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father, however, never talked<br />
about the conditions of the time.<br />
After the harvest, my grandfather<br />
moved to Corpus Christi,<br />
Texas, with his wife. He held a<br />
job as janitor. Ultimately, he began<br />
working for Perez Mattress<br />
Company. The upholstery skills<br />
he had acquired at Ford Motor<br />
Company led him to this craft. He<br />
had explained during the interview<br />
that he would fill the heavy<br />
textile with cotton. Then, he<br />
would stitch the fabrics together<br />
by hand. Consequently, he had<br />
pierced himself with a very large<br />
and long needle, which left his<br />
index finger numb. He worked<br />
at the mattress company until he<br />
retired (Alonzo 4).<br />
As I continue reading the<br />
essay, I discover that in 1962, my<br />
grandmother died at the age of<br />
59 from a cerebral hemorrhage<br />
(Alonzo 2). I do not recall another<br />
woman in my grandfather’s life<br />
after her death; in fact, I do not<br />
remember him away from home<br />
except to work. A few years after<br />
my grandmother died, he began<br />
the naturalization process and<br />
became a U.S. citizen on August<br />
18, 1966 at the age of 61 (Perez).<br />
It is time to include the sautéed<br />
onions and eggs to the browned<br />
bologna. While I add the ingredients,<br />
I continue to speculate why<br />
Mexicans and people of Mexican<br />
descent are most ridiculed for their<br />
English. Why are they perceived<br />
subordinate? Even under the<br />
most outrageous discrimination,<br />
a country cannot sever one’s core<br />
identity. There is no need to deny<br />
one to speak his native language.<br />
However, for retiree Sam Jones<br />
. . . and others like him in<br />
this desert outpost, it was<br />
a no-brainer when town<br />
leaders wanted to send a<br />
message to its growing immigrant<br />
community. “This<br />
is America, and in America<br />
we speak English,” Jones,<br />
55, said of his interpretation<br />
of Pahrump’s new English<br />
Language and Patriot<br />
Reaffirmation ordinance.<br />
(Hennessey)<br />
The English language has<br />
created such chaos in a nation<br />
composed of diverse races.<br />
Throughout the world, the English<br />
language is learned without countries<br />
enforcing laws or forcing an<br />
individual to give up his culture or<br />
pride. Possession of more than one<br />
language is undeniably positive.<br />
Even though my grandfather<br />
did not have the self-confidence to<br />
speak in English, he read and understood<br />
English very well. “Adults<br />
who immigrate to the U.S., especially<br />
later in life, may never really<br />
Civility + You<br />
133
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