Something amazing happened recently. I was contacted by a relative I did not know existed. She shed a little light on my maternal grandfather with whom I grew up, but did not know much about. Like how it was he came to America in the 1950s with his wife and teenage daughter. I vaguely recall he had a brother. That man, who had also come to America from Italy sponsored the emigration of his brother and family to the United States. My connection to an Immigrant is direct – my mother. That is not a revelation. I watched my mother navigate the tricky currents separating her conservative Italian side with my father’s conservative American side. And I do not mean conservative politically. My mother’s parents were proud JFK democrats – and faithful to the Pope. My parents were, for the most part liberal and open-minded. Lord knows I did a lot to change their minds on many issues and certainly opened their eyes on several occasions to subjects they probably would have chosen not to have to consider in the first place. But that was the point.

*Flag of United States of America | Wikipedia*

I am a globalist but not a world traveler. It is inconvenient and expensive and I object to being labeled a tourist. If I were to travel to Italy, I would spend time in Ascona to soak up the energy of Luigi Pericle or in M.C. Escher’s Corsica and Calabria. I think it is terrible that people cannot travel freely to Ukraine. Hell, I think what has happened with Canada and Mexico are awful enough. I can say I have been to Canada several times both as a child and as an adult. I thought it was a great adventure to pass through the gates and be in a different country, in our car! Now it is all different.

It is easy for me to be outraged about how the US administration has behaved towards Canada but today I take a tiny bit of hope that Canada and the European Union will have a meaningful union that brings peace, economic stability and security – I want that for them. The current administration despises Europe and obviously Canada, I am just not sure why. Other than they are intractable and spiteful. Not very good qualities for doing business in good faith as far as I am concerned. As a matter of fact, the US Admin was largely omitted from the “real work” that was going on at the NATO conference in Stockholm today and left after four hours. The United States presented an air of incompetence and ignorance with disdain and a bad attitude.

There is a city an hour’s drive from where I live. I go there routinely for mundane things like doctor’s appointments (it’s an insurance thing). On the way, there is a house on a hill with a lawn that sweeps down to the highway. Directly in front is a sign, now somewhat faded that reads: “GET THE U.S. OUT OF THE U.N. God Bless America.” That kind of ignorance bothers me. The United States helped usher in the United Nations Organization as well as NATO. Now, when it matters most we turn our backs on it all. DOGE is allowed to gut USAID causing starvation around the world and effectively ending US goodwill. The Department of Health and Human Services is being run by a non-medic who ended HIV programs in the US as well as abroad. Once again, lives ruined and further marginalized.

I stopped waiting for an HIV vaccine long ago. However, I do not think scientists and researchers should stop working on it. Maybe the DHHS should try properly funding and encouraging the scientists and researchers instead of lying to the public as the current secretary does, badly. It has been sociologically fascinating to watch Congressional and Senate Committee Hearings. It is must-watch TV. In particular, I find Forbes Breaking News very interesting. Seeing the back and forth exchanges of congresspeople, senators, appointees, department heads, litigants, witnesses and lobbyists has been enlightening, infuriating and at times cause for hope.

Unfortunately, hope is easily shattered. One only need look at the situation in a place like Santa Ana, California. One example of thousands in the last six months. Forty-eight year old Narciso Barranco was chased and viciously assaulted by seven masked men claiming to be federal agents. He is now in a federal detention center and is being charged with attacking the heavily padded and armed “officers” with a weed whacker. I saw the video in which the “officer” knocks the weed whacker right out of Mr. Barranco’s hands. Two of his sons serve in the US Military and the other is a US Veteran. Who is to blame for this outrage? Stephen Miller? Noem or Patel? “Whiskey Pete” Hegseth? God help us.

Where is God in all of this? I find myself asking this question the most of all. I am put to the test every day and some days I fare better than others. A couple of weeks ago I noticed a man in the local grocery store. Typically, I consciously try not to take notice of the other shoppers or grocery workers but this man’s red “I love Trump.” cap caught my attention. Not to mention the beats style headphones, which were odder still. Later, at the checkout his counterpart was waiting on a scooter provided for handicapped shoppers. She had the same red hat and headphones as well as a t-shirt that loudly proclaimed:

“I LOVE TRUMP BECAUSE HE PISSES OFF THE PEOPLE I HATE.”

First of all, what a poor fashion choice and what does that say about her as a human being?

Second, what company would produce an article of clothing with such a contemptuous message? With utmost humility I tell you this couple are white, decrepit and uneducated. Angry? Perhaps. Bitter? Maybe. That kind of broad spectrum intolerance makes me angry. Racial profiling and targeting are wrong and there are ways to properly and lawfully administer immigration and a path to citizenship. Kidnapping, assault and detention with a lack of due process by masked and unidentifiable “officers” is not it. No wonder so many immigrants are terrified to engage in the citizenship process. The ones who do are very brave.

Lacking divine intervention what choice is there but to turn to our elected state and federal representatives? I have done so in fourteen letters (so far) to my Congressman and one of two Senators. I do not waste my time writing to Rafael “Ted” Cruz as he is lost and broken. The other two are equally tone-deaf to legitimate concerns regarding ICE raids and detentions, not to mention deportations to third countries. They support the administration’s agenda of arresting 3000 people per day as well as many other awful policies and aims. I cannot imagine what would happen here if ICE raided the car washes, laundromats, schools, iglesias, Walmart, the chicken plant, the steel factory, the trailer manufacturer (largest in East Texas!!!) Who do you think welds those trailers together? It ain’t the retired white folks coveting their ranches and proudly displaying “Cowboys For Trump” signs.

Speaking of the chicken plant, it is no longer American-owned. It is Brazilian. In case you have not noticed, Nabisco (i.e., Oreo, Ritz, Chips Ahoy!, you get it) – Mexican. Oh, the crackers and cookies are still made in the USA, but by Mondelez Bakeries, LLC. Not a problem but it is supremely hypocritical to deliberately go after Americans who are not obviously white and clearly not criminals. Here in Our Town, USA I see a lot of diversity. I also see religious intractability and exclusivity. I see a functional public education system that really tries and a robust regional medical center, which many of us rely upon. What I do not see are masked ICE “officials” raiding our communities as they are in many other so-called blue places such as Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, etc.

Thinking about my grandfather, coming to a strange country I wonder if he felt any fear. Surely there had to be some trepidation of venturing into the unknown, no matter what his new American family might tell him. His wife and daughter trusted him and followed his lead with fortitude. I have always believed most people emigrating to America feel the same.

They deserve better at this moment and in the future. I pray ICE will run out of money soon. – GP