4/29/06 - Buenos Dias! to all my friends here in Mesquite.
What are the chances that on Mayday we all wake up to find that their is virtually no traffic on IH-635 at 7:oo AM and when Town East Mall opens for business that day, only senior citizens going Powerwalking have shown up.
As you pull into a nearly empty parking lot, you notice that the lawn has not been mowed yet. You think; "Juanito's landscaping crew must be running late this morning." But don't give it any more thought than that. At least not until you get inside your cubicle and realize that a sizable amount of your co-workers have failed to show up. So you ask your boss, Mr. Cranker "Where is Jose?" "He's down at City Lake Park protesting immigrant discrimination" he replies. "OK then, Where's Maria?" you ask. "She's down at Paschall Park demonstrating for immigrant rights." Finally you ask "Did Sergio join them?" "No, he's on vacation in Mexico." That's when it dawns on you. Not that the Brown Flu has struck Mesquite, but that you won't be eating at El Jacalito for lunch today.
All of us here in Mesquite have seen the huge immigration rallies that have taken center stage across the United States these past few weeks. The nation has become acutely aware of the political and economic power of its immigrant population.
On May 1st pro-immigration groups in search of a sensible solution to immigration reform have organized a national boycott and thousands of local marches across the country to show support for immigrant rights. They see immigration as an economic and a political issue and ask Immigrants, if possible, to avoid going to work without risking their employment. This move is being called "A day without an Immigrant" workers are to call-in sick, suffering from an aliment called the "Brown Flu". Supporters are also asked to refrain from making any unnecessary purchases that same day. Calling this action "The Great American Boycott of 2006".
These two deeds together will no doubt get lawmakers, CEOs, and Government officials to take seriously the demands of the citizens. For up till now the marches have be relatively free of cost to the establishment at large. No longer though, with the U.S. having a nearly 15% hispanic population, it has now become an expensive across-the-board boycott of goods and services.
The only exception to these acts is that students are instructed to go to school and remain there for the entire school day. There education is too important. There will be plenty of daylight left for them to show there support after the school day is over.
So Will the Brown Flu strike Mesquite? It's hard to say. But if it were to, how would of own Rows of Texas fare that day? Will Restaurant Row be able to open for business? How about Retail Row?, How many customers will show up to shop? Only the Rodeo Row may fair the best of the three, but only because the boycott is happing on Monday and not on a Friday.
I plan to go down to City Lake Park that day and I probably won't be alone. I'll show my support, take some pictures. Maybe I'll even see you there too.
Sergio Garcia