Viva La Revolution In Wenatchee

I just want to give a shout out to my secret hispanic friends. I have noticed you, and those who are paying attention know who they are and what I'm talking about.

In some of my worst times, I could count on mi otra familia (pardoname mi espanol) and I don't forget.

I know some of you are looking out for me, in the shadows so-to-speak, and I am grateful to know you're out there.

I know many of you have gone through trials similiar to mine and that you understand discrimination and how it feels to be powerless.

I have lived in a cabin, with workers of the orchards, and been one of the guys, and I've lived in the hispanic community. Some misjudged me, but it's not their fault--they were told things about me, and read things about me which weren't true. Those who have lived with me and known me, know who I am.

I am proud my son shares your blood, just as I share some of your secrets. There are certain things I will not tell anyone about.

It is difficult to fight a system that still works against you, and it works against me too. I have been thinking about the Native American communities and the hispanic communities, as well as poor white communities, which receive the full share of persecution by Child Protective Services, because of prejudice, while the state neglects and abandons those kids who truly are abused, as we've heard recently, even starving to death.

I have heard, from too many former CPS workers and others, that most of the cases taken against parents are from our communities, the ones that are vulnerable simply because of a different culture, or poverty.

I think maybe the time is coming when enough of us should put our heads together and organize and fight for what is rightfully ours--our families and for accountability with the state. One of the first steps would be to get records which prove what is going on, and to start collecting names and numbers of families who believe they are discriminated against, and start doing our own investigations. Not just with CPS, but with those who are arrested and thrown into the local jails, in disproportionate numbers.

If people weren't keeping us down to begin with, with their own agendas and motives, perhaps the pressure to make money fast enough to fit into this money-driven society wouldn't be so great. Perhaps we'd feel there was time enough to go to college, and work slowly towards greater success. Some of us, though, have families that need to be fed, and legal battles which need to be won, and we are wanting the same thing: protection.

I don't judge those of you who go into prostitution or gambling or drug trafficking. And yet it is the lower end of traffickers who are arrested, and no one does anything about the pharmaceutical drug pushers, who charge more than is reasonable for medications, and lobby against legalization of natural remedies which would put their products out of business. I don't judge the woman who decides to go into a certain arrangement, or run a high class call girl service, because she has the wits to know it is better than taking state assistance of any kind and putting herself and her children at greater risk by opening a door to the state--assistance which turns out to be bait for the trap.

Some of you are as pious and religious as I once was, and you don't fight it, but you pray and pray, and nothing ever changes, no matter how long and how hard you pray. Either you keep the faith, or it starts to wear you out.

I do believe in God, but I also have come to believe God is not sitting on high waiting for just the right prayer to reach his ears before dropping a miracle like a coin into a slot machine. God gave us strength and brains and wants to see what we are going to do with these talents. Are we burying them, waiting for someone else to invest our gifts? Guarding what little we have now? Or are we willing to take these gifts, and use them, and get what is ours? Maybe, sometimes God likes a good showdown. I imagine he wants to see those tables turning, and enough people assembling themselves and becoming great, if not by financial means, through numbers. Maybe it has to start small--a few people getting together to start planning, but I'm ready.

Let me know when you are.

I see no reason why we cannot start our own revolution. Who else do you think is going to do it?

What do you want, and what do you think should change? I saw some people march for a walk-out during the immigration bill news, so I know it's in you. And I know it's in the Native American communities which are desecrated and denigrated, and I know it's in the poor white trash communities too. Some people don't want to rock the boat, and will do as their told with their heads down, but I think, more than not, most of us are getting tired of that. I see no other way of winning than to start assembling. As some of you are thinking about this, I'm going to create a new email address specifically for communicating with those who want to make a difference. Even though I'm tired and work hard at just staying on my feet, it's not good enough to maintain the status quo. I know I will have to sacrifice a little sleep and other things in order to get anything accomplished. When I have my account created, I'll pass it around, and I want it to go to the jails, people in the Wenatchee jails (start local), and to those involved with CPS and immigration problems or with these concerns. If something gets started, maybe we could even find some decent translators.

As for the father of my baby, you know who you are and your secret is safe with me. I've told no one and changed my story too many times for anyone to figure out if any part of it is straight. I have respect.

Viva la revolution? ;)