1 Day of May, 2006: a photo essay

[slybacon9]

the San Diego/Tijuana border, May 1, 2006
















































i am learning at these marches that there is always a "flood moment". Where the adrenaline and emotion collide, and my eyes want to explode with tears. In DC it was the blind man. This time there was a moment passing a McDonald's overlooking the route. This woman (above) who worked the drive-thru had left her post to come and look at all the people passing by. She was clapping along and smiling. The group of women next to me waved and yelled to her, "We love you... Stay strong!" She covered her mouth with her hands and looked as if she would cry right there. That was my "flood moment" this time.

when my neighbor and i got home after a long day of marching, i was embarrassed to see the gardner hard at work on my lawn! (i rent... my landlord hires him, for which i am very thankful, because he is great at his job) My friend was like, "o jeez, what are you going to do?" I said i didn't know, and that i honestly didn't think he would come today so i never said anything. I had just assumed. I felt bad if he thought he had to work on account of me not saying anything.

We have a growing friendship, the gardner and I. I know he is working here to send money to his family in Mexico, we have talked all about it. I went straight to him and i asked him why he was working today, and told him i didn't expect him here. he laughed, and then he asked if i was serious. I said of course i am and i told him i had just come from the protest. i asked again why he came and he said he "didn't feel the same as the people today."

I asked him why and he said with a very straight face, "i feel that if they have the energy to protest here, they should have the energy to protest our own government in our own country." He continued, "i came here to work and send my family money so that we can have a good home and a good life, so that is what i will do. I don't need to make that harder on myself."

So there that is... just when ya think you know everything.

What i learned today is that this issue tears through all that is black and white. There is not a single person out there that has all their limbs in one camp. Sure this is right and that's wrong, but so it this and so is that.... I still can't tell anyone where to stand on this.

What i do know:

The only two things we need to discuss right now to solve this problem is how we can better Love Thy Neighbor, and why today's CEOs get paid in one week what most in this country do all year.

[Skittles]

1. wonderful

nominated

[slybacon9]

6. thanks ...

mucho.

[KarenS]

2. "Who's the illegal alien, Pilgrim?"

I love it!!

ThankYou for the all the pictures.

[fasttense]

3. The gardner is a wise man.

"I asked him why and he said with a very straight face, "i feel that if they have the energy to protest here, they should have the energy to protest our own government in our own country."

He is full of wisdom.

[Oversea Visitor]

4. You were there for him

"I dont need to make it harder on myself" speak volume.

Life tough, for some trying to survive is what life all about.

[slybacon9]

5. you are right...

after living in san diego for 31 years, i know the (let's call it) "degree of migration" that these people are. Whether it is just got here yesterday or one generation removed. There weren't many "new" faces at the march, which is very understandable.

In fact, most that were there were there for someone they knew, whether it be their parents or themselves 20 years ago.

[slybacon9]

7. kick

[slybacon9]

8. kick... im not letting this go off the page today kids.

[slybacon9]

9. .

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