Brown Recluse by Christian Garduno

 

(At the crossroad of a new beginning, presenting you Christian Garduno's thoughts penned in the November of 2020)

Being Brown in today’s America means being see-through, it means being transparent. 

If you get too uppity, they’ll call you a Communist and try to send you to Cuba. If 

you get too MAGA, then they’ll call you a sell-out. The middle path is usually the

best, just kind of being there, without really ever being there.

You can feel the walls of repression closing in- Charlottesville, the Muslim Ban,

brown kids in cages along the Southern border. You have to keep your head down and

just get your job done. Don’t spend too much time talking about Fox News or current

events- don’t stand around long enough to cast a shadow- keep it moving.

The same type of thing happened with Reagan. The further right the country goes, the

faster and harder they lash at the Mexicans. In order to avoid this persecution, we

trade in the Zoot suit for the plain polo t-shirt, the brown beret for the USA hat, the

Tres Flores long-slicked-back look for the tight-cropped crew cut. All of a sudden,

every single one of your Tio’s houses have enormous American flags.

 

Even with Trump, I have the feeling most Brown folks have the feeling deep down

that this storm will blow over, too (eventually). The 45^th President’s apparent disdain

for Brown people feels like one of his wrestling ploys- the threats are said with

venomous breath, but ultimately empty. Brown people are too essential to American

society. That’s just a fact, Jack. Who else will farm for you? Clean up after you?

Landscape your golf courses?

 

Although our demographic is pandered to every four years, we’re not truly included in

major party conventions. They would rather end the Census early than have us

counted. It may yet be generations before our political power is thoroughly realized.

Perhaps even longer before we can claim an Obama or Kennedy figure of our own. 

The Karens and Kyles always have and always will attempt to intimidate us on a daily

basis. That never seems to change. The taunts and names are always the same. Camo

shirts, tactical vests, AR-15’s. Our saving grace is that we’ve seen & heard it all

before.

 

There will always be a next “Great White Hope”, foaming at the mouth about the ills

of Brown people. You can’t go back for enough in history where Brown souls weren’t

part of America. We’re the backbone of this magnificent nation. We, in fact, pre-date

America. And believe me, we aren’t packing our bags anytime soon.

Christian Garduno’s work can be read in over 40 literary magazines, including Riza Press, where his poem, “The Return”, was a Finalist in their 2019 Multimedia Art Contest. Garduno is the recipient of the 2019 National Willie Morris Award for Southern Poetry. He lives and writes in South Texas with his wonderful Nahemie and young son Dylan.

He usually sometimes writes at: https://medium.com/@letsfly2000