My kind

 During the invasion of Iraq- when torture was declared acceptable, Rendition was disapprearing folk labeled as "terrorists", the Patriot Act was limiting habeas corpus and everyone was potentially a "terrorist", etc and Iraqis were being " liberated" from their lives, I was explaining the Truth to a lady: the immoral horrors of what the US was doing, and how we all had blood on our hands.
Usually when I would say these things people would morph into mindless brainwashed zombies and drone the Fox news mantra: "I support the President."
But this lady was sincere.
She answered "I know its bad, but its just what we have to do to maintain our standard of living."  
At that moment I was sickened and realized I was not "an American" or at least not like her kind of American.
Iv since come to understand there have always been two distinct camps, two types of Americans: those who supported Native Genocide, witch burning, Slavery and Jim Crow, McArthyism, the Viet Nam war,  etc and those who didnt.
There are those who dont give a damn about others and those who do...the Sheep and the Goats as Jesus put it. (For the Christian Nationalists who havent actually read the Book, that reference is from Mathew 25:31+)

My ancestors came to America 100 years before the Declaration of Independence was penned; and to Texas in 1828.

I am a 70 year old white Native Texan who has lived in this state my entire life.But I have never been one of the " good ole boys" who infect Texas with their prejudices and white entitlement. And I have never supported this or any other government sending young boys to murder others in foreign lands for political purposes...or to profit corporations.

As a kid I got my hand painted black with shoe polish for holding hands with a scared black girl , was sent to the school counselor for playing with a hispanic kid, and told to associate with " your own kind."

I heard from Baptists that I "was'nt saved and was going to Hell" because I wasnt a member of their cult.

As an adult have worked with and helped hispanic immigrants, have been called "Jew Boy" by a self professed ku klux klansman who didnt like my thinking, and a " friend of the homos" by a personell director because I promoted two gay people as well as black and hispanic folk.

I am still searching for "my kind." But long ago I learned that "my kind" had nothing to do with race, nationality, creed, sexual orientation, or other such.

I do know who is not my kind. Those who would have turned Anne Frank's family in to the Nazis, and today would turn hispanic immigrants in to ICE are not my kind.

Those who would take rights away from gay people, repeal the Civil Rights or Voting Rights laws, or deprive poor disabled people of healthcare or food in order to give billionaires more tax breaks are not my kind. 

Those who support genocide and criminalizing the homeless are not my kind.

My kind were in the streets marching this weekend at No Kings rallies.