The Immigration Struggle

The following is an account of a very upsetting encounter I had with a mother almost 5 years ago at one of my daughter's soccer games. In doing some research today on the current political climate in the United States concerning immigration, I came across this piece I wrote and ironically, although 5 years old, how 'current' and fitting it is to share, yet again. I hope you read through the entire post, and I equally hope you will watch the very inspiring video. THIS is our UNITED America.

Stand UP

Speak UP

Let your voices be HEARD

The Immigration Struggle Against the Ignoramus

I didn't say a word, so as to keep the peace.

But I am shocked at what I have just heard.

No, shocked might not be the best word. Disheartened.

Disheartened and discouraged.

The ignorance in the words, the message of hate was loud and clear, but you cleverly disguised it in an attempt to make it sound reasonable. But ignorance always bleeds through.

You even stated that you were merely conveying a lovely conversation with regular, small town folk and were simply reiterating how pleasant it all was. You were leading me on and then you slammed me...

A pleasant conversation you say? Pleasant to say that immigrants are not what they once were and that they all just come here now, to relax?

Pleasant? Pleasant to directly state that all immigrants arrive here solely to collect unemployment insurance?

Pleasant? Pleasant to assume that only Americans who were born on this land, have the right to live here and that all others feed off of you, bleeding you of your American godliness?

What you really mean is that you were glowing with pompous pride because you had met like-minded individuals who agreed with you. They satisfied your ego and you naturally puffed up. They reinforced your ignorant and very ill-informed views of immigrants and you were so excited by this that you wanted to extend and share this glorified hate with me...

How disappointed I am in myself when I let these instances pass by and I don't speak up. I've let myself down and countless others who were not even given that platform to have their voices heard. I still need to learn how to voice my opinion when confronted with ignorance. In my younger years, I would have become visibly angry, voice raised and shaking. I would have chosen words to belittle the individual.

Not the best approach.

In my middle years, I have come to realize that I am exhausted - emotionally exhausted by the countless times I have found myself exposed to social ignorance and due to this exhaustion, I have silenced myself.

Disappointing tactic.

What I would have liked, was to have shared the sentiment so perfectly captured and so beautifully expressed in the following video I came across just today.

Open your eyes, your ears, and your heart and listen:

The Immigration Struggle

I sincerely apologize to all those amazing people whom I disrespected today by choosing to be silent. In the words of the Great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

I let you all down today. I let myself down and I am truly sorry.

Next time I will speak. I will learn to speak of peace and for peace. We like to say that we remain silent when faced with ignorant comments so as to keep the peace. Ironically, our silence doesn't keep any peace, but gives passive permission to continue the hate.

Peace to All, young and old, from all parts of the globe.

Carreen

05/05/12

4:29p.m.