What I really worry about in the current situation
SignOn San Diego, the San Diego Union Tribune website, is reporting this morning that an SDSU student is suspected of having the swine flu. What concerns me is not that the student might have gone to my gym or perhaps even played basketball outside of my house last week. What concerns me is the seething outward racism and hatred aimed at Hispanics in the comments section of this and other related articles. For the record, these types of comments are ubiquitous on this particular website. But the swine flu causes me to worry a great deal about race relations. Here is a sampling of thoughts from people that live in my community (I do hope they’re outliers):
Does anyone think there will be mass marches of Illegal Aliens from Mexico in the streets this friday? After all it is May 1 (May day). This has traditionaly been the day of large public gatherings of illegal Aliens demanding rights in this country. How about free health care? Did you know that health care is socialized in mexico?
and
IF THE ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM MEXICO KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR THIER CAUSE, THEY WILL CRAWL UNDER A ROCK AND HIDE THIS FRIDAY.
and
Mass public gathering of Illegal Aliens from Mexico. Mass groups of Illegal Aliens demanding rights, all while waving the Flag of Mexico and other foreign countries. This Friday is May 1. I DON’T THINK SO. NOT THIS YEAR.
And…I just received this from a friend who’s a high school counselor in Texas:
“Today a friend of mine who works in another district has been receiving phone calls, emails and hand written notes from parents requesting their kid not be allowed to sit next to a Hispanic – in class, in testing, in the cafeteria, on the bus.”
Peace and love abound…sigh.
My husband and I were actually thinking the same thing last night- How will this backlash against Hispanic people?
The comments in the paper are one thing, but for a parent to send a note to school saying, “I’m a racist. I don’t want my kid sitting next to those filthy Mexicans”. was actually a shock to me. Do these people never THINK?
Nevermind that they now think patient zero was infected by the nearby US-owned pig farm in Mexico. The parent requests are just unbelievably racist and misguided.
That note reminds me a lot of when I was in kindergarten and parents pulled their kids out of my school because a child with HIV started attending my class. My little 5 yr old mind couldn’t understand why the boy who became my best friend made so many people angry…
My heart hurts for those who will be affected by both the swine flu and the racist fallout that will no doubt come from it, but it hurts especially for the children who will witness it all and be as confused as I was back then by the actions of the “adults” around me.
The ignorance is appalling.
That’s why I don’t read the UT comments. They’re always hateful. It must be mainly unemployed white men too lazy to do the jobs they claim to be stolen by the “illegal” Mexicans.
I sent out Tweet with the a link to here. My son came home and said something really disturbing, attributing it to his teacher. I’m trying to find out from other parents if their kids heard it the same way before I fly off the handle with the principal, just in case he’s afraid of getting a friend in trouble. But, the hatred is inexcusable, especially in education.