Hey Natalie.
I was in the process of breaking the world record for the longest email response when Margarita asked me if I wanted to go to a local wedding. The answer was "no", but I decided to go with her because it's something she wished to do. Actually, I took Margarita, her mother, sisters, sister-in-law and nephews to the church and returned to the computer and then met them at the celebration... Somewhere during that period I realized that there were a few things I should spare you for the moment. So, I have a very long response saved and I'm halfway through your letter.
Todd's father was a very big man. I don't think Jean could have done anything other than kill him in his sleep... Plus, I believe she came from an Orthodox Jewish background, (like most of the Jews persuing their "American Dream" out to the suburbs and downgrading their practices...) So, she would have put up with the abuse... You've gotta remember that our parent's generation was actually just before the true feminist movement of the late 60s and 70s... which would have left the women straddling two ideologies...
I don't know about the Branchburg kids being the same into adulthood. I think those who stayed in the vecinity and are beauticians, yes... But I was surprised by various who moved out of New Jersey. I've gotta be very careful not to worry what these people think about what I write, see and believe. Truthfully, I don't know what will come out of who's head. For the moment I can't worry about that, or I edit myself. And the key is in the writing and not the editing. Lately I've written about my views and gays/transvesties, racism, poverty verses wealth, etc... At any given time one of these people can boycott me. I wouldn't be surprised that some or many would shut me out knowing that Margarita is from a poor farming family in Mexico. This has worried me about, if we were to come to the U.S. Who are true friends and truly decent people? Granted, I wouldn't jump at the first invitation if we were in Flemington. I am very selective how and with whom I spend my time (the gregarious hermit)... In the forms for Margarita to enter the U.S., I will put my mother's address as where we would live. My sister Beth, lives one block away. They live right of the Route 12 circle that takes you to Frenchtown or to Turntable Junction, the Clothing Mansion... But, I just can't imagine what the hell I would do out there... These are things I work out through my writing. Why did I leave the U.S. and why would I return...? You know that Hunterdon County is a very Republican county? When Mexicans asked me what my thoughts were on the election of Obama or Hillary Clinton, this is what I said: Regarding Obama, "It really matters none if he makes for a good president. The international "battle" against racism and discrimination will have won something irreversable. And in the U.S., it would be unprecidented to have someone of African descent as president of the U.S., the country with one of the worst and longest histories of exploitation, oppression and exclusion of people of African History in the world... The worst and most embedded racist system in the U.S. is and will always be that against blacks... No one will replace them..., not Latinos, not Asians, not Jews... If Hillary is elected (mind you I don't like Hillary Clinton), the same... The U.S. is way behind many countries with female political leaders." How many female American governors exist in the U.S? Mexico had one in Zacatecas and Quintana Roo (Cancun and Playa del Carmen) has a female governor. Chile has a female President... Merker in Germany. Never to forget #1: Margaret Thatcher... Who else? I don't believe in Presidents and polititians... But I do believe in the power of symbolic gestures and their potential effects on society and the minds of the people, such as having a female or a black president. I interchange Black, African-American and of African descent... due to certain experiences I had when at R.V.C.C. I first started fighting the racism built into me and our society. Would you believe that I belonged to the Black Student Union for about a month at R.V.C.C.? One of their young activist/intellectuals "flirted" with me on and off on campus. I don't remember how it began, nor do I remember her name. But I remember her face... Part of the intellectual "flirting" led to me asking her if she would admit me into the Union. She gave me an affirmative NO. But, for some reason she talked with the leaders of the group and they said, "YES"... The reason for the question is that of semantics. If they say, "NO" then they are discriminating. But how can they say yes, if I am not a black student? They were very warm to me. But, nothing much was happening in the Union. One day I surprised them by manning one of their information tables during an event of theirs. The following week various classmates came down on me. During Public Speaking class, during one of my presentations, a few of the students interrupted me with comments such as "nigger lover"... The professor said nothing. At the time I was very timid, especially infront of groups... I had always been shy. So, my presentation didn't go very well.
My mother's husband Bruce was Flemingtons Democratic Campaign leader for Obama or something like that... I don't believe in Party Politics. I was very frustrated with them during Bill Clinton's campaign. I immediately saw Bill as a salesman and believed that they would support any Democratic candidate... I don't think that takes brains. I do believe that Bush got in twice on blatant fraud and never would have accepted him... But I don't believe that one party is good and one party is bad... I think, in the end, politicians are salespeople and jugglers. And that they pander to the interests of those in social and economic power. In the end, it's the economy that determines whether or not a country can protect the "best interests" of the majority of it's people. However, I don't believe that all things done in the name of security and economy are good and protect our future interests... A Mexican friend recently gave me a Matt Damon narrated documentary on how the economic crises began... Within the documentary it is shown that bank/real estate/Wall Street deregulation began with the Reagan Administration, was continued through the Clinton Administration and ignored by the Obama Administration (I don't mention Bush and Bush) because it is unnecessary to write so many names. But it is important to emphasize that the same negligent and destructive politics was performed through all political parties from the early 80s through 2010... I believe the average American will ignore the bad done the moment they return to their economic potential as consumers. That means that they forget about human rights issues and the effects upon hundreds of millions of people caused by certain political policy and events as long as they return to their comfort zone. Does that make me Communist? Absolutely not. It just makes me thoughtful and considerate. I want to live comfortably too. But, at what cost? And, the question is, what is necessary? Again, Mexico is the 12th richest country in the world. It has the wealthiest man amongst others. The daily minimum wage (which is very normal) is $5/dollars/day. Do you know how many Hummers, Cadillac Trucks, Super Pick-ups, Mustang GTs, Audis etc are seen on the streets? The poverty level is 50%. The "middle class" just struggles to keep it's head above the water... The senators and representatives earn more in Mexico than in the U.S., something like $20,000 USD per month... Should they earn that much? Well, do you think their work is worth that pay? If so, yes. But, the problem is what the rest of the people earn... You raise the wages of the people at the bottom so they can have room to think towards creating a future for themselves and for their children. You keep the middle wages somewhat where they are and you remove the super excess at the top. This isn't Communism, it is Logic. By the way, Socialism was a Capitalist theory. You protect the interests of the rich by creating a more livable situation for the workers... That means you give them adequate health care services at adequate prices, good educational systems and training for their children, safe work environments, an economy that enables them to maintain a healthy life-style (being able feed themselves and their children in a thoughtful way, not out of desperation) and enables them to put aside for future endeavors... Like opening up their own shop or business, instead of always working for someone... I don't think that sounds Communist. Would you elect me for president? If so, I'll return for the following campaign...
It's time I return to the first response I haven't sent you. It will be edited.
Ross
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