http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/12/15/MNGADG8GN41.DTL
AND THEY ARE VOTING FOR THAT DARN HR4437 IMMIGRATION ACT TODAY!! ALL OF YOU HISPANIC PEOPLE, I HOPE YOU ALL CALLED YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ALREADY!!
I will spare you my not-so-polite opinion about the turning immgrants (and possibly those who aid them, such as churches and other socially active groups) into criminals... and about trying to pass this act right after --or in the middle of? who knows-- the "war against terrorism."
Ok... I WON'T spare you my opinions. Just heard on the news the act passed. Sounds like the only thing immigrants were able to keep was their children's citizenship. It all makes me so sad... it seems to me that the Senate actually did represent its people accurately. Some polls gave a number as high as 69% in favor of the act. I understand one is to protect one’s country from potential terrorists coming in. But darn it, terrorist tendencies are not genetically or even culturally raised.
And I understand people’s taxes are paying to educate people from other countries. But well, so many Americans think of Latin American countries as poor and uneducated, as being under such dire conditions that they flee from home and into the US.. to paradise. I don’t agree. Yet if someone does agree with this, then it makes no sense to willingly spend so many millions of dollars on African children’s education, on aid to Asian hurricane victims, on Human Right movements in Latin America BUT adamantly express and act on an unwillingness to help those who come close to you... those who might alter your identity or your lifestyle. It is distressing to think the problem of identity is what might be causing this. Does the United States WANT to have a 50% Hispanic population? Does the United States WANT to have a partly Asian, partly African, partly Hindu, partly non-white, non-European descent identity? The usual arguments against immigration (problems related to education, language, and crime, for example) that I have heard seem so pointless and so illogical to me that I can’t help wonder if the great nations of the world still struggle with their self-esteem.
An unrealistically high or low self esteem cannot be beneficial, under any circumstances. Why should a nation raffle out half a million green cards a year? Raffle them… completely randomly…and then make it so terribly hard for highly educated, competent people to even work in the States? Why not work towards a more logical, positive, welcoming (gosh, even if selective) LEGAL immigration process instead of a reactive, negative, disrespectful action against illegal immigration? I don’t understand why a Mathematics college professor must learn how to cook and wash dishes just because he’s Chilean. Or why he has more chances of becoming a resident if he immigrates illegally and manages to stay in the US for 5 yrs than if he had waited the approx. 10 yrs it takes to become a resident legally.
I suppose you don’t resent a blonde joke... unless you’re a blonde. And I guess someone getting the four-eyes nickname isn’t much of a tragedy unless you have myopia. And maybe I should understand that people don’t mind jokes about immigrants or their countries unless you’ve made a four hour line just so that you can have an interview with a rude immigration officer... so that you can prove that each year of school has already been paid for, that you have no need to stay in the States, that you would rather go home. Or Spain, if you must take a plane home. I shouldn’t let another country’s internal problems affect me, but I have friends and family there. I realize the US might have become some people’s complete sense of national identity, even if they have roots somewhere else... And come to think about it, I have to admit that the US has become a part of my own identity. I have roots in the US. My best friend…good grief, most of my friends are from the US… my boyfriend… and then on the other hand there’s also my church, my education, my social life, and to a small degree, even my culture. Eight years in the US... and do I want to stay? In a country where 69% of people are worried that too many immigrants might use too much of the education budget, or bring about disease and crime… Do I want to feed that idea that life in the US is better than life elsewhere? that statistics measure happiness more effectively than experience? If they do, I give. The American dream… the never ending story! So sad… all of this. So terribly sad.
I'm venting BEFORE the voting next time. Maybe I can vote indirectly : )
Ufff… ok. I’ve vented it out…most of it, at least…hehe… I need to go sleep : )
sábado, diciembre 17, 2005
jueves, diciembre 15, 2005
TOO FUNNY...
En La Crónica de Hoy:
El presidente Fox expresó su confianza en todos los ciudadanos del país, y aprovechó para referirse específicamente a Santiago González Osorio, un joven interno del Centro de Tratamiento para Varones, que durante la visita que realizó al lugar, el lunes pasado, hizo con la mano el signo de "cuernos" cuando se tomaron la foto.
Indicó que en Santiago "El Roñas", quien "ayer me puso unos cuernitos, él también es mi amigo y merece toda mi confianza".
"Nadie, absolutamente nadie va a poner ni un pétalo de rosa encima de él (de Santiago)", garantizó, al señalar que por el contrario, ayudará y apoyará a ese joven "si él pone su parte" para que salga cuanto antes de ese centro de rehabilitación.
As for the translation.. a kid, a young intern at a rehabilitation center, gave the President bunny ears during the presidential visit to the Center of Treatment for Men... a scandalous act of lack of respect!! yet the president even joked about it and said he would do all he could, if the kid did his part, to help him out of the rehabiliation center (which is said to be more of a jail than it is a center of treatment.)I just CANT BELIEVE he actually got away with it. Fun stuff.. fun stuff...
miércoles, diciembre 14, 2005
HOME
I am home, everybody!And it has been great : )
Nothing new to say, really. We've been moving furniture around, visiting family, having some fun. The kids' break hasn't started yet, so I usually have the morning for myself, which I am enjoying while I can. I've been working on my paperwork, on my room, and on this house (this house does not need a maid, it needs one of those crazy shows to come convince the family to throw away half of my Mom's stuff)... I've been organizing drawers, closets, my kids' "toy corners," etc. and besides furtively throwing stuff (that won't ever be missed) away, I've been having a lot of time to sleep and eat, as would be expected of a girl like me. My family and I went to the movies last night to see Narnia... great movie. Strange effects, at times, but great story-line. I want to read the books now.. all seven. I'm also painting away this week. I went to the plumber store to get a lt of thinner for my oil paints, and despite being 21 years old (it's 18 for us!) I got carded. I got carded! I suppose in a decade or so, it will be nice to be told I look at least 4 yrs younger than I really am. oh well... nice to know they do card.
Happy times... happy times...
Nothing new to say, really. We've been moving furniture around, visiting family, having some fun. The kids' break hasn't started yet, so I usually have the morning for myself, which I am enjoying while I can. I've been working on my paperwork, on my room, and on this house (this house does not need a maid, it needs one of those crazy shows to come convince the family to throw away half of my Mom's stuff)... I've been organizing drawers, closets, my kids' "toy corners," etc. and besides furtively throwing stuff (that won't ever be missed) away, I've been having a lot of time to sleep and eat, as would be expected of a girl like me. My family and I went to the movies last night to see Narnia... great movie. Strange effects, at times, but great story-line. I want to read the books now.. all seven. I'm also painting away this week. I went to the plumber store to get a lt of thinner for my oil paints, and despite being 21 years old (it's 18 for us!) I got carded. I got carded! I suppose in a decade or so, it will be nice to be told I look at least 4 yrs younger than I really am. oh well... nice to know they do card.
Happy times... happy times...
sábado, diciembre 03, 2005
Xmas is just around the corner...
Got 4 exams and 2 term papers to look forward to.. yay... but my nephew is on the way, one friend is graduating, another is leaving for McAllen, another one might get married any time soon, and I will be back home by Sunday. I'm really tired, but Xmas is just around the corner : )
Happy Birthday, Michael!
Happy Birthday, Michael!
jueves, diciembre 01, 2005
To My Brother
Well... this one started as a message on my A-Psi brother's xanga... and it got so amazingly long that I decided I'd post it on my blog... brother, I hope you don't mind I've stolen your entry's topic... I've made this message public, but not your identity. so those who know, know. and those who dont, wont : )
I think you pose such an important question about society's reaction to homosexuality (and vice versa).. and my boyfriend and I were talking about this last night. I wish people would just stop pointing fingers and start talking about sexuality and relationships... so here I go... let's see where this takes us : ) maybe you can reply from your blog... but in any case, here's my thoughts on that entry of yours... in any case, I am pro gay marriage... and dear, if anyone goes to heaven or hell (and I do believe we're going somewhere), it won't be because of their sexuality.
hey, brother! hope you are feeling better... I think we all feel like that sometimes... hehe.. I go through that stuff a whole lot... but yeah, if you have the strength, then keep going, and everything will eventually fall in place. I know you are a strong person and will be able to go through this one too and come out winning. I think that the thing about friendships is people have to be willing to give and take, and many go into relationships (of all kinds, not just friendships) with the idea of "what can I get from this?" and forget that they too must make an effort... old friends are great, if they really are friends... sometimes new friends are just as great : ) friends choose each other, I think... and it takes some wisdom to do so... gotta be able to see through people and know who they really are... and gotta care about them too.. and you have be willing to loose sometimes... Friendship is a complicated thing... and being in a society with mixed feelings about sexuality only makes it harder for homosexual and bisexual people to feel at home. I think we just have to give people in general some time to sort out their feelings and beliefs... I think the matter of making different sexual choices is just a big of a deal for people who interact with those who make those choices as it is for you and those who actually make them... Especially for people who adhere to a faith, it poses a very difficult question. Do you accept it? Do you tolerate it? What do you do with the passages in the Bible that go against it? good grief, even straight people have to make choices too, and we don't always make the best ones. I've always been curious as to what a Christian gay man thinks about his sexuality and about how he reconciles it with his faith. Many of my Religious Studies professors argue the Scripture is not to be taken as the main foundation for a person's faith. I disagree... but I also disagree that the Scripture is to be taken as an excuse to persecute others. I wonder when the witch-hunt will end. On the other hand, I do think gay people are a little sensitive to the topic, which makes it hard for people to come out and say what they think, for fear of saying something the wrong way and offending someone. I know gay people have many good reasons to be sensitive about the situation, but honest, even if harsh dialoge is the only thing that will get all of this resolved. it is obvious that politics don't quite do the work... I think it's a matter of being understanding of your friends, who are going through a social change, just as they are to be understanding of you. I think we all have that double responsibility of 1) resolving our personal struggle with sexuality while 2) realizing that other people are struggling with it too, and understanding when, in their confusion, they slip and say or do something wrong.
as for the independence matter, well, one gains independence little by little. it's all about school right now, and a house and a car and a better job come afterwards, if you really concentrate in school... I think a little sacrifice and a lot of hard work and concentration will take you a long ways... just give it time... and Im sure that as long as your parents see that you are giving it your best, you won't have to worry about them thinking one way or another... the rest of us, as your parents probably do, couldn't care less if you are independent or not... in any case, most of us aren't independent yet ... and even if we are, we care about you being strong and well... about you striving to be the best that you can... about you being the friend that we are so glad to be able to have.
Patience, brother. Just give it time. with time, society will solve this problem we have, and in time you will be able to have the comfort of a stable life style.. that's what we're all working on, right? ; ) I think we should enjoy this part of our life, even if it is a preparation for all of those thing we are waiting for. every stage has it pros and cons... so enjoy, even if you don't have everything, there are many things that you do have... so have fun, and work hard... and be happy... I say the heck with social injustice. either ignore it or fight it, but be happy. love ya... hope it all gets better...
Un beso,
~Your sis
I think you pose such an important question about society's reaction to homosexuality (and vice versa).. and my boyfriend and I were talking about this last night. I wish people would just stop pointing fingers and start talking about sexuality and relationships... so here I go... let's see where this takes us : ) maybe you can reply from your blog... but in any case, here's my thoughts on that entry of yours... in any case, I am pro gay marriage... and dear, if anyone goes to heaven or hell (and I do believe we're going somewhere), it won't be because of their sexuality.
hey, brother! hope you are feeling better... I think we all feel like that sometimes... hehe.. I go through that stuff a whole lot... but yeah, if you have the strength, then keep going, and everything will eventually fall in place. I know you are a strong person and will be able to go through this one too and come out winning. I think that the thing about friendships is people have to be willing to give and take, and many go into relationships (of all kinds, not just friendships) with the idea of "what can I get from this?" and forget that they too must make an effort... old friends are great, if they really are friends... sometimes new friends are just as great : ) friends choose each other, I think... and it takes some wisdom to do so... gotta be able to see through people and know who they really are... and gotta care about them too.. and you have be willing to loose sometimes... Friendship is a complicated thing... and being in a society with mixed feelings about sexuality only makes it harder for homosexual and bisexual people to feel at home. I think we just have to give people in general some time to sort out their feelings and beliefs... I think the matter of making different sexual choices is just a big of a deal for people who interact with those who make those choices as it is for you and those who actually make them... Especially for people who adhere to a faith, it poses a very difficult question. Do you accept it? Do you tolerate it? What do you do with the passages in the Bible that go against it? good grief, even straight people have to make choices too, and we don't always make the best ones. I've always been curious as to what a Christian gay man thinks about his sexuality and about how he reconciles it with his faith. Many of my Religious Studies professors argue the Scripture is not to be taken as the main foundation for a person's faith. I disagree... but I also disagree that the Scripture is to be taken as an excuse to persecute others. I wonder when the witch-hunt will end. On the other hand, I do think gay people are a little sensitive to the topic, which makes it hard for people to come out and say what they think, for fear of saying something the wrong way and offending someone. I know gay people have many good reasons to be sensitive about the situation, but honest, even if harsh dialoge is the only thing that will get all of this resolved. it is obvious that politics don't quite do the work... I think it's a matter of being understanding of your friends, who are going through a social change, just as they are to be understanding of you. I think we all have that double responsibility of 1) resolving our personal struggle with sexuality while 2) realizing that other people are struggling with it too, and understanding when, in their confusion, they slip and say or do something wrong.
as for the independence matter, well, one gains independence little by little. it's all about school right now, and a house and a car and a better job come afterwards, if you really concentrate in school... I think a little sacrifice and a lot of hard work and concentration will take you a long ways... just give it time... and Im sure that as long as your parents see that you are giving it your best, you won't have to worry about them thinking one way or another... the rest of us, as your parents probably do, couldn't care less if you are independent or not... in any case, most of us aren't independent yet ... and even if we are, we care about you being strong and well... about you striving to be the best that you can... about you being the friend that we are so glad to be able to have.
Patience, brother. Just give it time. with time, society will solve this problem we have, and in time you will be able to have the comfort of a stable life style.. that's what we're all working on, right? ; ) I think we should enjoy this part of our life, even if it is a preparation for all of those thing we are waiting for. every stage has it pros and cons... so enjoy, even if you don't have everything, there are many things that you do have... so have fun, and work hard... and be happy... I say the heck with social injustice. either ignore it or fight it, but be happy. love ya... hope it all gets better...
Un beso,
~Your sis