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by BeStrong from Kansas City

Last Post 1 day, 8 hours Ago


A Child's Lesson
May 30, 2008 | 2:01 PM
Category: News
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I know a lot of people dislike what illegal immigrants are doing to our country and economy. I should disclaim that I do also. However, I would like to share an experience I had recently with my daughter at Chucky Cheese's.

Our family was celebrating my daughters birthday at Chucky Cheese's a few weeks ago. The place was overwhelmed with non-english speaking adults and children. I assume they were illegal's and I do know they were from Mexico as my husband is fluent and I understand the language enough to get by. At first I was really annoyed and even spoke of leaving but to me something amazing happened. As my daughter twirled and danced her way around, I noticed a little girl following her. She too soon took note and gleefully introduced herself with a huge smile. The little girls face lit up and she to introduced herself in Spanish. For a moment they just stared at each other then took off like they had known each other their whole lives. Laughter is an universal language, the language most preveantly used by children. They were completely inseparable. Language did not stop them from having a joyous time together, the color of their skin, nor the prospect that one may have been brought here illegally by no fault of her own. On occasion the pair would rambouxiously run to me and ask for an interpretation. However, more often than not, the two just understood each other.

As I watched the magical duo, I found myself questioning how people would want to deny this beautiful child medical care and an education based on her parents actions. The really messed up part as I was contemplating, my thoughts drifted. I became worried if I voiced my opinion I would be labeled a "bleeding heart liberal."  I started to rationalize the whole situation. I told myself fact is she's a criminal and so are her parents. It's the American peoples tax dollars. The rationality was nothing short of the truth, but I caught a glimpse of the two holding hands, laughing together in unison as they spun around in circles eventually both falling all the more reason to laugh more bosterously. It in that moment with a half grin on my lips and an overwhelming feeling of happiness, that I decided no matter what anyone else thought of me I could never advocate shunning any child.

The day winded down and it was time for us to leave. The girls bid their farwells with hugs, kisses, and my daughter yelling adios and the other shouting back bye. Eventually my husband swooped up my daughter on out the door we headed when I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. I turned around and much to my suprise it was the little girls parents. Her father stood behind her mother. She reached out a hand and in broken English said thank you. I replied accordingly in Spanish. At this time, my husband jumps in and begins conversing. The parents wanted to thank us for our kindness to our daughter. The conversation finally ended and as we drove home my husband and I talked about our day. I explained how I was confused and he felt the same.

The whole point of me sharing my experience is children are amazingly uncorupted by life. They do not see language, color, religon, rich, poor, education, political affiliation, gender as a reason to dislike a fellow human being. They only care about kindness and even when a child is treated poorly they forgiven very quicky. They love unconditionally, forget and forgive, and accept people as they are. For the forgotten memories my chid gave me, I will forever be grateful.

I know some will say children just hasn't had life kick the BLEEP out of them yet. That they do not have a true understanding of the world. They hop through fields of daisies with rose colored glasses on, but no matter what curve balls life throws our was, adults should never loose the capicity to forgive, love, and every once in a great while skip through that field of daisies with rose colored glasses on.

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Member Comments Total Comments: 37
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SaraGailW read my blog view my photos
May 30, 2008 | 2:48 PM

BeStrong,that was beautiful.skipping through a field of daisies with rose colored glasses,sounds pretty dang good to me.
Peace,Sara
sweethart
May 30, 2008 | 4:32 PM

Why do you assume that they were illegals? Do you assume that all blacks are criminals or that all Italians are in the Mafia?? Just because they were speaking Spanish does not even mean they are from Mexico, there are other Spanish speaking countries, ya know. You come off as thinking you are such a humanitarian for talking to a Spanish speaking individual...did it ever occur to you to approach the parents of the little girl and talk to them? It sounds to me like they have a better idea of how to treat their fellow human beings than you, with courtesy and graciousness, but I am sure it would be beneath you or your "bilingual" husband to initiate a conversation with them, unless you were trying to get someone to cut your grass.
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 30, 2008 | 6:07 PM

Didn't mean to offend anyone, didn't mean to come off as a humanitarian. I was only sharing a nice experience I had with my daughter that changed my perspective.

Your hateful comment is exactly what I mean. Try a little civility... or is that beneath you?
Yourtown read my blog
May 30, 2008 | 6:31 PM

sweetheart you are not . You seem to be such a b***h.
jstol3 read my blog
May 30, 2008 | 7:51 PM

BeStrong -

We have shared a few blogs together and I have a very high regard for you.

This was a truly moving story about 2 children who found common ground.

If that Hispanic child's parents brought themselves and that child here legally they have nothing to fear. If they came illegally they should fear being caught because that would mean that they violated our laws and consequently set their own child up for failure! Tragic!

Seven years ago I had a Mexican family as neighbors. On the night after 9/11 when we had a nationwide candlelight vigil they sat in their front yard accross from my house with candles. They told us that they were sorry for the 9/11 attack. They were good people. They had purchased the home. Their children went to school and could speak English. She was a teacher and he a mechanic.

One morning they weren't there anymore. They had been deported. They lost their home. The children went back to Mexico with the parents. All of their dreams including the children's ruined because they came here illegally.

If these parents had been thinking of their children's futures they would have taken the extra time to apply for a visa.

Tragic but true - they lost the dream because they tried to cut corners.
sweethart
May 30, 2008 | 9:33 PM

Answer the question: Why did you assume that they were all illegal?
jstol3 read my blog
May 31, 2008 | 5:46 AM

sweethart-

I would have assumed that they were illegals because the were speaking Spanish. Legal immigrants usually try to assimilate and speak the language of their new country.

You seem bitter and like you are trying to find some fault here. Is there a problem?
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 6:13 AM

I would not have shared this had I known the offense you would take. You know I could go into detail about the tension between English speaking parents versus non English speaking. When someone does not know you can speak their language it is amazing the nasty things they say about you right infront of your face the whole time with a smile on their face. I play dumb as though I do not understand. On the same note, I overheard a Korean War vet angry that he had fought loosing his entire platoon aside from himself and two others the day before he was to come home so people could come here and be so disrespectful to our nation to not even want to learn our language. The man was my grandfather, another angry man was a Vietnam vet, my dad. It was also black people who spoke ill of them. Yes, I asked my elders to "shut up." I disrespected my war vet grandpa and dad. I DO NOT WANT MY DAUGHTER TO KNOW THIS HATE! All you can focus on is my assumption... what the he!! to you want me to do? I have already stated I learned a lesson. Have you? I mean really it is someone like you that really make me question how I feel once agian.
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 6:19 AM

It is people like you that keep hate alive. I will not apologize. You have been so disrespectful and until you show a little respect, I will answer you with in the same hateful manner. I just would like to shout out a big thanks for your keeping hatred alive. You go!!! For Gods sake, learn something from these two children. They are our future. They are the ones who will clean up this mess. Teach them right... and always be on the look out for the innocent lessons they teach us!
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 6:26 AM

Jstol3- You are by far one of my favorite bloggers. You always show respect even when in disagreemant. I have learned much from you and glad I found this blog because I have learned so much from so many. This blog was only meant to show I learned a wonderful lesson from two beautiful young souls and it saddens me someone can only focus on hatred.
Jordan read my blog
May 31, 2008 | 8:24 AM

BeStrong, you and the others, with the exception of Sweethart (what a misnomer) are right. Children have a universal language, and in their young years they are pretty much uncorrupted. And yes, they are our future, but unfortunately by the time they reach the age where they can take on that responsibility they are no longer innocent children.

All of us have to one day face responsibility and account for our own actions. The parents of this little girl, if they are illegal, aren’t truly doing her, or themselves, any favors. If illegal they are taking a risk, trading an immediate, and in all probability, a temporary opportunity for a life of deception, hiding, and worry over discovery that will greatly affect their child’s life. They are too self indulgent to see the big picture, how their wants and needs impact the lives of other people. It may not be a politically correct word or way of thinking, but we Americans have an entitlement. This is our country as Mexico, or wherever they came from, is theirs. Or ancestors developed it and died protecting and preserving it, the immediate past and present generations are doing the same. Every year thousands of Americans travel outside our country for variety of reasons. Governments and citizens of other countries expect us to respect and obey their laws, and when we don’t, we are held accountable. We should expect no less of others when they come to our county. Disrespect the laws of a country and you disrespect its people, and that makes it personal.
BasehorLady read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 10:25 AM

Well said Jordan, I feel the same way you do. I enjoyed the story about the children. It made me smile, yet it broke my heart as well to know that if they were truly illegal, they were setting up their children and themselves for a huge fall, with not much thought about what they were REALLY doing. That's not much different than a family living in a huge house that they cannot afford. They stay there until they get foreclosed upon, knowing good and well it would turn out that way, yet they didn't care enough to provide properly and responsibly for their family. They chose to go for broke and see where it would take them. That hurts everyone in the long run. My advice for illegals is to do everything you can to become legal, then you have no worries. Isn't it worth it in the long run? I think it would be.

I'm also one of those that assume that the ones speaking Spanish all the time are illegal. I know that is not always the case, but that is always my assumption.
demk592324 read my blog
May 31, 2008 | 10:58 AM

Why do you think they thanked you? Simply because other people have been so rude & disrespectful that they've been shunned. You weren't like the others! Thank you & bless you for that! It all comes down to the fact of making assumptions about people. Every person needs to stop & think about it when they're in that moment! I'm sure that will never happen-but I can dream!:)
linecrosser read my blog
May 31, 2008 | 1:16 PM

Assuming anything about anybody for any reason is called being prejudice. Pre Judging it is a natural defense mechanism. We as humans do it all the time in every situation. We go to work and form opinions about fellow employees, to school about fellow students and staff, to church about fellow worshipers, everyone everywhere. it's what we do after the judgement (opinion) is formed. We quickly run the demographics thru our brain and make decisions about our own behavior. The children did the same thing, they saw each other and decided that the risk benefit ratio of engaging each other was worth it. This is the lesson, we as adults need to learn again. It is our own insecurities, that prevent it from happening now and will continue until we leave this realm here for heaven.
MissNancy read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 6:35 PM

Lovely experience, lovely story, ignore the trash comments that some felt compelled to make.

Jordan, you said it all and said it very well.
sweethart
May 31, 2008 | 7:05 PM

blah blah blah. Bestrong you talk too much. Just admit that you are a bigot and people who speak a language that is not your own make you seethe with hate. Jstol you are a doofus old fart. Your neighbors probably called immigration on themselves just to get a way from you! HAHAHAHA
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 7:24 PM

ok- i will say this only once do NOT disrespect jstol on this blog agian. If you have nothing less than name calling take it else where. However, if you feel like you can behave like an adult and come up with an intelligent response, please feel free.
jstol3 read my blog
Jun 1, 2008 | 6:23 AM

sweethart -

Ok, I admit it - I am a doofus old fart. Do you have a problem with that?

BTW, which country is it that you love?

Have a great day!
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
Jun 1, 2008 | 6:45 AM

I have deleted a comment of sweethearts. I do not mind opposition, however, I am not going to allow anymore personal attacks... from anyone on here. I really had no idea this would anger someone so much. I suggest sweetheart you writ your own blog and allow all the hate you want in it. Anyway, God Bless all. One more thing- Sweetheart, if you didn't know jstol has fought for our freedom to speak freely... if anything show him a little respect. You know you could be a wonderful advocate if you could show more civility. People or at least me will take your words to heart more if you can voice your opinion without hate dripping from your words. Be smarter than that. I am not perfect and have a whole lot to learn. To me you've proved your point. I made an assumption. I apologize. There is nothing else I can do. If thats not enough... write your own blog and bash whoever you want... but it is not allowed here, and certianly not towards jstol.
tnicols read my blog
Jun 1, 2008 | 6:51 AM

sweeteheart;theres nothing wrong with be strong.At least she doesn't go around sleeping with married men like you do.And get pregeant.tramps like you have no room to talk.And my husband isn't your baby daddy.He says he has no other children,But our own two.Women like you need to know were to find abortion clinics.
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BeStrong

Anyone who knows history, particularly the history of Europe, will, I think, recognize that the domination of education or of government by any one particular religious faith is never a happy arrangement for the people. Eleanor Roosevelt Anyone who thinks must think of the next war as they would of suicide. Eleanor Roosevelt In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility. Eleanor Roosevelt

Member Since: 4/4/2008


 

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