Zahra Gordon

This is how America gauge progress: Sasha and Malia had a section about them on Jeopardy’s Kids Week.

Meanwhile, I went to the MVA last week and witnessed a white man who was having issues with getting something processed become irate with his Latino clerk. He shouted, “I shouldn’t have to go through this. I’ve been coming in here since May. I’m not some spic Mexican. I’m an American.” American. What is that exactly? You are American although before there were wars and imperialism everything from Texas to California was in fact Mexico. You, descendant of European immigrants (also, thieves) are a true red, white and blue blooded American. Not the Cherokee, not the Sioux. YOU!

Now I sat in the MVA and watched this clerk continue to help this man. I said to myself I would never have done that. Theoretically, if this is the true free America then he should’ve been refused service by all employees and escorted out of the building. If we want to be really radical then the police should’ve been called onto the scene. Arrests should have been made. Is racism not a crime? The clerk should press charges I say!

But enough with idealism. This is America. Reality sells. And the reality is the clerk still assisted this customer. I being free, disengaged and not obligated by children of course could only see how easy it was to take a stand. And I’m glad someone was brought it to my attention that its not always so clear cut. What if this man had a wife? And children? What would he say to them if he had refused to do his job, cussed the white man out (oh how I wish he had! Maybe I should’ve done it?) what if he was then reprimanded, fired? What would he say to his family: you don’t have anything to eat today because I took a stand? I have principles?

So then what should he have done? What is the real problem here? Where are the laws that protect people from subjugations such as these or least the laws that criminalize subjugations like these? Subjugations like these are of course, only petty manifestations of the broader racist system within which America operates. And the reason why there was no recourse for this white man’s words.

The clerk later politely told his customer that he shouldn’t have spoken to him in such a manner, to which he got the reply, “I’m sorry, but this place is really messed up.” Apologies are also progressive. Well anyway last week I learned that Malia is actually Malia-Ann (the Ann after her grandmother), Sasha is actually short for Natasha and their dog’s name is Bo!