Baldo by Hector D. Cantú and Carlos Castellanos for July 24, 2019

{salute}

I know African Americans and Asian American faced severe biases but I was not aware that Latinos and Latinas were that discriminated against. My first two years of High School back in the late 60s were in a school that was 70% Chicano but I did not see much discrimination against them probably because I hung out with them. As far as I knew it was one side of the tracks and the other and theirs was the friendlier and better to hang around with side.

My father-in-law, who was white, served in WWII in the South Pacific. He told stories of helping his fellow darker skinned soldiers overcome prejudices. I wish we had more of his kind of soldiers now.

The treatment of non-white American Soldiers during World War II within the very shores of America, especially when you think of how Nazi prisoners of war were actually treated better and with more respect than the Black soldiers on the American base where they were held is the primary reason, with all due respect to Tom Brokaw, I can never call that “The Greatest Generation”.

And thanks to Social Media (Facebook & Twitter), this age-old form of stupidity is rapidly making a comeback.

Racism doesn’t carry just one form, nor does it care what color it is, but you’re the one who has to stand up against it.

In 1976-77 I served in Germany with a young man who had left Guatemala. While in the US Army he gained his US Citizenship. I refuse, as a white, American Veteran, to think he is less of a Citizen than I am. I refuse to think that anyone, born here or Naturalized, is less of a Citizen than I am. And I refuse to think that anyone on this planet is less of a human being than I am.

Thanks to the creators for publishing this series!

Thankfully things have improved however, things could be better. The United States greatness isn’t solely on diversity but on the freedom that is offered. Although I didn’t vote for the man President Barack Obama’s election and re-election speaks well for this country.

This has been a wonderful story arc. The current atmosphere, though, makes me wonder if things really changed that much under the surface. It sure didn’t take long for the hate to come bubbling back up. I’m a product of the times we thought great changes in fairness, bigotry, equality, hopefulness were happening. I realized many years ago that, I had been 10 years older, I would have been marching in the South and helping with voter registration and probably been disowned or at least shut out. Not only has it taken a mere 3 or 4 years for the hate to become so openly brazen, it’s also taken that short amount of time for me to feel lost and hopeless and aghast at the blinders my white privilege put on me.

Particularly like the irony of the second panel- she refuses to serve him, while he has served her many times over.

In 1986, while temporarily at Ft. Sam Houston Army base in San Antonio Texas, 3 of us went out for relaxing night. It was myself, me being a white boy; a black friend, and a Mexican friend. We were all well groomed, dressed casual but GQ esque. We went to slightly upper-scale restaurant. The Garcon greeted us, but said we would not be able to dine that evening. I said, oh. reservation only. He said, no, there are tables available. I said; oh, no ties, we can just go to a nearby shop and get some. He said, no, ties are not required. I looked down at my shoes, and said, sorry guys I forgot my loafers were a bad choice. The guys said, no problem, we’ll just go back, and get some better clothes. The Garcon then stopped me, and asked to talk to me in private. He said, your clothes are just fine. I can let you and your Black friend in. We just don’t serve Hispanics here. “What!” This is 1986! I told my friends, let’s go. They said, back to base to change? I said, no, somewhere else. We’re NOT eating here. They asked why, and new I was pissed off. I said, don’t worry about it, we’re just never eating here.

I REALLY enjoyed that!!!

Thank you for your service and your words!