Reflections on a Mass Grave in America

"Searchlight pierced the rural darkness as an illegal hid behind bushes avoiding the glare of the border patrol. He only understood one thing. That he had made it to the land of his dreams and no force on earth could send him back now"

Recently I took a trip to the California/Mexico border in Calexico to support the Chicano activists that have been organizing contra the racist activities of the Minutemen, a group of white conservatives that try to uphold the borders of the United States and deny entry to Mexicanos crossing illegally, the vast majority of whom are only seeking oppurtunity.

A Mexican migrant was shot in the head in the area the Minutemen where patrolling the week before. At what price should we extract from others who come to our communities shold we really ask that some give their lives just to live amonst us. What have we done to earn our privileges? Is this not an example of racism, in our modern age and our modern understanding of human rights and dignity can we tolerate that there is a Mass grave along the border with head markers reading "John Doe", a mass grave full of Mexicanos killed either by forces forieng to them or by the unbearable heat of the dessert.

I could write to you about the protest which was inspiriting as people from both sides of the imginary line called the border converged against this injust institution. I am instead writing to let you know that there are prisons full of imgrants that exist only because of our imaginary borders and lack of inspiration to get rid of these antiquated divisions. There are graves dug every day because of this need to control and exclude. A control and exclusion which is based within the fear that livves in our own hearts of being scared of that which is not exactly like us. So I am asking you to take heart and do away with the killings on the border, the needless imprisonment of people and the denial of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to those not rich, white or skilled to afford legal means to immigrate.

Say no to racist exclusion and yes to heartfilled inclusion. more pics at http://www.autonomi.net/stoptheminutemen