The Interesting Thing About Being Dominant
NO GROUP OF PEOPLE IS “ALL BAD,” por supuesto! But some groups feel the need to defend themselves from the charge. And some would never dream of explaining a damn thing to anyone.
‘WE’RE NOT ALL BAD’ says Maria Ruis, and I feel my heart break. That she should have to say such a thing. This is testament to how poisoned our national conversation on the undocumented has become.
Maria Ruis sat in the shade cradling her 1-year-old disabled daughter, Gracie, Sunday afternoon before marching in favor of immigration reform. Ruis, a restaurant manager and a housekeeper, said the United States is the only place where Gracie, who has Down syndrome, can receive proper medical care. “We’re not asking for anything for free. We work and we pay taxes here. This is my seventh year paying taxes here,” Ruis said. “We’re not all bad.” …
Phoenix was the last stop of a series of celebratory rallies across various states, including California, Oregon and Washington, asking that the U.S. government honor undocumented immigrants’ contributions to the American economy.
We don’t hear many White Teens saying “we’re not all bad.” We don’t hear many White Collar CEOs saying it, either.
No group of people is “all bad,” por supuesto! But some groups feel the need to defend themselves from the charge. And some would never dream of explaining a damn thing to anyone. That’s the Interesting Thing About Being Dominant, to paraphrase a certain war criminal.
Tags: Arizona, Bush, Dominant Culture, dubya, George W. Bush, marches, Phoenix, race, War Crimes, White Supremacy
Posted in Borders, Cultura, Immigration, Politics, Putos, Raza, Strikes, Marches, Parades, and Protests, United States Politics, Violence
Agree with your sentiments. Shame about oneself is always heartbreaking. This Anglo does often wish she owned a t-shirt that said “We’re not all bad!” But, no, I don’t think it’s a common sentiment. Mostly, I just encounter defensiveness along the lines of “Why you gotta bring up old stuff? I’ve never had any slaves. I didn’t shoot any Indians.” Bring up white privilege and the eyes glaze over …
i hear you…i guess i dont want people to have shame, carry shame. but when certain groups have none at all and others carry theirs for them, ugh.
Well shame or verguenza is a human trait…nothing wrong with having it, it is actually a good thing. The problem when others try to impose it upon your or in this case US!
Growing up being “illegal” was a family secret, I remember filling out a science fair project entree form and how terrified I felt when I encountered the line that asked for a social security number. Today? Yeah, I was mojado, Y QUE? That is a barrier that we overcame and I’m stronger and kinder because of it. It’s my story and I no longer consider t a negative. Breaking barriers taht is the stuff that heroes do on the regular.
A poco no NeZua…simon que si!
I agree with both Nezua and Francisco.
It’s hard for me to imagine being an immigrant mother like Ms. Ruis holding down two jobs and feeling that shame on top of it. She’s taking on another two jobs – one, dealing with the shame and two, having to explain to other people that they’re wrong. And if you include being a mother, that’s a heck of a lot to handle.
I’ve never been through a situation that tough but I have felt ashamed for stuff I didn’t do. It’s easy to make someone feel like everything is their fault. And the woman in this story is having to work hella hard to fight that feeling, but she has to in order to be able to stand up for herself and her child.
I guess you’re right, Francisco, shame is a human trait. But if we’re going to have to
deal with it, and there’s so much all ready, it’s a good idea to try and not add any more.