While living in Tucson, I often remarked to people how southern Arizona seemed a special place, a land bought by the United States from Mexico through treaty, the Gadsden Purchase. In other words, it was not seized in war and blood had not been shed in the receiving of the land into the territories of the United States. Just a silly thought perhaps.
That leads me to say that Tucson and that area of Arizona have a long clean line into its past in terms of politics and war.
While I am writing this, I can remember over 20 years ago my cars, all cars on the northern highway, from Nogales being directed to an off ramp of the highway for a visual check and talk to a border patrol police officer through the winder in order to continue on my way north in this land of the "free". That I and my family passed the look and language checks at this checkpoint Charlie because of race and education etc. So much for needing paperwork back then beyond your state issued driver's license etc.
While I am writing this, I can remember over 20 years ago my cars, all cars on the northern highway, from Nogales being directed to an off ramp of the highway for a visual check and talk to a border patrol police officer through the winder in order to continue on my way north in this land of the "free". That I and my family passed the look and language checks at this checkpoint Charlie because of race and education etc. So much for needing paperwork back then beyond your state issued driver's license etc.
I cannot but feel great anguish in which I as an American have become aware of the inhumane way in to which would be immigrants from the south, Mexico and Central America, are being treated in a bully kind of response to an Immigration non-policy that a bunch of lazy crony pols in Washington of both major parties have not been able to settle for the past several decades. That we are a land of immigrants and my heart goes out to children separated from parents in this current impromptu and cruel handing of the situation on the border by the U.S. Government.
That the image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, seems to be to be present in outline on a mountain overlooking that city near the border. I think it appropriate if you are inclined to a higher power and or the saints of the dominant religion, to ask for intercession through prayer or positive energy for the restoration of harmony, peace and justice in that region to be reestablished along the border regions of the two nations involved in this present tug of war over the popular populist politics of strangers wanting a chance to grasp and contribute to the American dream and democracy, the same opportunity my ancestors sought and achieved 170 years ago before the Civil War.
