REFER TO GREY: Contemplations by Robert Greigos © 2007-2024

Days after I wrote the previous post Protection, in which I stated "Would not a soul shaking visitation from all those dishonored spirits of the dead be in order?? Or, at least, would not a mass uprising from humble hard-working living souls be in order?", the New York Times published an article by Karla Zabludovsky entitled Reclaiming the Forests and the Right to Feel Safe. That article describes events that took place before and since April 15, 2011 wherein residents of the rural forest-surrounded Mexican village of Cherán in the west central state of Michoacán revolted against "AK-47-armed illegal loggers" who had terrorized their town for years with "multiple episodes of rape, kidnapping, extortion and murder". On April 15, 2011, the townspeople took their town back by stopping a busload of armed loggers with rocks and fireworks and taking them hostage. They then expelled the entire band of do-nothing police and government officials that had for so long ignored their pleas for help and closed all roads to, from, and within the town by lighting bonfires at every intersection. Since then, the town has enjoyed a welcomed but uneasy peace with residents of every age and sex from grandmothers to teenage girls manning those protective bonfires armed with weapons the police left behind. And, per reporter Zabludovsky, as of last November 2011, the town of Cherán has been granted a degree of autonomy by the courts and national Mexican government: "the town still receives federal and state money, and its people must pay taxes, but they are allowed to govern themselves under a legal framework called “uses and customs” that has been granted to some indigenous communities". One cannot help but feel heartened by such news. But the difficulties faced by humble hard-working Mexicans, both within their own country and within the U.S., have not been surmounted.

An article published recently by the Associated Press informs us that companies running privately owned prisons are getting rich off Government contracts to house rounded-up undocumented immigrants prior to deportation. Such numbers have grown substantially during the Obama administration's effort to secure the borders in a bid to appease the GOP in bargaining for immigration reform. But that effort has not met with any movement by the GOP on that issue or any other issue. However, just this week, the Justice Department began implementing an Obama policy halting deportation of undocumented young people brought here illegally by their parents. Despite an appeal to "family values" the new policy has been criticized severely by the GOP as an illegal power-grab that bypasses Congress. In the meantime, born here, naturalized, and legal immigrant Mexicans across the country are facing new difficulties as the self-appointed self-righteous continue their efforts to "purify" the ranks of our U.S. citizenry with new voter ID laws.

Curiously, the Associated Press reports this morning that U.S workers retiring this year will face the reality that money they eventually withdraw from Social Security will not measure up to money paid in, whereas earlier retirees dating back to the 1950's have all seen withdrawals greater than what had been paid in. That trend wouldn't be upon us so soon if our workforce were expanding with new immigrants, new businesses, new jobs, and a public policy that encourages responsible parenthood and quality affordable educational opportunities for all citizens.