I've visited your site a few times; always impressed with the combination of thought-provoking content and eye-catching presentation. But yesterday, I took another step and signed up for e-mail deliveries. I'm glad I did.

Today I am muddling through work, thinking of this insane system that's developed in my United States, your United States, our United States.

A system that allows my beloved country to have workers, but then lets bad people in powerful positions exploit them and not provide a humane solution to the mess. A system that let me meet a good person, make a life with him, then keeps us separated because of political whims of a few headline grabbers.

The immigrants I know aren't stealing anyone's jobs, but they sure are helping this community function. And like any community group, 99.9 percent are regular good folks. The problem of course, unlike the Irish, the Germans, the Italians before them -- they are just too brown.

I've been thinking about all the brave souls speaking out for family unity, for Elvira Arellano; of all the dedicated laborers speaking up for the North Carolina Smithfield workers and their right to organize. And I hope for Americans to wake up and do the right thing here.

Anyway, to take a break from the work and the worries, I sneak a peek at e-mail and find my first u.m. arrival. I put on the headphones -- and I get to hear the cool Valdez song about brown-eyed children. It seems so fitting as I read about the Smithfield workers in North Carolina, and I'm so glad I've been to Tijuana and so, better understand the song.

Gracias.

Keep up the dedication, the site rocks.

thank you for your experience, your story, your thoughts and your words, mimi. it's good to have you around. :)

You said it better than I Mimi. Now if Nez would just let me know what password and log in I am supposed to use to access the song, I can compare it to my all time fave Rich Havens!

peasant - "guest" and "porfavor" will get you in. Enjoy!

What a great post!