disappointed

i am disappointed and saddened at a comment a family member back in texas made recently about the new orleans refugees. the information passed to me second hand but it was still painful to hear and i shook my head in disgust.

i was told that this family member said that a lot of the people they were getting in south texas were these poor blacks who were criminals (it was said in spanish and it loses a lot in its translation). i guess what was supposed to get sent across was that all the refugees are poor, black criminals and wouldn't want them scattered over south texas cities. i guess that comment comes from watching tv and making that assessment based on what the media portrays these refugees as being.

it is a shame to categorize all the refugees in one lump group. yes, i'm sure there are the criminals among them -- like there would be in any group of people in any situation. but to assume that all of the refugees are bad is so pathetic. these people need a place to go and stay after their city was ravaged.

if something should ever happen in south texas, whould people make the same assumptions about hispanics? i'm sure they would by looking at the tv, since a majority of the population in south texas is hisanic. so is that to say that all the population of south texas are poor mexicans who are criminals? not all all, although there are poor people there and there are some criminals -- like any area of the country or world.

i am not sure i'd like for my race to be categorized as being criminals because of a few agitators and looters. these people need help and the rest of the country needs to reach out and help.

i am angered that a memberof my family would make such a stupid ignorant comment about something unknown to him or her. that type of attitude needs to go. those people could very easily be south texans if a hurricane with katrina's strength struck that region. i'd hate for people to marginalize us as being poor mexicans with long rap sheets.

my apologies to any refuge or family member who should come across blog entry from my family. that ignorance doesn't extend far from the source. not to my generation.