Subtle give-aways

I worked on the curriculum a little this morning over coffee and an orange muffin at Paradise Bakery. The current lesson is the prophets to the Northern Kingdom. How many can you name? I'll give you a hint: there are five.
At lunch yesterday Josh brought up, in a context that I can't begin to recall, the balloon approach to understanding international relationships from the period of the Divided Kingdom into the NT. That floored me, for two reasons. First, that he remembered that silly paradigm from a freshman class he took from me 12 years ago. Secondly, I had just the day before written that approach into the lesson previous to this one - the Northern Kings. I spent too long creating a Power Point slide of a board with 9 balloons attached.
So, how many former students out there remember the balloon theory??

After spending a couple of hours installing shelves I stopped on the way home for some lunch at a Mickey D's. (No BK's in sight.) I was impressed by two things. First, it was the cleanest McDonalds I've ever been in, and the entire time I was there at least one person was cleaning. Second, the manager (owner?), a man who looked to be 40-ish, was talking with two of his employees with schedule sheets in front of them, apparently teaching them how to write up the schedule. No big deal, except that this very white man was talking to these gals in pretty smooth Spanish.
It reminded me again how much I wish I'd paid attention in HS Spanish class. I had two really terrible teachers, so maybe I could have done better under different circumstances. But especially here, the ability to speak Spanish is a real advantage. It certainly helps on the job site (or getting a job) but it's also nice to be able to make general conversation with a significant portion of the population.

OK, related incident. Last Thursday afternoon I was getting ready to get the wood for the shelves. I was inside gathering up my notebook, keys, etc. when the doorbell rang. Neighbors from three doors down were out for a walk. OK, he was walking, she was riding her scooter. I opened the door and there she was, looking up at me from her bright red Amigo. "I just wanted to tell you that your garage door is open. Those Mexicans drive around here and will steal stuff out of your garage right in broad daylight. It happened to a friend of mine. So you need to keep it closed."

Remember that gal I saw crying at lunch Saturday? And I said I wish I'd said something to her? I think that in this case I did the right thing by not saying anything. I've thought about what I could have said, but it wouldn't have been particularly neighborly.

"Those Mexicans" are just as likely from El Salvador, Columbia, or Nicaragua. And the VAST majority of Hispanics driving around Sun City are out here doing jobs like landscaping work at a fraction of the cost a crew of Swedes would charge. They are honest, hardworking and nice.
Sure, someone already here illegally might be more likely to break additional laws. Or, he might be especially well-behaved so as to avoid getting caught by John Law.
But mostly I was bothered by the tone and implication of "those Mexicans." It sounds too much like "those Poles" or "those Irish" of 75 years ago. It's the generalization from the actions of a few individuals out to an entire race or nationality.
I am not guiltless in this regard! I have made it a personal goal to remove racial references from my speech, a project I'm still working on. It's too easy, when recounting to Pam an incident from my day to say, "This Black guy...", or an "Asian gal...." Unless their ethnicity is relevant to the incident I'm relating, mentioning it suggests I saw that person as something more than just a person.

I've written in previous posts that the solution to our immigration problems is way beyond my level of wisdom and insight. I think there are valid points on all sides of that issue and I'm glad the responsibility for resolving the problem is in somebody else's lap. What I do know is that I am responsible to relate to everyone with a graciousness and kindness befitting someone who calls himself a follower of Christ. He didn't ask to see their green card before he fed them bread and fish, or healed their leprosy.

On January 1st some very strong employer sanctions take effect here in Arizona, and anyone found with illegal immigrants working for them faces the immediate loss of their business license. It will be interesting to see what that does to the job situation here. But this evening I thought back to those two young Hispanic gals receiving instruction on how to fill out a schedule at the McDonald's on Cave Creek. I like everything about that scene. They're learning job skills, headed up the ladder at their job, and receiving instruction from a boss who clearly values them enough to work with them in their native tongue. Should he force them to learn English before they can advance? I have no reason to think those two gals don't already know at least some English. But I do know that nothing will motivate them more than opportunity. As a local community, as a state and as a nation we can't help but benefit from that situation.

IMHO, FWIW