I have been a reader of Ruben Navarette for years and although I infrequently disagreed with him, my disagreements were usually based on the difference in our years, with me feeling that a few more years of living would mellow this talented young writer’s perspective. I’m sorry to say, that has not been the case.

Today I opened my newspaper at the lunch table and selected Ruben’s column as my first read. Bad choice: I almost choked on my sandwich as I read a diatribe I would expect of Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. Guess what, folks? This Anglo Irishman who has spent most of his life living with, working with, socializing with Hispanics and other ethnic minorities, was amazed to discover that according to Ruben Navarrette, I am a racist.

That’s right, Ruben has joined the leagues of race-baiters who, when confronted with a political loss, resort to the last refuge of scoundrels like Jackson and Sharpton. Suddenly everyone who doesn’t see the world in their terms is a racist.

So, I’m a racist because I didn’t agree with Ruben on the immigration bill. I was one of those who saw this legislative band-aid as a something-to-please-everyone piece of legislative trash that would do absolutely nothing to actually deal with the problem of illegal immigration on our southern borders. But no, it’s not possible to Ruben that I’m an intelligent, reasoning citizen who actually wants to see our congress develop a truly effective remedy for this problem.

Nope, I’m a racist, just ask Reuben Navarrette.

Ruben, my boy, at the risk of sounding politically incorrect and ethnically insensitive, you just did the Mexican Hat Dance on your crank. Perhaps, since you seem to be so sensitive about the Mexican label, I should say flamenco. Same difference, young man, its still a well-trampled and thoroughly flat crank or perhaps I should say you have ground your grosero in the dirt, hmmm?

Russ Vaughn
Somewhere in the Great Southwest

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Webmaster's addendum: Some people just can't stop dancing.

Contributed by Russ Vaughn on July 31, 2007 at 11:32 AM in Remember the Alamo, Russ Vaughn | Permalink

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