Guest commentary: Doing the Zombie Dance In Oxnard

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armando-vazquezBy Armando Vazquez / Guest contributor

In the stunning defeat of civilized democracy in this nation, the toxic fallout and pain is so expansive that it defies comprehension. In the past couple of days all of the folks that I love and know are walking around in apocalyptic shock not knowing what to do next: y muchos de mis otro hermanas y hermanos weep in holy terror and make plans to run as far as their fear will take them and their families to safety.

The Café on A in the past two day has had a rush of terror stricken parents, community leaders, teachers and KEYS Leadership students approaching me and plead for assistance in quelling the fear that is welling up in the hearts of many. We are told that kids as early as elementary school are afraid to go to school for fear that the migra will get them; or worse when they return home their parents will gone taken by migra. Tension is palatable in every high school in the Oxnard area. Some of the high school kids come to us and with fear in their voice ask, “What do we do? My jejitos don’t have papers. Does that mean that in couple of months they will come looking for them? What can I tell these frightened kids? That we are a country of laws, that we all have the right to due process, when I know that in my heart and mind that for the first time in life I am truly fearfully that these words are empty lies!

Every day, twice a day, at the Café on A we have Health and Wellness exercise, educational and nutritional classes for predominately hardworking field and factory working women. More than 50+ women and children come to these daily Healthy Living classes. These woman are being transformed, they are finding their healthy well centered place in our local society. These new immigrant women are empowered by their new found independence, exercise and educational regimen. They beam with hope, love and confidence! In the past two days they have been dancing like zombies, not sure what will happen to them and their families. We implore the women to keep coming to the Healthy Living classes and dance, talk, cry, seek out resources and mobilize and by all means not to succumb to the paralyzing fear that currently grips their hearts.

So in the wake of this catastrophe that has very real and tragic implication for many in our Oxnard community the Café on A will be hosting timely and periodic convivios informativos (informative community gatherings) so that the affected community can receive clear, honest and reassuring answers to the million questions and concerns that they currently have. We will be inviting local immigration experts and attorney to help us clarify the current immigration situation and what is to be expected in the coming months. We will ask the Mexican and other Central Consulate to help and provide help, guidance and tangible help when possible to their citizens. We will ask the Oxnard Chief of Police and Oxnard City Council members to speak to the concerned residents and assuage as much as they can the fear and trepidation that is felt by the immigrant of the community.

My son a beneficiary of a world class college education, courtesy of this once great country, was approached by an Anglo Millennial at social gathering to mourn the demise of the American Dream, and this Anglo kid said, “We really shook them up, didn’t we.” My son stunned by this kid’s cold heart and empty mind walked away. And that dear friends is the excruciating reality that threatens to bring this nation to its demise. The fact that many, 40+ million or more Americans, see this election as their holy referendum to take back their nation. So to this mindless Anglo Millennial youth I say this: Basic History for Dummies: Never, ever again underestimate the immense collective power of “group think” when a class of people in a society think that their way of life and their very existence is on the very brink of extinction. In terror induced mass mindless hallucinogenic fear they will divine a Messiah, and he will arise anew out of the dung heap of fascist, authoritarian, and dictatorial history ready to lead his people to their salvation. While we the immigrants, women, the disabled, the youth, the homeless, seniors, the countries of the world that do not agree with our newly elected toxic government will have hell to pay!

— Armando Vazquez, M.Ed., is the executive director of The KEYS Leadership Academy@ Café on A in Oxnard and chair of the Oxnard Multicultural Mental Health Coaltion.