys I would have lectured the guy on customer service Ala: Allie Fox who I would love to be, were it not for my lack of fondness of Central America and my ignorance of the workings of ice machines... the last time I was there I left with a bad taste in my mouth. Not from the people but from me being a 20 year old American kid with a
Do you see this? The white American guy or girl who feels entitled and has little regard for actually treating people with any semblance of respect. I seem to encounter an equal number of Hispanics who are quite appreciative of what they have... a job. I'm a registered Republican and yes, you can take my gun when you pry my... blah, blah, blah. But I wouldn't stand out in a field of cabbage for 12 hours a day picking that shit for minimum wage! And I definitely don't want my sons to do it. Why? Because I'm too good for that? Maybe that's how I think!?
I'm part Cherokee and part German. Odd combo for sure but it happened and I am quite proud of the fact that my heritage comes from a native American. And a side rant: I HATE the bumper stickers here in Colorado that read 'NATIVE' (which implies that the DB was just born in Colorado. Wow, you are superior for having a mom with a well placed womb.) Native? Really? Are we so insecure that we defend the life that we were BORN in to and put down the people desperate to EARN what we have? Imagine being born in a horrible and crappy country and fighting to go to a place that provides a better opportunity for you and your children? Would I do that for my kids? I would step in to a wood chipper for my children with out batting an eye, so ya.
My point? I think, more often than not, I would prefer to encounter a Hispanic immigrant over a white kid from the suburbs. So many of us white folk feel entitled and righteous, when the Mexicans most likely TRULY appreciate the benefits of this country FAR more than any of us and it tends to show in the attitude. Do I wake up thanking God and America for my freedom? No, I don't but I should. I think we take for granted what we have and I think it is going to bite us in the ass. Illegal or legal immigrant... all of a sudden we are all FOR the technicalities and red tape that we normally and conveniently complain about. Not sure if I am making a point or just teetering on the blunt end of a senseless rant. I love this country and I am so thankful that I grew up here and my kids will grow up here, but I am disappointed sometimes to see so many people reluctant to share what we have and at the same time take it for granted. If we are so against immigration then shouldn't we at least live and act above those that we are against? Instead of outsourcing to China in favor of cheap labor, why don't we keep it here and pay illegal immigrants (the typical) low dollar (still high dollar in their country) and keep everything here? We complain and complain about Mexicans moving in to our country yet we buy EVERYTHING from China because they provide cheap labor. Maybe I just don't understand the 'politics' of it... thank God!
20 comments:
Hi Tim,
Eric in MN. I am white from Mn. My girl is from MX, her family came here legally 20 years ago. I have alot of experience in the MX culture and with alot people from MX. You nailed it on the head. The punk american kid thinks they are entitiled to an easy hand it to me life that they don't have to work for anything and the majority of the MX people that I deal with in her family are hard working happy appreciative people. Of course the few bad ones make a bad name for all of them and we all know how the powers that be like to promulgate that to make them all look like that. It is a very messed up thing. The people with no jobs bitch that they are coming here taking their jobs but noone in this country wants to work anymore. They think that they should have the gov't take care of them and they should get a piece of the pie that the ones who do work, worked for because somehow the ones who worked for their pie are bad people and should share it. I am with you.
Cheers Eric~
My dad does a lot of driving while Mexican cases, and I sometimes sit in as a [shitty] interpreter. It is often striking to see the pure fear in their eyes when deportation is discussed. But, and this is the first thing I noticed, it is when they realize what the situation means for their families. What was driven home for me is that the shining beacon of hope that America represents is more powerful than any fence or border patrol. So people (like the two in your post) might not be much different anywhere; however, blessings sure mean different things coming from such different perspectives.
Anyway, stream-of-consciousness writing FTW. Cool post!
I think the second to last sentence says it all!
To give this a comprehensive reply will take longer than the time I have this morning, so I might add it later today or tomorrow or just an email to you at some point.
I've had this conversation and variations on it hundreds of times, especially with an ex girlfriend (the mother of my daughter, actually) who moved to the US from Cuba. She had a peculiar point of view on this topic; she was the first of many of her "over on a boat" (a plane, really) family who went to school...then kept going to school, eventually earning two masters (ucla and harvard) and a PhD (harvard). So, she is, in popular view of glazed-eyed Americans, a productive member of society and thus has a bent lens perspective that most immigrants are good for a country. Notice I say "a country" since this is a worldwide point of contention (ask a Frenchman how he feels about the N. Africans walking by his cafe).
I learned to avoid this heated topic with her eventually, even though she could invoke it into our conversation like a sharp knife plunged into a small wound. It was a losing battle for both of us because we come from different sides of the issue.
Like you, I have Cherokee in me and though a smaller amount than the French part, I embrace it to the core. Studying American history for the better part of 25 years has left me with a jaded, though warranted, view of the white man's infestation and razing of N. America. So, even when I would get rankled trying to pull into a parking lot when 30 Mexicans clog the entrance hoping for some passer by to hire them in San Rafael, CA, I felt a deep sense of compassion mixed with a fire of hatred for capitalism's failure personified in the gushing majority of the population to support the 1% who realize the American dream.
It's not the people coming in; it's the people who have come that make the country poor and ignorant of their own virtue and entitlement.
great post! maybe americans should get off the couch and stop watching mainstream media (and "dancing with the stars" and "lost") which fosters these notions of entitlement:
"You deserve a break today."
"Pamper yourself with Calgon."
"You owe it to yourself to buy a Mercedes Benz."
gag.
our society continues to bombard us with the message that we are such fantastic people, and that we are entitled to an equally fantastic way of living. painful as it is, we all are not entitled. -ds
Dave- the Hispanic culture seems very deeply rooted to family? My observations are shallow at best so you would know much more than me!
Tim- Hey brother. Literally? I am far less educated on the bigger picture than you but I think you echoed my point in "it's the people who have come that make the country poor and ignorant of their own virtue and entitlement." Very well put! Next time we run I would love to hear your side...
Andrew Jackson can suck it.
DS- We haven't had TV in over a year and a half but when I do get to watch it I am blown away by the bombardment of crappy messages that it seems to be flooded with. I never noticed it before... which is the scary part! Consider the number of hours the average American child sits in front of the TV!? Yikes.
It's not education, it's observation.
American education is a warped and elitist filtered version of reality. Then the "educated" drive the views (through media and government) for the population, reinforcing the notions that have left this country in its current state (notice I leave that sentence open for interpretation - mine is negative).
Leaving education in the hands of media for sure is a effed up thing! I agree.
I love it. We are Greece...only we have a few years left before we get there. We are a bunch of spoiled brats now. I love the post.
Strangely, my grandfather's grandfather was a full blooded Cherokee Indian and My grand mother was full German (Kueffner). I think the rest of me is some obnoxious mix of other You're-a-pee'n stuff.
Those 2 grandparents grew up in the depression saving $1 a week. He worked for 40 years in a cigarette factory until he retired as a Foreman. He had an 8th grade education. He used to borrow money from friends to buy 1 share of stock because the company would match it...then over the next month he would work to pay them back and then do it all over again.
He died a millionaire. But all along the way he kept his garden, never owned a dish washer (did everything by hand) and saved hard.
I see that same work ethic more in other people than I do in Americans today. They were not born with a silver spoon in their mouth.
On a side note, I used to be a Republican until the Republicans ran Congress...then I switched to Libertarian. I think that means that I'd like to believe in a party of liberty, freedom, personal responsibility, hard work, and less government...but that there isn't a party anymore that truly follows that. :)
Love that title, makes me laugh. Good post.
From sports to politics, I like it! At the end of the day, it's about the individual. There are good and bad people of all sizes, shapes and colors. That said, isn't it remarkable that most of us, except for the American Indians, immigrated to this country. My grandfather came here from what was Russia, then Germany and finally (after he left) Poland. He was a baker. He made is life here in America. In 1964 at the age of 84, he wrote the following to my father:
"As I see it now, at this time, love for one another has gone, for the simple reason they became rich. The richer they are the less interest they take in their fellow man, because the rich man does not need anything from the other man. Poor people have more feeling towards each other, they always have it in their mind that sooner or later, they will have to appeal to each other for aid-either to borrow money or som such help, etc."
Most of my grandfather's family didn't live past WWII, having not left Europe when he did around 1916. That was the racism of Europe at that time. It resulted in genocide. We continue to see genocide all over the world even today.
We take so much for granted in our lives. We live in this huge country, lacking in very little, and yet some people are worried that someone is going to come here illegally, pick our grapes and somehow ruin our society. It doesn't make sense.
There's plenty to go around. Tim, I like your brand of "racism". In fact, that's not what it is, you're just calling out those people who are narrow minded and selfish. That strikes me as honest.
Brett- Excellent example and similar to Mike's after yours. I'm sticking it out with the Republicans but I often times find myself disagreeing. To be honest I am quite ignorant when it comes to politics and am lazy in educating myself. It's one of the things I don't like about myself.
So you, Tim (Ghostfeather), and myself could be closely related. Very possible.
Mike- I always love your (rare) comments. You have a level head and always make an excellent point. I LOVE the Grandfather story and note to his son! Sad though too but I think it makes the best point. Thank you!
All I can say is awesome!
From the great State of Oklahoma where the Native American and Hispanic communities are a main part of the culture, I say, way to have the "GUTS" to speak your voice and opinion.
We see a lot of the same things here in Tulsa and it is a sad state of our society. We have been here almost 6 years and the influx of Hispanics has grown a lot because of the lack of homegrown workers to take the positions. And with that, they are more readily hired as they know they will give 100% and show up everyday. I really wonder sometimes about the future of our society for my kids. Thank God that we still have our freedom and hopefully be able to change the path we are on and get back to the greatness that this Nation is founded on.
Great post and love reading your blog!
Related post you might enjoy: http://caroline67.typepad.com/some_pig/2010/05/attitude-of-gratitude-required.html
"Thank God that we still have our freedom and hopefully be able to change the path we are on and get back to the greatness that this Nation is founded on."
Exactly!
I hope so too. This is a great country with great opportunities. There is a reason people from all over the world want to come here. Our problems can't be placed at the feet of white or black or any other color of American. I think you'll find the kind of apathy you encountered in King Sooper whereever you go. It wasn't his store, so why should he care if you walk out and never come back? If the store closes, he'll just file for unemployment. On the other hand, you'll find plenty of people living good lives, raising great kids, working hard and taking pride in that work regardless of what it may be, smiling and saying "hello, how are you today." I hope those people outnumber the others! Good post Tim.
wow, i didn't even sneak into this country and i'm taking "your jobs" ;)...and i'm quite polite too when you first meet me(that was said quite tongue in cheek in case anyone missed it). lack of motivation and overlooked opportunities by people who feel they somehow 'deserve' more (coupled with a general sense of apathy) really opens the door for others who are seeking to better themselves regardless of nationality or social class.
however, i must say that i nearly choked when i read the 'registered republican' part....yeah, we'll have to chat. a lot.
smallpox
slavery
wounded knee
cultural displacement
reservations
clear cutting
dams
soil pollution
water pollution
light pollution
air pollution
space pollution
noise pollution
extinction
poverty
drugs
greenhouse gas
oil spills
government corruption
business corruption
biased media
obesity
apathy
greed
selfishness
materialism
big houses
big jewelry
big vehicles
big tits
fast food
nascar
Tim, if you next say you haven't spoken to your Dad in over a decade, that he would be about 66 right now, and he was an abusive alcoholic, then I'm going straight to ancestry.com to start doing some research...
Brett- I don't know my fathers name or anything about him... except that he was in rehab. But my Cherokee blood comes from my mother's side.
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