It’s that time of year, people.

Pretty soon it will be socially acceptable to watch Christmas movies (though if you ask our neighbors, who have had their Christmas lights up and on for weeks—I’m way behind).

One of my favorites is A Christmas Story. If you haven’t watched it, watch it. Seriously, a classic.

Remember the scene with the soap?

It’s right after Ralphie drops the F-bomb and gets the “wash your mouth out with soap” treatment until he’ll tell his mother where he heard the expletive. After Ralphie’s gone to his room, she looks at the soap, curiosity gets the best of her, and she takes a taste. Gagging, she immediately rinses her mouth out.

Ralphie doesn’t see his mother’s little experiment, but if he had—I’m willing to bet his reaction would have to be something like “ohhhh so, how do YOU like it?”

I can relate.

Not the soap specifically…but I can relate to the feeling of watching someone else finally experience something you’ve been calling a problem for eons.

For years, this nation has endured millions of illegal immigrants pouring into our nation and benefitting from our generosity, as the chorus of “racism” grows louder and louder against those who dare suggest it’s a problem. I have personally been the subject of these accusations (my personal favorite was “I can’t believe she can be married to a Mexican and still be such a racist”) and even lost friends after I suggested that Latin American leaders were truly the ones responsible for this crisis since they can’t seem to get their own acts together in their respective countries.

Those of us that led the outcry against lawlessness; those of us who pointed out the rank unfairness in giving rights and privileges to people who stole their place in line while millions of others (like my husband) waited lawfully; those of us who decried the ridiculousness of having taxpayer dollars go to illegal immigrants while so many of the men and women who fought for this country struggle to get medical care and a roof over their heads—WE have been shamed and labeled as intolerant, not only by the Left in this country, but by our own neighbors to the south across Latin America.

So you can imagine how deliciously intrigued I was to see the following comments fill up the Facebook feed in response to the migrant caravan making its way across Mexico:

“Digo, quieren asilo y vienen con una actitud retadora? No que muy victimas de violencia y hambre y vimos todo el destrozo y cochinero que dejaron estos malagradecidos?” (Translation: “I mean, they want asylum and yet they come here with this combative attitude? Weren’t they supposed to be victims of violence and starvation—and yet just look at the disastrous pigsty these ungrateful people have left behind?”)

Su comportamiento solo muestra que Trump tiene la razon, solo prueba muchos puntos a favor de el; una cosa es necesidad y otra cosa es no conocer respeto a las autoridades y no saber comportarse de forma civilizada, fui de las primeras que los defendia pero con todo lo que estamos viendo ni como ayudarlos…” (Translation: “Their behavior just proves Trump right; it just proves so much of what he’s said; one thing is to have a real need and another is not to know how to treat authorities with respect, behave in a civilized manner. I was one of the first to defend them [the caravan] but now with what we are actually seeing—there’s no helping these people.”)

“Ayuden a la gente del país!” (Translation: “Help the people of this country!”)

“LOS MIGRANTES… personas maleducadas, groseras, que escupen, se acuestan, hacen del baño y tiran la basura donde sea. Gritan “piropos” cada vez que se les atraviesa una mujer, pocos dicen “gracias” y nadie dice “por favor”. Son personas que están exigiendo cosas a diestra y siniestra. La intención de ayudarlos es de buena fe y a ellos no les importa el esfuerzo y los gastos que implican, sólo quieren más y lo exigen. Y ellos lo único que hacen es drogarse, emborracharse, y sentirse en vacaciones” (Translation: “The MIGRANTS—they’re rude; they spit, have sex, relieve themselves and throw trash wherever they want. They catcall women; very few say ‘thank you’ and no one says ‘please.’  They are people who are demanding things willy-nilly. The effort to help them is in good faith, and they don’t care about the time, energy and money that is involved; they simply want more and they demand it. And they—all they do is get high, drunk, and feel very much on vacation.”)

(Translation: “The caravan arrives and the government of the state of Jalisco is providing transportation and shelter; meanwhile struggling Mexicans are left to their own luck.”)

Another one quipped, “Y Jorge Ramos?” (Translation: “And where’s Jorge Ramos?”)

Go back to the soap illustration for a second.

Kinda nasty when you get a taste of it for yourselves, doesn’t it?

I’ve lived in Mexico, and I’ve seen the staggering need that so many people—many of whom are of the indigenous population—face. It often makes anything that we call “poverty” here look like royalty. And now the Mexican people are seeing it too.

They’re seeing their own people—struggling and impoverished—tripped over by their own government as it rushes provides aid to the migrant caravan. They’re seeing their tax dollars to go help people who, by many observations, have done precious little to show their appreciation for it. They’re seeing what it’s like to be taken advantage of.

And they don’t like it.

They’re getting a hefty taste of what it’s like to deal with a constant onslaught of those who break the laws to get in and demand all the benefits and privileges of citizenship once they’re here.

So here’s my question: when’s the apology coming? When is the apology coming for the years of demanding that we here in the US simply take on the world’s problems, no questions asked? Where’s the apology coming for the endless cries of racism and anti-immigrant lobbed our way? Where’s the apology for presidents like Pena Nieto and Calderon, who have come here, stood on our soil, and demanded that we take in their people?

This isn’t about race. It’s not about ethnic superiority. This is about the sovereignty of every nation and the debt each government owes to its own citizens first.

And our friends to the south are finally learning this lesson.

 

Mary Ramirez is a full-time writer, creator of www.afuturefree.com (a political commentary blog), and contributor to The Chris Salcedo Show. She can be reached at: afuturefree@aol.com; or on Twitter: @AFutureFree