Story about Racism by Jassiel

After you read this story, think about this article.  What myths about immigration do you believe?  

"Go back to Mexico, Beaner! F*&* YOU!"

"Shut up, you racist!" Pancho just wanted to punch them in the face. He wished they didn't exist.

It was a sunny day in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pancho was playing soccer with his friends. Soccer helped him because he was sad; his mom had recently died in a car accident. His mom was going to work; she was just getting in her car when a tow truck with no brakes crashed into her car. He had to move to Texas because his dad had the swine flu; he was in the hospital and the doctors told him that he was too old. He had to stay there because he could die. The only family Pancho had in the U.S. lived in Texas.

After he moved to Texas, his family didn't want him to go to school until he finished grieving the deaths of his parents. They didn't want him to stop studying, so they contracted a private teacher.

After a year passed, he went back to school. On his way to his first day in school, he was happy because he thought that everybody in school was going to be less boring than being stuck at home with his teacher. He was hoping to find a friend. He walked into school and stood by the door looking for a friendly face, but instead of finding a friend, he found racism.

A guy named Ted pushed him; he whispered to him, "Go back to Mexico, Beaner."

Pancho was so mad that he wanted to beat him up.

In math class, Ted was in his class. He pushed him again. Class started; the teacher said, ''We have a new student. Please be nice to him."

Ted said, "I don't respect beaners!"

Everybody laughed.

Pancho asked Tom, the guy sitting next to him, "Where does Ted goes after school?"

Tom told him, "To the football fields. Why do you want to know?"

"I want to beat him up."

Tom asked, "Why?"

Pancho told him, "Because he pushed me."

Tom was Ted's friend, and he told Ted. Ted was so scared that he didn't want to go to go to the football fields that day. Ted went to the office the next day and told the principal about what Pancho said he was going to do to him, but he forgot to mention what he had done to Pancho.

The next day the principal talked with Pancho. Pancho told him what Ted did and how he felt. The principal said, "Okay, no problem. Ted does that with all Mexican students."

Pancho complained to the principal, "Okay, but if he says or does anything again, I'm going to tell you first." Pancho didn't want to get into trouble for fighting, but he wanted the principal to know what was going on. He expected the principal to like this plan. He was in for a surprise.

The principal told him, "Okay, but Ted does that with all Mexican students, and I don't think he's going to stop."

Pancho was so mad that he didn't want to go to school the next day, but his aunt told him to go. When he told her about Ted, she said, "Do NOT get into a fight. Don't get yourself into trouble."

Pancho said, "It makes me mad."

She replied, "If you fight, you will get into trouble whether you are right or wrong. Just ignore him."

When he walked into school, he felt Ted push him again. He told him, "Don't go tell the principal or I will punch you, Little Girl."

Pancho told the principal and the principal suspended Ted for three days. When he was in his way out, he saw Pancho and told him, "You're going to pay for this."

Pancho didn't respond; he wanted to wait until Ted returned to school. In three days Pancho knew that he would beat Ted up. He predicted that Ted would come back mad and wanting to fight. Pancho wasn't worried about the fight; he was worried about punching him too hard and injuring him. For the next three days, he enjoyed school without Ted.

When Ted came back to school, he punched Pancho in the hallway. The fight didn't even wait for the football fields. They fought and fought and fought and fought and fought. Both boys were tired, when Pancho finally punched Ted and he fell to the ground. Pancho's foot was a jackhammer, pummeling Ted's face. Ted's nose was broken and bloody. The blood was squirting from his face and eye.

Tom punched Pancho because he was Ted's friend and he wanted to help him. "Stop! Stop right now!" he yelled at Pancho, ripping at his shirt.

Tom's voice was like a punch. It made Pancho stop kicking and realize what had happened. He looked down and saw blood, so much blood. He thought he had killed Ted. A part of him was happy, but a bigger part was scared.

After two weeks they returned to school, Ted apologized to Pancho, and Pancho said nothing. Ted and Pancho learned that racism hurts everyone. While friendship ends racism, they would not be friends. But, fear can create respect. From that day on, there were no more fights and no more racist remarks.

by ~ Jassiel