We were driving back from San Diego this morning and had to stop at the Border Patrol checkpoint. Yep, there are lots of checkpoints in the US. My 6 year old daughter was confused why we were stopping and what the boder patrol was doing. The first time I came to California (I grew up in Illinois) I came across two checkpoints. One was the agriculture inspection point coming into CA and the other was, of course the border patrol checkpoint when one travels north of San Diego.
Along the border patrol checkpoints there are ominous signs with silhouettes of families running with their children. It it a warning to us that people may be trying to esacpe into the US. I was horrified the first time I saw this 12 years ago. I am now sensitized.
So my daughter continues to inquire. It's 4 am and I am grumpy. What are they looking for? In all honesty they are looking for people of color, people who match their profile, people from Mexico, dark people. The first time I encountered them I was so afraid they would take me out of the car if they saw my dark eyes, hair and complexion. I tell my daughter they are looking for people from Mexico.
"Why are they looking for them? What will they do if they find them?" She asks
"They will take them aside, check them out and most likely send them back to Mexico."
"Why would they do that? Why are they here?" She continues.
"The US does not want them here. The people from Mexico are very poor and need jobs here or they have family here."
"Well, that's not fair! If they are poor and we are not then we need to share." She says
"Yes we do need to share."
She is so right.
Thanks to all who protested today!
This is the wall between the haves and the have nots...
No comments:
Post a Comment