These are the thoughts of a Texas transplant in West Michigan who makes his living as a newspaper reporter by evening, and a struggling novelist by day.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

those devil-worshipping mexicans

this blog has been long in the making, since oct. 30, as a matter of fact. however, right after that date, my dad declined and it seemed inappropriate to blog about this idea of silliness told to me by a friend.

until now.

on oct. 30 (i think it was a tuesday), i covered a dia de los muertos event at herrick, our local library. the organizers put on this really great program where people decorated an altar in memory of a loved one that had died. i saw some really great altars decorated with so many things that personified the person. the day (celebrated on nov. 2) is such a great way to remember a loved one.

the altars re something different for this community. i had reservations about everybody accepting it. well, i was right.

upon asking, i was told this. "we got a phone call. they said, 'you're worshipping the devil and blaming it on the mexicans.'"

i was perplexed for a split second, then chuckled. it was probably the most absurd thing i'd ever heard. i mean, come on, folks, get a grip.

if it's something i've learned from living here, it's that people will complain, often talking out of their asses, about things either irrelevant or about issues or events they have no knowledge on. either way, it's ignorance at it's best. or worst.

this person took a day that's held to such a reverend standard in mexico and latin american countries and shat on it by saying that.

does this person hot having memorabilia in his orher home comemorating a loved one who has died? pictures? a memento on a wall? an old rifle out in the shed or an old baseball cap still kept around because it's a happy reminder? hmmmmm, maybe that's some kind of devil worship crap, too. sounds like it to me. except it probably isn't a mexican doing the devil worshipping.

misguided souls are so dangerous. all it takes is one and an issue can snowball into something that was harmless and fun.

i give kudos to the library for putting on the event -- which was a success. i hear next year it's going to be even bigger. i hope so. there's nothing like a little culture -- or devil worship -- to spice up life for clueless idiots.

viva mexico! viva el dia de los muertos!