Spent a wonderful evening last with a young friend of
Mexican heritage. Largely abandoned here at age 12, he persevered and survived.
Brenda and I were blessed to help him get an education, and Green Card. Then,
on what was one of the most wonderful days of our life, we watched him raise his
hand and become an American citizen.
If you’ve never done that, watched people become citizens of
our country, you ought to do it sometime. It will put some pride in your heart.
We talked of so many things. I was struck by his love of
people and of his two countries. His work ethic is beyond reproach and a great
future stretches before him. I always feel a little closer to the Galilean
my after my friend and I get a chance to sit and talk.
He told me one very interesting thing about Mexico and other
countries south of our borders. I had always halfway believed in what I call “The
Ernest Hemmingway-Jimmy Buffett” mythology. It posits that natives of other
countries hate all Americans save the two of them. Everyone else belongs to a
group called “The Ugly Americans.” Except for their money, those in this group are despised
and ridiculed.
Not so, says my friend. His opinion is that people in those
countries respect Americans who come to their country and treat them as equals,
even those who move there to live.
That’s comforting to know.
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