The People Next Door

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Down at the grassroots, the people of Mexico have long been on our side, and I feel we also should have their back where such things as the insulting border wall long proposed by Donald Trump are concerned. Arrogance never reached greater heights than when Trump decided “Mexico will pay for the wall,” as if he is ruling over that country. Early in his campaign he also stated: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” 

Thing is, Donald, you have your shoes on the wrong feet and your brain in the wrong gear. Those crossing the border seeking a piece of the American Dream are not being “sent,” and they are no more typified by drug-running and rape than are a group of gringos of similar demographics. Mexico is full of good people, just like our country.

I chummed with young Mexicans in close quarters in the U. S. Army way back in the Korean War, 65 years ago. We were young men; we were soldiers; we were one.

Our daughter Pam and husband recently visited lower Baja and bonded with such people. In one photo above are some of the state police (another one of whom took the picture) who were eating in the establishment where Pam and Kevin had stopped for a beer. She apologized to them for our president. At right is Geraldo, their hotelier, a double amputee who takes in rescue animals.

Our other daughter, Janice, is en route to another part of Mexico as I write this. I have a brother-in-law who lives elsewhere in Mexico. 

Here in the Port Townsend area we have quite a few residents of Mexican ethnicity and I believe they are typical of the rest of the country. I have met a considerable number of them. My opinion is that they are pleasant,  family-oriented, hard-working, have children in school, etc.

So what’s the problem? I don’t believe it as much a problem of illegal entry as it is one of racial bigotry. I believe our immigration laws should be more benevolent than brutish.

“California in many ways is out of control as you know,” Trump said the other day (No, Donald, it’s not as we know; it’s as you say). He previously had said that sanctuary cities “breed crime.” As usual, he just throws out  generalities free of specifics, leaving us to paint pictures of our own choosing in our minds. His is an alternate reality.

His remarks have all manner of racial overtones. He was upset in this case after a California senate committee approved a bill that would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from using officers or jails to uphold federal immigration laws—effectively a state-wide version of so-called sanctuary cities. “If we have to, we will defund,” Trump said; “we give a tremendous amount of money to California.”

Seattle (as announced by Mayor Ed Murray) is one of the many U. S. cities that have declared themselves “sanctuary cities” also threatened by Trump with defunding, see http://www.ibtimes.com/sanctuary-cities-2016-full-list-places-resisting-donald-trumps-immigration-pledge-2458735 for current list.

Our current president had the streets filled with protestors around the world when he took office. He had thousands in the streets in London, Paris, Washingon D.C. and elsewhere after his out-of-the-blue immigration travel order the other day.

Our president also has demeaned our intelligence agencies, whom he feels know less than he about such things as the paper tigers he chooses to create—Mexican rapists, Muslim terrorists . . . 

Sorry, Donald. You will not rule the world or dominate our country through narrowly-focused political power and by  further enriching the wealthy. Down here at grassroots, we grew up loving our neighbors as ourselves—and we’re going to keep it that way. 

Incidentally, I recommend this link to an article on gaslighting, which describes our Mr. T to a T. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201701/gaslighting-know-it-and-identify-it-protect-yourself

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Latest Trump quote (Feb. 6): “Any negative poll is fake news.” (Give it up Donald; the majority of us don’t love and admire you. And your lies will not wear us down to your way of thinking.)

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