Aztlan - A Day Without Legal Americans

Thanks to Travis McGee for finding this great piece. Author is unknown.

The day seemed most like any day in Los Angeles, at least it seemed so to Maria Gonzales. Maria got her four children off to the school bus stop, and got ready for her appointment at the County medical clinic for the "underprivileged" (Cesar Chevez Medical Center). Unlike her unmarried (but also pregnant) cousin who drank to much, Maria took the free neo-natal care seriously. Her husband Herberto, recovering from a work injury after his first year as a roofer, was calling his friends to see if they would help him fix his Chevy and some other junkers in his yard. He had at least four more months on State disability, and figured he would use it to fix cars, earn a little side money, and hang out with some East LA friends. Still, it was annoying that Maria wanted him to hand carry their annual renewal of Section 8 certification forms downtown, even if it was the last day before it expired (and a new application would take months to process).

Maria walked to the public bus transit stop, and notice all the neighborhood barrio children were still waiting for the school bus. She saw several parents surrounding the kids, puzzeled she asked: "Why aren't they in school?"

Pablo, another illegal scratched his head, answering in Spanish (he knew little English) "We heard the schools are closed, we heard that some buses came but when they got their most of the teachers and principals were gone. And most classroom doors were locked, but the one classroom open had no power. No lights, no nothing!".

"I don't understand". Then someone brought a small radio from their car, and the only Spanish language station on the air was announcing stunning news......

"Today, the Americanos decide to have a day without them. They went on strike against honest Mexicans and other undocumented immigrants. We do not know where they have gone, but do not panic compadre's, we are on a generator, we will provide instructions as soon as we have a better understanding of what has happened."

Maria was upset, what would she do? Her doctors, the nurses, even the lab technicians were legal citizens, and many were gringos. The American county paid for her medical care, but now who would take care of her? Angry, she marched home with her children, muttering that she would now have to feed them as well, given that they would not have access to the federally subsidized school breakfast and lunch programs.

When she walked in, Herberto was also upset. "Maria, the phones don't work, the power is out. Some "Gringo" operator told me "what goes around, comes around" before the line went dead. I drove down to the auto parts store it was closed...ALL the stores were closed. The streets are filled with wandering Mexicans and some other races, but nothing is being delivered and all windows and doors are locked...well except for some Mexican restaurants and they were out of food."

As the day progressed, the street rumors began to serve as the major conduit of information. It seemed the Americanos had enough, all their doors were closed and they were gone. Even the few gringo and Asian convenience stores that were open would not take food stamps, and some would not sell to obvious illegals, nor were there much food left anywhere. Trains and buses stopped running, and no gas could be found. Rumors were that there were secret stores were open only to citizens, and mysterious trucks were seen making deliveries to "legals". Other rumors were that the whole nation was shut down, that wall street, banks, factories, farms, trains, mines, computer and technology firms, were all closed - the "gringos" said they did not want to work today...they vanished.

Although Maria was unaware of it, her cousin Jesus also noted that that the Americanos were missing, even the citizen prisoners - not that it helped him behind bars. Still, the prison had no power, he was hungry, and the toilets would not flush. It was hot in his block, the one for condemned killers. The tiers were over-flowing with fecal matter and drenching the open cage floors below. Screams echoed through the concrete building "We have our rights" and "Guard...help..."...and the noise was unbearable as prisoners rattled their bars and cages.

Crowds of illegals gathered in many City downtowns, demanding information, food, and transportation. That night, many illegals sleep fitfully as they heard no sirens but many screams, gunfire, and wandering crowds of angry young illegal men. Maria had Heriberto, but many women did not have such a protective husband. Then late that night, she saw burning buildings, but she heard no fire sirens.

By the next morning, it was awful. Fires and riots had spread throughout the City, supermarkets were broken into only to find the shelves empty. Department stores were also empty, and the only communication she received was a letter on her door from the landlord "Rent due..no section 8 funds permitted...pay immediately or eviction will be served". She angrily tore it up..."Don't they know who we are"..she screamed at her husband.

The mailbox had no 'first of the month' disability checks, no food stamps, and no welfare offices were open. No power, or heat, or air conditioning, no gasoline...nothing. And no food from the American farmers, or wholesalers, or supermarket chains. None. Rumors spread that ships at the port of LA had food, but their was also a rumor the ports were chained and the ships were already looted.

It was the second day without an American. The riots became serious, the Cities were burning, and every illegal found a 'self-protection' group or a gun. The spanish radio station was off the air.

What if there were many more days without Americans, Maria was worried.