Road Trip

Murrieta

This is a photo from those anti-immigration rallies down in Murrieta, CA. Something really stands out, and it’s not that the woman on the right reminds you of your mother-in-law after you said you didn’t want to have children. No, it’s the attire chosen by the attendees. See the guy wearing a backwards baseball hat and no shirt? He’s not dressed that way to show off his washboard abs. No, he’s half-dressed because it’s really, really hot outside.

And it’s super dry. Southern California (and much of the Southwest) is in the third year of an extreme drought. It’s so bad that officials are telling people to not cover their mouths when they sneeze because they need the moisture. And according to SFGate, Climate scientists are backing off earlier forecasts that an El Niño in coming months might end California’s drought. No one knows when (or if) the drought will stop.

So picture this scenario: Southern California goes completely dry. What little water is left sells for $1,000 per gallon. The shirtless guy with the baseball hat sticks around to play out a Mad Max fantasy. But the rest of these people pack up their 1972 Winnebagos and flee north. They’re essentially internal refugees. They drive for days, drinking from the RV toilet to survive. As they approach the Oregon border with cracking lips they eye the snowcapped peaks with utter relief. But when they get to the border they’re confronted by hundreds of people like this guy:

invasion

Irony at it’s finest. And a great way to learn about compassion.

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8 thoughts on “Road Trip”

  1. As the child of one immigrant and the grandchild of two others (LEGAL immigrants, but immigrants nonetheless), I have one thing to say to those people, including the shirtless guy:

    😛

    1. It isn’t very clear, but that’s the “sticking the tongue out” emoticon.

  2. Oh my. Maybe we Minnesotans should borrow that Stop the Invasion sign for the day when these yoo-hoos head this way to siphon water from Lake Superior.

  3. This is my type of irony. You gotta love it when the invadees become the invaders!

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