Day 13 – O’Keefe – Brothers and Sisters
Mexico has been our neighbor for our entire history. Why haven’t we learned yet to be respectful?
In the Capitol, underneath the rotunda, there is a large hall with statues from each of the 50 states. California’s statue is striking: it’s a man holding up a cross. You’re a Christian, Mr. Parrott: are you proud of that statue? It’s Junipero Serra, a Franciscan missionary, and his mother language was Spanish, not English. In Statuary Hall, he stands out: but is he an American and Christian hero, or a foreigner?
In the 20th century, there were many nonviolent campaigns around the world, modeled on the work of Mahatma Gandhi. In the United States, there were two large nonviolent campaigns that ended with tangible success. One, of course, was the civil rights campaign. The other was the successful campaign to organize farm workers, led by Cesar Chavez. Four states celebrate his birthday on March 31 as a state holiday. Three states – Arizona, Texas and Colorado – take note of the day; but in California, many schools are closed, which makes it a real holiday. Chavez led the United Farm Workers to victory after decades of failure, in part by appealing successfully to consumers across the country. The grape and lettuce boycotts, persuading Anglos to buy products only if they had a union symbol, were events of nationwide unity, of proud solidarity with the gutsy workers who fed us, who still feed us. Are we deeply proud of him, of them?
The UFW symbol is an eagle. It’s taken from the Mexican flag – which resembles the Great Seal of the United States. Are we pleased and proud to share this symbol of freedom and aspiration?
The UFW had a second symbol that they carried in marches: the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. In 1531, almost four generations before Jamestown was founded, there was a mysterious event in Mexico City. A young man – one of the very few natives of Mexico who had accepted the faith brought to the America by Franciscan missionaries – said he had seen a vision from heaven, and showed skeptical officials a beautiful picture of the woman he had seen. The picture was on his cloak, made of rough fabric; to this day, no one has explained how that image got there; it’s not dyed, and it’s not painted. It’s detailed, and it’s beautiful. The image taught by graphic images what the Franciscans had tried to say in words, and it led rapidly to millions of conversions. Key message: God is with us – not just with Europeans, but with all of us. Do you embrace that message?
I am ashamed to live in the largest gated community in the world. The wall between me and my neighbors embarrasses me. Why haven’t we learned to be friends, neighbors, brothers and sisters – after 400 years?
I want the wall down – in the desert, but even more in our hearts, in our lives.
Mr. Parrott?
