I was talking with this woman the other day and she mentioned that there are a lot of undocumented Mexican workers in Ohio. I was surprised that Ohio was a destination for Mexicans, but I suppose where there is opportunity, there will be people to take advantage. We talked briefly about undocumented people and how they should or should not receive financial aid for college. Her opinion was that "her parents waited their turn to come into this country, waited 6 years in Germany in a camp. These people are coming over illegally, not going through citizenship programs and are taking our tax money, my money, for things like college education. I have no problem with new citizens, they just have to wait their turn." I guess I can understand her perspective on the issue. She doesn't want others who go against the system to benefit from the system that she has decided to live in and trust in. In fact, how dare they invade our home and take our resources?!
Well, I have a different perspective and I am trying to figure out the best way to address our differences. I feel that, were I one of these people living in Mexico and conditions were so bad that I would risk crossing the border illegally, not be able to see my family, and go all the way to cold-winters-Ohio, then I must be pretty desperate. Who am I to deny these people some happiness? Were our situations reversed, I would want to be treated with acceptance, not disdain. Especially if I was brought over as a child with no free agency of my own, grew up and went to school here, and then wanted to go to college to get the life I have dreamed of. To suddenly then not be able to move on only because I was undocumented, because my parents jumped the border with me as a baby, seems entirely unfair.
Here is another point illustrated later in our conversation. Some poor kids in the Bronx received free laptops from the government. This woman was furious that these kids were getting laptops with government money (her money, as she sees it) and yet she was unable to afford to buy those same laptops for her own children. Why should someone who is on welfare, "abusing the system," receive something special while I am left with the bill?
I totally understand how someone could have that feeling of injustice. Feelings are important, and that feeling means that you care about the stability of your family and probably gets to some insecurities about how much monetary wealth you have as a family. But I propose a different direction for your feelings. Instead of being upset that some poor kids in the Bronx got laptops, how about you be upset that super wealthy bankers are screwing over ALL of us "poor" people. When you compare your own bank account to that of the kids families in the Bronx and then to the wealthy decision makers in our society, you will find that you are in a much more similar position to the currently "poor kids in the Bronx" than to the J.P. Morgan executives. Instead of idealizing the wealthy for "making their way in the world," recognize that not only do they ABUSE THE SYSTEM they manipulate and control the system. Be furious at them for making decisions to keep big business in control of our government, for taking huge bonuses while our economy collapsed, for spending more money on the business of war than the business of education or the business of keeping our planet healthy for future generations.
This woman said that she doesn't trust any politician any more and that the best thing to do is to hunker down and do what is best for your family. Well that is exactly what the undocumented Mexicans are doing, and that is exactly what the "poor kids in the Bronx" on welfare are doing. And that is exactly what the banking execs are doing. I propose that rather than doing what's best for your own family, you have an extra dose of empathy. Think about the families of those around you who are also invested in a system that is being controlled by a wealthy few. Do you think these execs care one ounce about what happens to you or your family? Do you think maybe your feeling of injustice are better directed at the "have-nots" trying to eek out a life for their family or the "haves" who are swimming in wealth while other starve, who are manipulating the system so that they stay on top no matter who is left dying along the way?
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