Granados: Don’t let the acts of a few ...
I walked into one of the laundry rooms at my apartment complex and was greeted by a dark -complexioned man who said, "Hola," followed by a string of Spanish words unintelligible to my ears. I responded with, "No hablo Espanol."
If you don't know already, that means, "I don't speak Spanish," and it wasn't strictly true—I studied Spanish for many years in high school and college—but it was close enough.
The man seemed surprised. He must have assumed that I would be able to speak Spanish; perhaps he even imagined me a brother from whatever country he claimed as home. All from a glance at me as I walked through the door.
When I moved into my apartment a couple years ago, a middle-aged woman who lived nearby would often stare at me when I stopped to check my mail. Uncomfortable, I would perform my task quickly and utter a hurried hello.
One day she stopped me. I looked very similar to her cousin, she said. Could we be related? "Where is he from?" I asked. "Pakistan," she said. I told her I did not think we were kin.
At a local convenience store, an olive-skinned woman shyly asked, "Are you Indian?" I shook my head.
"You're Greek, right?" asked one friend. "No, he's Italian," another chimed in. A third thought I was Jewish.
I am using some dramatic license because I can't remember all those conversations and situations with jour-nalistic precision, but you get the gist—I am everyman. At least that's what I tell people when I jokingly talk about my future presidential run. My campaign slogan will be, "I'm just like you."
For the record, if the U.S. Census Bureau knocks on my door, I will list myself as Caucasian, but the truth is that I'm the son of a Spanish immigrant.
My father, Juan Granados, came to the United States legally in 1969. He became a doctor while still in Spain, but emigrated when he discovered that connections, of which he had none, were necessary to satisfy ambitions. Anx-ious, he crossed the Atlantic, because he knew that in America, merit was the currency of the ambitious.
I am grateful for my heritage.
When I was young, my family spent every other Christmas in Spain. The holiday was heavy on food and short on presents. For those, children had to wait for Three Kings Day (Jan. 6). I was usually back in the states by then.
I'm also happy that my dad had an accent. It was heavier when I was a child, and if my dad were angry, he sometimes cursed in English. I would repeat one particular word amongst friends—begins with an "s" and ends with a "t"—but because I was copying a heavily accented version, I don't think any-body knew what I was saying. Sometimes miscommunication can be a good thing.
And I have always had a sense of how different things can be. Being periodically transplanted from my safe, subur-ban life and thrown into a strange, unintelligible world became usual growing up, though never comfortable.
In the U.S., I would not repeat the dislocating experiences of childhood until I was in my early 20s, living in Carr-boro, N.C. The Hispanic immigrant population was booming there, and again, from time to time, I would find my-self in strange, unintelligible situations. I was not disturbed. I just took it as part of life.
From there, I moved to Manassas, a place some new friends called "Little Mexico." They spoke of it with irritation. I did not see the fuss.
Then, as a reporter covering Manassas City Council meetings, I began to understand the problem. City residents would complain of the unkempt houses, loud music, cars on the grass, multiple, unrelated residents living in one house, etc.
Sometimes the anger residents felt leapt away from the topic—essentially disorderly conduct—and began to attack the language, culture and presence of those whose behavior disturbed. The word "illegal" spread like pandemic flu. I grew uncomfortable.
I like diversity. I like having different people, different languages and different cultures in one place. Manassas, Carrboro and the United States are richer for it. Unfortunately, illegal immigration and some bad behavior have spread a stain onto persons and cultures undeserving of derision.
And that's the obstacle we seem to be encountering in the illegal immigration debate—detaching the people from the problem. They are not one and the same; though they are a mix—one that needs to be separated.
We will learn to appreciate the sounds of the Spanish tongue. We can investigate the cultures and customs of our Latino brothers and sisters. We should partake of their food, festivities and friendship. And, when possible, we must send the illegal immigrants home. In those ways, we can be tolerant and tough.
I am everyman, and we are all part of the same human family. But we won't fit in the same house.
Alex Granados is the editorial page editor and reader representative for the News & Messenger.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Alex, that was lovely and well written…Brave, too, for I’m sure you knew many people would have detrimental things to say in response.
I’ve never felt prejudice toward any race, but I, too, feel concerned when I read how many illegal immigrants there are in this country. I don’t understand when people make a plea like, “They are here because of their family.“ or “They came here illegally to have a better life.“ That is no excuse to break the law.
I think Mr. Simpson hits close to the mark for me, too. We don’t print directions in Korean, we don’t make announcements over the intercom in German, we make no concessions to the French, Italian, Philippine, Vietnamese… why should we favor Hispanics with their choice of language?
Many Americans feel disrespected…we open our hearts and our homes to welcome people from all over the world. In exchange, we expect them to obey the laws, learn English and learn to care for their property in a way that reflects the values of the neighborhood they move into.
I have watched my neighborhood deteriorate from a nice, middle class community to one that looks shoddy, run-down and unkempt. I work hard as a volunteer to prevent this decay. I work with neighbors, non profit agencies and the government, but all of us together cannot keep up.
People often tell me to “Give up.“ “The tide cannot be turned,“ or “It’s too late.“ I don’t believe that. For me to give up in my neighborhood will be to give up on America. I think I can help fix my little corner of the world, and it makes me believe it is possible for the rest of the country.
The immigration issue has been painful. Many Americans have been accused of being “Rednecks” or insensitive to the needs of others. That is simply not true. I am neither of those descriptions, but I DO respect the law and I DO respect my neighbors and I DO believe we all deserve to live in clean, safe neighborhoods.
People keep crying, “Diversity”! I don’t want diversity…I want one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. I want what Dr. King wanted, I want what John Kennedy wanted. I want people united- yes, I will respect your customs and your culture, as long as I do not feel you are using those customs and culture as an excuse, an alibi, a wedge or a tool.
Hispanic people are welcome here, as long as they are legal and as long as they try to interact with their neighbors. If they do not want to be part of America, why come here legally or not?
By taking in these illegals and giving them jobs you are already breaking the law despite getting them this so called pin number. You need to read up on the law. This economy does not need people like you. You should support legal immigrants more than illegal immigrants, i am totally sure you are ignoring many hard workers, despite your references to tattoed, lazy, rednecks. Their are lazy people in all races. Are you running out of cash reserves yet? Economy will continue to worsen hopefully if you persist in your business practices. Remember that name people “Ray Williams” he doesn’t hire legal workers. Look for him in the construction industry. LOL Chris Cummings
Mr. Granados:
Maybe it is not just the actions of a few in regards to sexual assaults. The pattern is increasing in this countrLoudounExtra.com
Convicted Rapist Charged in Another Sexual Assault
By Nick Miroff
Saturday, March 14, 2009 http://loudounextra.washingtonpost.com/news/2009/mar/14/convicted-rapist-charged-another-sexual-assault/
A man sentenced to life in prison last week for raping a 75-year-old woman in August in her Sterling Park home has been charged with a similar sexual assault that occurred several months earlier, Loudoun County authorities said yesterday.
Arnold J. Mancia-Morales, a 25-year-old illegal immigrant from Honduras with five prior convictions, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison plus 53 years for breaking into a home and raping the resident at knifepoint.y.
Great article Alex - hopefully
you will write more like it.
Nah, he is better looking than any muppet I have ever seen.
Nice article, Alex. I share you sentiment of the benefits of learning about the other cultures and customs of immigrants. No place is the cultural influence of immigrants more evident than in food. Corned Beef and cabbage. Spaghetti. Sushi.
Tapas, anyone?
I think you look like a muppet.
Even though there are millions of illegal aliens in the United States from Central and South America there would not be as great an opposition except for two things: Language and Gangs.
People are reminded every day that there are so many people here illegally that it stays in the forefront of everyone’s thoughts. Automated phone systems asking to “press 1 for English”, voting booths with instructions in Spanish, signs and documents that contain both Spanish and English, Announcements at stores in English then Spanish, service industries with workers who speak no English … the list goes on and on. There is a difference in immigrants from yesteryear and those today … many (if not most) 1st generation immigrants today have no desire or interest in learning English. They demand that others conform to their language. This is bad on a number of levels. Economically, nations that are homogenous tend to be better off. The strength of America comes from shared visions and dreams … and language is the foundation of such shared hopes. When a culture is divided by such a fundamental necessity as language there will always be tension and discord.
Gangs are another issue altogether. I would imagine that the problem of gangs would not be nearly as bad if illegal aliens actually learned English and therefore were better able to integrate into our society. Most of the gangs are comprised of the children of illegal aliens … and their need for acceptance in addition to the feeling of being ostracizing from society is a recipe for such activity. Gangs give them a group that is accepting and makes them feel a part of something special … a feeling they should have from living in the most free and prosperous nation on the planet.
The problems of “unkempt houses, loud music, cars on the grass, multiple, unrelated residents living in one house” are issues that many communities have had to deal with from time to time … even before the massive influx of illegal aliens from the south of the border. There will always be such problems … but again … they wouldn’t be nearly as great if people coming here (even illegally) would learn to speak English in short order. Many of these problems would be overcome by friendly neighborhood get-togethers … something that can’t happen when your next door neighbor can’t even ask you “how’s your week going” when you are both on the back deck of your townhomes in the summer grilling. If such normal pleasantries aren’t possible … how can you convey the idea that all the extra cars should be parked up on the main street rather then around curbs and in guest spaces? (Yes … this comes from personal experience).
Just my $.02
Jim Simpson
Opinion Columnist
“refuse to go through the proper channels to get citizenship is criminal and beyond me”
Yet you continue to bash me and my employees who have followed proper channels and become legal, taxpaying residents.
That is the part I don’t understand.
Ray i love my country and why these illegals refuse to go through the proper channels to get citizenship is criminal and beyond me. So don’t condescend and assume that your supposed love of country is any better then mine. Diversity is great, criminality isn’t, so it doesn’t matter that the majority of illegals in this area are Hispanic. So what if that is true. Send them to prison and send them home just like any other criminal. LOL Chris Cummings
Mr. Granados thank you for sharing your own family’s heritage. There is a quote that best depicts the sentiments of those of us who have family members who respected our immigration laws and were determined to become “Americans”
“America is no longer the melting pot it used to be. It has now become a tossed salad of foreigners that arrive to our shores wanting to keep their culture and forcing our acceptance”
Advertisement