Go to THE WORLD ACCORDING TO ME...
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You know it's interesting but, recently, I made a connection...
...that will reconnect me with a blast from my past--more specifically, a case of summer puppy love from 1966.
When my folks, uncle, and aunt took a road-trip through Mexico back then, there was poverty, but it was like the poverty found in places such as the Apalachian Mountains here in our country.
No gangs--except for on down towards South America and some isolated cases--and the people (even the poor ones) were proud, friendly, hardworking, and full of hope.
Anyway, this seems like a great time to re-connect with "Iggy," because it would be good to have his take on the government South Of The Border.
It would be good to have information about what they're escaping from these days--though it's very obvious when it comes to the poverty, but I mean even more than that--and it would be good to understand what's going through the minds of those who have gotten on this side.
Conquests of countries aren't meant for developed places such as California. The time of conquests came from another era and isn't natural these days, so it's doubtful that Mexico is going to wage a war and get California back--though it seems as though some troublemakers are trying to put such an idea into the heads of some Mexicans, according to what you've written.
You're so right about the gangs. They're like the Mafia--taking a strong hold that infiltrates many parts of life. Some of the police force might even be members of gangs--which is why law and order might not be kept consistently (a kind of good old boys set-up where people can get away with things that they shouldn't).
You need to get out of there and come in from the outside. Get enough people coming in from the outside, then the gangs will find themselves less and less of a power when it comes to controling the "hood."
I'll be talking with you more about this--and writing down some thoughts I've had about this as well.
Anyway, hold onto that dream about getting out of there!
Blessings!
AJ 
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posted by
Ainsley_Jo_Phillips
on September 29, 2005 at 12:55 AM
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I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER IF SOMEONE
taught these people some self respect. Most of the places they come from in Mexico and Central America are filfthy and trashed because there is no one to tell them there's a better way. I'm sure that they would love to live better if they were taught to respect others as well as themselves but many of these people have never been taught that. Their home country has encouraged them to move here, get pregnant and get on welfare then work for money under the table and send it back to Mexico. They've really come from such horrid circumstances and I don't blame them for wanting something better. The government in Mexico is so corrupt and out of control and virtually run by the drug lords whether directly or indirectly and they have no concern for the people there.
Unfortunately, the Mexican officials have been telling their citizens that they can eventually take back California. The problem with that is that they don't have the education or the means to gain power in this country. There are a lot of Latinos who vote and they managed to get Villaragosa elected as mayor but that was only because there was such a low turnout for the election because people didn't like either candidate.
And, I do believe that once I can get out of this neighborhood and have the resources that I can buy some property and start a neighborhood community center to encourage the people here to become more neighbor conscious instead of self conscious.
Another real problem with this area are the gangs. Until something is done to intervene and put a stop to that behavior, it will be hard to change some of the rest of the attitudes.
posted by
whimsystoryteller
on September 28, 2005 at 8:03 PM
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I hope you're able to get out of this place. You're a survivor, but...
...it sounds as if many of your neighbors have simply given up, and it shows in the way that they treat their neighborhood.
There are probably those--including the illegal Mexicans--who feel exactly as you do and would either like to be out of this mess or else have the means to fix it up.
What would be nice would be if some non-profit organization came in, bought an empty lot (or several empty lots) and started encouraging people to plant community gardens.
This has been done in many places, and it helps to build a sense of neighborhood.
Or find out how many of you care about things, and you could have a clean-up-the-neighborhood party.
You're a very effective person, but this job might be a little big for you alone (even though, with God with you, you're never really alone, but you know what I mean), but you should, perhaps, go to some of the area churches and have them to help you to get this started.
I really think it would make a difference.
It's like little Alex with her lemonade stand and how that really got to going!
Anyway, it sounds as if the mood of the neighborhood in general is tired, angry, and trapped.
I'll keep you and your neighbors in my prayers!
Hugs!
AJ
Let me take you shopping!!!
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posted by
Ainsley_Jo_Phillips
on September 28, 2005 at 6:54 PM
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I'm not playing the race card, AJ
They are saying that the police shot the man because of his race. That had nothing to do with why the man was shot! He was shot because he began shooting at the police. They are calling it a race issue. It's all over the news here in Los Angeles. She's just gotten an attorney who is a scumbag and who is playing this for all he can get. She's probably dirt poor and the attorney has told her that this is her ticket out of poverty. We see it all the time here in L.A.
As far as the little boy at the grocery store, no one knew who his mother was. That's why I got upset because they wouldn't even try to find her. In Los Angeles, people don't know each other like they do in the south or the midwest. People stay to themselves and most of the people in this neighborhood are illegals. I'm not being rascist, I'm simply telling it like it is. Many of the people in this neighborhood let their children wander around with no supervision. It's typical in Latino communities in this area.
Believe me when I say that until I lived around this community, I never thought like this. I would have been the first person to say that someone is exaggerating but I promise you, I'm not exaggerating. The people in this neighborhood are straight out of the poorest parts of Mexico and Central America and they trash the place. There is trash all over the neighborhood. And, some of the men will get close to a wall and pull out their penis and pee on the street.
Please understand that this is not like anything you've been around or most people have been around. We have winos and addicts who sleep on the street in front of my building and who pee and poop in the stairwell where I live. It's disgusting!
Believe me when I say I'm doing everything I can to get out of this place!
posted by
whimsystoryteller
on September 28, 2005 at 6:02 PM
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Some advice...
...Don't be so quick to contribute this behavior to a particular race, because it happens in all races.
It's called being careless with your kids and (in the case of the firecrackers) letting kids get away with things they shouldn't.
It's surprising that someone from the fire department didn't come over and relieve the kids of their firecrackers.
With the little boy and the horse, this was probably a case of where the parents and storekeeper knew each other well, so the parents weren't concerned about letting him play by himself there.
I don't believe that the mother of the child is money-hungry. She's grieving and needs someone to blame for the loss of her child. She's probably angry with herself, too, for deciding that the baby would be safe with her ex-husband.
Or she might be angry for another reason--at the courts who didn't specify that this man couldn't have unsupervised visits with his child, making it so that it would be difficult for her to deny him visitation. I don't know if this is the case, but I know of a woman with two or three young daughters with a pedophile for a father.
They had cried and said they didn't want to visit with their dad because he was molesting them, so she tried to get the courts to deny unsupervised visitation rights, but the courts were dragging their feet.
At that point, what would have probably happened had she refused to let them go was that she would end up in jail and he would be given full-custody.
Anyway, I think it's a great idea to write a letter to the editor, if you can't get the local police and fire department to take care of the problem with the firecrackers. It seems as if not only are the parents not doing their jobs but, also, the powers-that-be.
But don't play the race card, because this isn't a race problem.
Peace!
AJ
Let me take you shopping!!!
For details,
just click on the big dollar sign!
$
posted by
Ainsley_Jo_Phillips
on September 28, 2005 at 1:34 PM
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