Monday, September 13, 2010

Vulnerability to Abuse

I've changed my homepage to COLORLINES, it's the only way I can keep up with relevant and important things going on without having to watch the news.

Some may have heard about this, I'm not sure if this was reported on in the English news, but I definitely saw it on the Spanish news. A Guatemalan man was shot dead on scene by a cop in Westlake. Apparently this cop, Hernandez, has a history of abusing his power and taking advantage of the position undocumented immigrants are in. Can we stop to ponder how many abuses by authority go unaccounted for because undocumented immigrants feel like (and believe) that they have no right to complain?

To white people I look Mexican (or Hispanic but everyone assumes Mexican), and to Hispanic people I look white. It's an interesting place to be because I am so aware of the way I could be treated if I was shorter, or darker or had an accent. I know that I have an advantage, and when I personally see unfair treatment happening I stand up against it. I used to hold back because like those people who have been taken advantage of and have not spoken up, I thought I'd get in trouble if I stood up for myself or others. Human rights are a universal right, no matter whether you're "legal" or not, a human is a human and everyone deserves and should be treated with respect no matter where they are.

If you have a voice, use it.

MUCH LOVE!!

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