I went to Li Ming Today

It should come as no surprise I am not a fan of the idea of ICE detaining people who don’t look American. Before anyone bites back at me that they are only detaining criminals, you are misinformed and I don’t need to hear your propaganda.

I have lived in foreign countries, ones where I spoke the language and ones where I did not. Well, not well. Being an outsider is hard. It is less hard if you grew up with White American privilege. I fully understand the privilege I have just because I was born white, to married college-educated parents. My father was employed. I lived in the safest place and went to great schools. I am a WASP, so I never was discriminated against for my religion or where “my people” originated from. No one ever asked me, “where are you really from,” or “commented on my middle-Atlantic accent.” I never worried if we would have food, or if I would not have new clothes whenever I needed them.

If any of these things apply to you, you might also have white privileged and not really be able to understand the fear that Americans detained by ICE might feel. You may not have an American born child who worries that their foreign born parents will not be home when you get home from school. Or if you should go to your place of worship because ICE might be there.

I have very little power to do much about what ICE is doing, but I can support ethnic stores and show them that I support them, even if half the country does not. Today I went to Li Ming. They have great vegetables and wonderful Asian foods. I was the only Caucasian in the store. I don’t read any Asian languages so I always have trouble deciphering the ingredients in a jar. Putting myself in the shoes of what it must be like to be a non-English reader at Harris Teeter.

I also go to Hispanic markets and the Indian Market. I do this as a means of support for those communities. It is a small gesture, but one I hope helps in some way. I can’t change my white privilege, but I can show compassion, warmth and kindness to those who are newer to our country.

Unless you are Native American, we all got here because someone in our family came from away. Just because we might have come earlier does not make this country ours alone. We just get to live here and then, when we are gone it belongs to new people.

Newer Immigrants to the US are usually the hardest working Americans. If you ate a Salad today, you probably have an immigrant to thank for it, unless you grow your own lettuce. If you had a chicken salad an immigrant probably processed that chicken. Just remember that when the price of lettuce and chicken go through the roof because we don’t have people willing to do those jobs. I might grow my own lettuce, but I am not processing chickens.