Impatient and Anxious

The older we get, the more impatient and anxious we become because there is not that much time left to see changes. I want to see more than what I've seen. I want to see some real changes. I want to see a society where I don't have to explain, argue, plead or insist. I want to see a society that will be to me what I want it to be, because I am an American, another human being, and color should not matter. I think the more knowledge and education or history you have, the more difficult it is not to express despair, not to express yourself intemperately. That's difficult and I struggle with it.

This is what John Hope Franklin said in an interview called "Confronting History II" with Dick Gordon on "The Story" http://thestory.org/ ,. In the interview, the 92 year old writer and historian tells stories about his growing up in racist United States. He talks about what has and what has not changed.

As I listen to this, I feel that racism still shows its ugly head, disguised as concern about illegal immigration and resulting in the loss of jobs by the new immigrants.

I am not saying that illegal immigration is right or wrong. I am concerned about how the human being, the soul, is being treated by white America, by the Americans whose grandparents or great grandparents were immigrants.

This "Story" is still being written today all across the country, in our restaurants, clothing stores, schools, service clubs, all over the sector. I am hearing stories of how badly the immigrants are being treated because of not being able to speak perfect English or any English at all.

I believe it is a small minority who feels this way but they are becoming very vocal. I believe we all have to be aware, to be educated about the differences in cultures, to be kind to everyone, lend a helping hand when needed and smile.

Immigrants are not only mistreated but ignored. To be ignored is equally as bad as being mistreated. We have to take a chance and speak up for anyone being mistreated or abused.

I realize while so active in the Faribault Diversity Coalition for 7 years that I am more aware of the good and bad happening to our new immigrant friends. I also realize that if we ignore each other, tensions will rise with mistrust on all sides.

These thoughts came to me after hearing this story and being interviewed by two organizations this past week. I realized that the time is now to make this nation a better place to live. As I get older, I too, am becoming more impatient and anxious.

Have a gentle day, Milo

P.S.

As I was going down to work after Sunday's snowstorm to snowblow the sidewalk, I got stuck in the plowed snow. As I finally gave up rocking the truck back and forth, I was about to get out and in front of the truck was an Hispanic Angel. He pushed the truck as I rocked it back and forth and got free.

I thanked the smiling man as he crossed the street to get back in his warm car, heading in the opposite direction. He could have gone by like dozens of other cars did, but stopped.

After I finished and was heading home, I ran across 6 Somalians standing around a car stuck in the snow down the street. So, paying it forward, I stopped to pull them out with my tow rope and a guy on a bobcat cleaning the sidewalk down the street came up and pushed and they were free. They were as grateful as I was a few minutes before.

In a few minutes a Norwegian, Latino and 6 Somalians bonded and made this world a little better place.