WESLACO, TX—America is angry! The present humanitarian crisis along our southwest borders in general and the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas in particular has created polarity amongst the American working class to the point of desperation. Due to misinformation and slanted media coverage, it is pulling our country apart. From the angry housewife, to the dissatisfied truck driver, to the disgruntled veteran, the confused student and also the ex-immigrant, it is all the same—anger and confusion.
America is angry! During our last national elections, President Obama led us to believe that through his presidency we could dream and achieve our goals to a better America and a way out of poverty. So far we keep losing our homes to the banks, medical insurance is tied to the corporations and difficult to obtain, our schools keep closing or working with less funds, and we still haven’t seen the way out of our poverty.
America is angry when we hear of the millions spent on our never-ending wars, and the push for militarization of the southwest border. We are angry when we are lied to; when told that America can’t afford any more social programs because they create an increase in our government debt, when not taking into consideration the enormous cost associated with wars and the push for militarization. We have been in the Middle East fighting for the last 25 years. Many of us do not say anything about the wars for fear of sounding unpatriotic and unsupportive, but the greatest patriot is the one that stands up against its own government and disagrees with foreign policy that is tearing our country apart.
We Americans of immigrant descent are angry because Mr. Obama promised us immigration reform and a way to naturalization of many undocumented refugees. We are angry because the only monies spent to alleviate the humanitarian crises are enforcement-related and nothing goes for humanitarian needs, only deportations and more deportations.
America is angry at our politicos and governors who only devise ways of repatriating these workers to the very conditions they left behind: poverty, repression, violence, a never-ending cycle of death.
We must stand and be angry together and demand that government cease and desist from all these wars, stop the push for the militarization of our borders, and propose a viable solution to the present humanitarian crises along the southern borders that addresses the problem and its roots: a stop to all deportations, a viable path to legalization and employment.
We must demand real social programs that rehabilitate our dying neighborhoods and cities. We must demand decent housing and an end to homelessness. We must demand real medical care and a real path out of poverty.
All of us Americans want the same freedoms and guarantees that all undocumented immigrants are searching for. Our economies are integrated through globalization and free trade agreements such as NAFTA and CAFTA, thereby forging links between us and all these immigrant workers.
Yes America be angry, but let’s be angry for the right reasons. Come help us here in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas so you can witness the police state under which we live. Our government is only sending more border patrol, more police, guns and bullets.
