EXODUST

I always thought that this would make a great name for a band--instead of "Kansas," say. (Much of the artistic talent of the 70's and beyond was thinking of cool and mysterious names for bands that never formed--sometimes those who did, well, "Strawberry Alarm Clock" speaks for itself, alas.)

But speaking of Kansas, there is no band by the above name that comes up on Bing--but "The Exodusters" were real people--African Americans who actually moved en masse to Kansas in 1879 to towns such as Nicodemus (now pop. 20) to get away from the increased persecution on the part of postbellum southerners and terrorist groups (Krazy Klansters). They felt, according to Wikipedia, that Kansas was more progressive and tolerant than most states; altho this did not prevent the Kansas Paranoia due to outbreaks of Yellow Fever, blamed on the immigrants, which brought this movement to a screeching halt.  Of interest to me is that they were especially shunned in large cities. Mexicans in Iowa today are more than welcomed in small towns, some of whom depend on immigrants for their very survival...also that it is the state including the much feared feds, more then the locals who "crack down" on immigrants. 

Mendota and DePue are towns that have welcomed Mexican workers and I have worked with  many uncocumented familes--which is why I am for total unqualified amnesty and allowing the criminal justice system to work equally for them and us, regardless of origin.  The exodus of Mexicans out of Mexico is one of the biggest blessings this country could have, and only paranoia and the promotion of one's own (dying) culture and people groups has caused an increasing number of people--whole towns worth-- to go back to Mexico. But in Mendota we are up from 15% to 25% and still going strong, largely because the old guard is going and gone, and the acceptance level has continued to go up.

Many immigrants are getting horrible and very limited medical care in spite of their hard work.  In Mendota we have Community Health Partnership which can get labs but not medications, x-rays, or surgery hence no screenings at all for colon cancer, just as one example. Take an aspirin, we say=(

We would be more than paid back if we would open our doors even just a little wider--or do we want 2nd generation Mexicans to remember the rest of us as holding back essential care? We in Mendota have been more than blessed by 2nd generation immigrants, some of whom have gone on to be school teachers and superintendents and librarians and hospital board member--and I'm talking about just one familia!

And may I add, por lo general: "How can you say you love God, who you have not seen, if you do not love your brother who you have seen?"  (That's for my familia too--and mea culpa for my many failures in this regard)