Starbucks Rants The Sequel

Today a lady came into Starbucks and read the front page of the newspaper in front of our counter. It said: “ICE Coming to Greeley.” ICE is a new immigration office. She let out a squeal (I chose that word carefully) of delight and said “it’s about time!”

Then, she looks up straight into my eyes. She froze for a second when she realized I was Latino. She pulled herself together pretty quickly though and proceeded with the following rant (another carefully chosen word):

“Oh, well I’m not racist or anything like that. Me and my husband, we’re ex-military so, you know. But to me there’s a difference between Hispanic and Mexican, you know what I mean? I don’t know what you are but like there’s these Messicans that live down the block from me. They got about a hundred people living there and they’re always playing their CHA-CHA-CHA music all night. Twenty or so cars… My neighbors finally complained to the cops so we haven’t heard a peep out of them. I think they must be dead! I’m afraid to go knock on the door or I’ll get charged with MURDER!! Ha, ha, ha. Anyways, I’m glad ICE is in town so we can start making people come into our country legallike.”

I’m not making this up, it happened to me today, right at the Starbucks counter. Race relations have come a long, long way in this country. My father remembers being paddled for drinking out of the “white only” fountain at his elementary school in South Texas. We’ve come a long way but I guess we still have a pretty good way to go to.

I hope that in some way, a church like Mosaic can be a catalyst for change. A church where people from all backgrounds and walks of life can come together to create something beautiful is what I dream Mosaic to be.

Thanks for reading, talk to you soon.