TRAITORS (20 page)

A Country of Immigrants
 

The day of the funeral had arrived. The two bodies would be buried together as a symbol of the love that Luis and Zina had for each other during their few years of relationship. The media were there to witness the departure of two young people who had lost their lives because of an injustice. They were also there to witnesses the new movement that had begun. After they buried the bodies, Pablo took the floor in front of cameras and began a speech that Jack, Father Carlos and himself had prepared:

“Today,
America
is
the
most
powerful
country
in
the
world.
It
is
the
first
to
defend
a
country
with
a
regime
that
enslaves
its
people;
the
first
to
invest
billions
of
dollars
to
establish
justice
and
freedom
for
oppressed
peoples.
It
is
the
first
to
lend
humanitarian
aid
in
times
of
need,
and
it
does
whatever
it
takes:
be
it
human
resources,
goods
or
money.
Perhaps
it
is
also
one
of
the
youngest
nations
in
the
world
with
a
history
that
started
no
more
than
four
hundred
years
ago.
Its
leaders
have
done
the
right
things
throughout
the
years,
but
it
is
also
true
that
over
the
years,
America
has
been
occupied
by
citizens
from
around
the
world.”

“It
is
possibly
the
country
with
the
most
diversified
mosaic
of
immigrants.
Surely
there
is
no
other
place
in
the
world
wherein
at
least
one
person
from
every
country
did
not
try
reach
or
to
migrate
to.
It
tells
us
that
migration
is
a
common
and
necessary
element
in
the
normal
world.”

“Nevertheless,
whatever
the
nationality,
skin
color
or
language
spoken,
migration
has
been
part
of
the
growth
of
this
great
nation.
The
vast
majority
of
immigrants
have
come
to
contribute
something
positive
to
the
country.
Being
an
immigrant
is
not
and
will
not
be
easy,
regardless
of
the
origin
of
each
one.
Sometimes
we
come
to
this
country
to
flee
from
injustice,
or
some
strict
regime,
or
simply
from
leaders
who
do
not
fight,
as
they
ought
to,
to
move
us
forward.
We
leave
so
many
things
behind,
but
we
do
it
with
the
intention
of
having
a
better
life
or
giving
our
families
what
we
were
not
able
to.”

“When
we
started
the
adventure
of
migration,
we
knew
that
we
would
be
leaving
everything
behind,
perhaps
for
good.
There
are
African
or
Chinese
immigrants
who
come
here
and
know
that
they
will
never
again
have
the
opportunity
to
return
to
their
country,
even
though
they
have
left
a
sick
or
helpless
relative
behind.
Many
immigrants
from
Latin
America
knew
that
upon
leaving
their
land,
that
there
would
be
little
to
go
back
to.
We
have
come
to
seek
the
American
dream
without
knowing
if
we
can
even
achieve
it,
because
what
may
seem
easy
is
actually
not.”

“Upon
reaching
here,
we
realize
that
our
own
people
are
not
united.
We
live
with
jealousy
amongst
ourselves.
If
someone
is
doing
well,
instead
of
congratulating,
we
begin
to
criticize
what
they
have
achieved
through
hard
work.
We
compete
amongst
ourselves.
Sometimes
we
even
wish
others
harm.
We
don’t
try
to
unite
and
move
forward.
They
call
us
delinquents
by
the
mere
fact
of
being
here.
They
treat
us
as
if
we
are
the
worst
criminals,
not
knowing
that
within
us,
there
is
already
a
great
sense
of
guilt
for
leaving
our
families
behind.
Yes,
we
may
be
delinquents,
but
not
of
what
they
accuse
us
of,
but
because
we
have
come,
leaving
our
families
behind.
We
are
slowly
killing
our
parents
with
the
suffering
we
cause
them
by
abandoning
them,
sometimes
just
when
they
needed
us
the
most.
And
when
their
health
begins
to
deteriorate,
or
when
they
become
terminally
ill,
have
accidents
or
they
simply
deteriorate
through
the
relentless
passage
of
time,
we
are
not
beside
them
to
comfort
them
and
heal
their
wounds.”

“Many
immigrants
have
the
misfortune
or
even
the
fortune
of
losing
their
lives
in
the
attempt
to
cross
the
border.
We,
who
managed
to
make
it
here
alive,
die
bit
by
bit.
We
lose
faith
and
we
begin
to
break
down
as
we
start
losing
our
loved
ones.
Time
passes
and
we
lose
contact
with
them.
Birthdays,
Mother’s
Days
or
Father’s
Days
pass
and
time
never
slows
down
for
us.
When
it’s
time
to
finally
see
them,
we
realize
that
life
has
passed
us
by
and
our
parents
have
grown
old
without
us
taking
notice.”