Shenandoah must find a way to heal
By Thomas F. O'Neill
I was one of the participants at the vigil last week for Luis Eduardo Ramirez, the young man who died, the police say, from a severe beating at the hands of Shenandoah teenagers. His candlelight service was very moving and a lot of wise words were spoken. It revealed that we must take responsibility for the community. We can't, however, return bigotry and prejudice with hate. We must rise above by extending an understanding hand to our neighbors and to the community as a whole.
We all tend to have condescending dismay for our town's condition. We live from day to day, wishing for the community to change. We rarely take responsibility for our own lives by becoming the change that we would like to see in others. People spoke openly and honestly at Ramirez's vigil, without fear. They chose to attend not just to bring about a positive change for our community but to bring about healing. These values are not for the few. They are rooted in our ethnic heritages and family trees.
The violence and killing of Luis Eduardo Ramirez is extremely painful for his immediate family, his friends, and shocking for the entire community. This tragic hate crime should be a wake-up call for the adult community. We cannot rely on schools whether they are private or public to instill values in our neighborhood children. Those values must be instilled in the home. Bigotry and prejudice beget condescending hate and eventually violence against our own humanity.
If we want to live in a better world we must take responsibility for the condition of our neighborhoods, and our community, by becoming the change. We as individuals must change for the better. It is easy to sit by and point the finger at others. It seems also that the biggest bigots rarely live up to what they believe is society's standards and principles. Rather than being a positive force in their community, they tear others down with racist remarks or, in extreme cases, with violent attacks.
The immigrants in our communities may not look like the majority of us. They may or may not speak our language, and they may not fit into the prejudicial world that some in our community would like to live in. It wasn't that long ago when segregation was the norm, but it took forceful and enlightened voices to put an end to that extreme racial discrimination.
We also tend to forget that our ancestors, when they came to this country, were also abused and discriminated against. That is why we must reach out a helping hand, just as our ancestors reached out to members of their community when they arrived here as immigrants from foreign countries.
It is also unfortunate that the mining legends are becoming ancient history for Shenandoah's youth and that the Shenandoah Historical Society is not reaching out to our community's younger generation. We must help the youth understand that the immigrants who came to our region to work the coal mines provided our town and the region as a whole with cultural diversity. That cultural diversity gave our coal-mining towns a rich character.
Our ancestors, with their rich ethnic heritage, implicitly understood. What we give to our community we give to ourselves, and what we change in ourselves we change in our community. Our humanity whether we are aware of it or not is our greatest resource, in times of plenty, and in times of great need.
This community must realize also that if we truly want to see the town of Shenandoah become revitalized -- whether it is through Downtown Shenandoah Inc. or other endeavors -- we must reach out and become more accepting of the Hispanic business owners and to the Hispanic population as a whole.
We must also reach out to the town's youth. Perhaps what the town needs is a youth center. The teenagers complain that they have nowhere to go in the town.
This national news coverage of the beating death of Luis Eduardo Ramirez only goes to show that today's Hispanics have a voice and that voice was heard. Their voice is bringing about a change for the better, not only in their own lives but perhaps for our entire diverse community.
The Hispanics' cultural heritage is being instilled in their American-born children and their children will instill those same values to their grandchildren. They are contributing to our region's overall heritage, a heritage that can be proudly passed on to the next generation.
With love,
Thomas F. O’Neill
(800) 272-6464
introspective7@hotmail.com
Yahoo Screen Name for chatting online: introspective777
Other articles, short stories, and commentaries by Thomas F. O'Neill can be found at the links below.
http://thomasfoneill.blogspot.com
http://pencilstubs.com
http://www.livejournal.com/users/thomas_f_oneill
http://www.myspace.com/thomas_f_oneill
http://thomasfoneill.spaces.live.com
http://www.pencilstubs.com/magazine/authorbio.asp?AID=412
http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/anotherview/all-a.6533261aug05,0,4235851.story
I was one of the participants at the vigil last week for Luis Eduardo Ramirez, the young man who died, the police say, from a severe beating at the hands of Shenandoah teenagers. His candlelight service was very moving and a lot of wise words were spoken. It revealed that we must take responsibility for the community. We can't, however, return bigotry and prejudice with hate. We must rise above by extending an understanding hand to our neighbors and to the community as a whole.
We all tend to have condescending dismay for our town's condition. We live from day to day, wishing for the community to change. We rarely take responsibility for our own lives by becoming the change that we would like to see in others. People spoke openly and honestly at Ramirez's vigil, without fear. They chose to attend not just to bring about a positive change for our community but to bring about healing. These values are not for the few. They are rooted in our ethnic heritages and family trees.
The violence and killing of Luis Eduardo Ramirez is extremely painful for his immediate family, his friends, and shocking for the entire community. This tragic hate crime should be a wake-up call for the adult community. We cannot rely on schools whether they are private or public to instill values in our neighborhood children. Those values must be instilled in the home. Bigotry and prejudice beget condescending hate and eventually violence against our own humanity.
If we want to live in a better world we must take responsibility for the condition of our neighborhoods, and our community, by becoming the change. We as individuals must change for the better. It is easy to sit by and point the finger at others. It seems also that the biggest bigots rarely live up to what they believe is society's standards and principles. Rather than being a positive force in their community, they tear others down with racist remarks or, in extreme cases, with violent attacks.
The immigrants in our communities may not look like the majority of us. They may or may not speak our language, and they may not fit into the prejudicial world that some in our community would like to live in. It wasn't that long ago when segregation was the norm, but it took forceful and enlightened voices to put an end to that extreme racial discrimination.
We also tend to forget that our ancestors, when they came to this country, were also abused and discriminated against. That is why we must reach out a helping hand, just as our ancestors reached out to members of their community when they arrived here as immigrants from foreign countries.
It is also unfortunate that the mining legends are becoming ancient history for Shenandoah's youth and that the Shenandoah Historical Society is not reaching out to our community's younger generation. We must help the youth understand that the immigrants who came to our region to work the coal mines provided our town and the region as a whole with cultural diversity. That cultural diversity gave our coal-mining towns a rich character.
Our ancestors, with their rich ethnic heritage, implicitly understood. What we give to our community we give to ourselves, and what we change in ourselves we change in our community. Our humanity whether we are aware of it or not is our greatest resource, in times of plenty, and in times of great need.
This community must realize also that if we truly want to see the town of Shenandoah become revitalized -- whether it is through Downtown Shenandoah Inc. or other endeavors -- we must reach out and become more accepting of the Hispanic business owners and to the Hispanic population as a whole.
We must also reach out to the town's youth. Perhaps what the town needs is a youth center. The teenagers complain that they have nowhere to go in the town.
This national news coverage of the beating death of Luis Eduardo Ramirez only goes to show that today's Hispanics have a voice and that voice was heard. Their voice is bringing about a change for the better, not only in their own lives but perhaps for our entire diverse community.
The Hispanics' cultural heritage is being instilled in their American-born children and their children will instill those same values to their grandchildren. They are contributing to our region's overall heritage, a heritage that can be proudly passed on to the next generation.
With love,
Thomas F. O’Neill
(800) 272-6464
introspective7@hotmail.com
Yahoo Screen Name for chatting online: introspective777
Other articles, short stories, and commentaries by Thomas F. O'Neill can be found at the links below.
http://thomasfoneill.blogspot.com
http://pencilstubs.com
http://www.livejournal.com/users/thomas_f_oneill
http://www.myspace.com/thomas_f_oneill
http://thomasfoneill.spaces.live.com
http://www.pencilstubs.com/magazine/authorbio.asp?AID=412
http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/anotherview/all-a.6533261aug05,0,4235851.story
posted by Thomas F. O'Neill | 4:30 PM
4 Comments:
Mr. O'Neill-
My hat is off to you for the manner in which you expressed your thoughts and feelings about the need to heal a community that has been torn apart by actions of discrimination, segregation, and hate. Your point is well-taken when you bring attention to the fact that most of the people in our country are of foreign origin at one point or another. That alone should make people more accepting of racial differences. On the other hand, there is hope that the affected will be willing to forgive. Let's hope also that your message reaches the hearts and minds of all the people in Shenandoah.
-Guillermo Racines
I have been having a hard time with the whole situation in Shenandoah, the whole country as a matter of fact. Everyone is saying how we are all of immigrant decent, which is true. What noone wants to deal with is why there is so much anger towards the Hispanic community. I work with the public and deal with immigrants on a daily basis. My first point is that when my ancestors came to America they CAME LEGALLY. They learned the language. They encouraged their children to learn the language.Immigration is not the issue here,it's the ILLEGAL that is frustrating. I don't have a problem with people seeking a better life for themselves and their families but become citizens and keep your family pride but try to fit in. I feel for the children of this man. They will grow up without a father. Their mother lost someone very dear to her. But why isn't anyone asking why after 6 years he was still illegal? Why was there so much anger in these young boys to do what they did? I read today in the paper that we need to " more understanding of the illegals." Why? I feel for the ones that are here legallly and are dealing with racism because of where they come from. This is a 2 way street. This is not you accept us but we don't want to do anything to fit in. Yes, healing needs to take place here but so does understanding why there is so much anger to start with.I do hope this area can heal but there is wrong on both sides of this issue and healing needs to take place. I can honestly tell you why I'm angry about all of this. Can you? Can you look at the situation and see why there is hate, discrimination and anger? I certainly understand both sides. This is not about immigration, it's about doing it legally or not.
Illegal immigration is not immigration. It is a crime. How you can expect a town to heal, when one group is being denied equality under the rule of law, you are naive. You do not tell the truth, about was is happening in Shenandoah and all across the country. Discrimination and bigotry, against the U.S. citizens of this country. You go on and on, about immigration, but never once mention the fact, you mean illegal immigration. One is legal and the other is, illegal. These 3 boys will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of our laws, for breaking our laws. The children living in Shenandoah, see their rights being stomped on. The right to a sovereign nation. The right to be treated equally, in their own country. The right to have their own country. Illegals are not being punished for their crimes. Deportation is the punishment for being in this country illegally. It is a felon to work in this country, illegally with fraudulent and stolen documents. It is against the law to drive illegally, without car insurance. All four crimes are being committed by illegals, and they are not being punished. Until, illegals are punished for their crimes, just like we punish our own citizens. There will be no healing. Illegals must be deported. Lies must stop being told. Illegals have no right to be here. It is not my Human Right or anyone's Human Right to enter someone else's country, illegally, without being punished. Stop the hate towards our children and their right to a sovereign nation. Mexico and every other country, deport their illegals. We have the same equal right to do the same. Your hate, is against us, our laws and our sovereignty. We and our children are the victims of crimes, being committed by illegals. Stop the hate. Stop the bigotry, towards U.S. citizens and our children. You cannot tell our children they must obey our laws, while they see illegals, breaking our laws and getting away with it. Illegals must be punished and those who harbor, aide and abet them. No matter how much you twist it, illegal aliens are committing crimes. If you, in any way assist and protect illegals, you are just as guilty of this new hatred and bigotry, towards us. We are the victims and our children, not the illegals.
Sometimes you just need to dance.
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