The Great Mexican Deportations

When I was born in January of 1932, another greatWe heard that he was counting the tanks that were
event was taking place. The United Statesrolling along the rail bed. We heard he had a
Government was invading the homes of Mexicanshortwave radio that he used to report the daily count
Americans, scaring the hell out of their kids, roundingof trucks, guns, tanks, and what have you. When he
the families up like the Germans did the Jews, Poles,disappeared we knew "for sure" that he was a spy.
and others during World War II, and shipping them allI don't know what happened to him. He may have
back to Mexico without even their personalended up in a camp.
possessions.I knew nothing about the Mexican deportation until I
All that has to be true because I read it in USA Todayread it in USA Today. It was not in my history book.
and they knows such things.Of course the reason this is being resurrected is that
The purpose of the roundup, which I was too young tothe Mexicans have not forgotten it. They don't like the
prevent, nor did I know it was occurring-it wasn't mynew proposed legislation that could send them packing
fault-was that the Mexicans were working for a living.again. I don't blame them. They want the government
That indicated that they had jobs that were neededto apologize for the last deportations hoping that will
by Americans.stop them from doing it again.
Do I believe that?I think that we should call up the Marine reserves, arm
Not in out neighborhood.them with brooms, and sweep into Mexico. That will
Few people had jobs, especially the Mexicans.make the Mexicans hate us and no Mexican will want
During World War II, the West Coast was evacuatedto immigrate into our country. We would strategically
of Japanese and they were placed in camps where Ilet them drive us out and allow them to set up a big
used to live in Arizona and here where I live now indefense line along their northern border that no one
Idaho. I knew this was going on because I was older.can penetrate again. Problem solved! (We mustn't get
Being a child, I kept my eyes on my close Japanesecarried away with this and destroy their infrastructure
friends, hoping that they would not be put into camps.as we did in Iraq. We must run ahead of them as they
Fortunately, they were not.swing their machetes at our brooms.)
However, there was an old Japanese man thatHey! I'm just kidding!
walked along the railroad tracks gathering coal into aWe need the Mexicans up here in Idaho to run our
gunny sack. We heard all kinds of rumors about thatfarms and factories.
poor old fellow who was just trying to keep warm.