“I’ve joined the Marines and go to basic training in six months, that’s the deal. My dad was a marine. My grandfather was, too — he did two tours in Vietnam. I can afford college when I get out.
“I’m part Cuban, part Guatemalan Mayan. My ancestors suffered grief from invaders; lots of them were killed. I was born here and my mother and father were, too. But I’m blood Cuban so I’m not the same American you are. Anglos never think of their ancestors even when they meet people like me and think we are ruining the country.
“Things won’t change here until all the older people are gone. They can’t get beyond their hate. They think they are patriotic because they fought in wars and want to take their country back from immigrants.
“I’ve lived in Miami-Dade a long time so I’ve seen a lot of racist behavior. I’ve been spit on, sworn at and nearly run over by trucks. I know things will change but not right away. I’m just waiting and putting up with it.
“Once me and my friends were sitting in a movie theater and an old white guy near us was talking to his wife or whoever about the Cubans taking over Florida. He probably thought he was whispering but we could hear him really well.
“Finally one of my friends jumped up and started hollering at him and said he was a racist cracker. Someone called the manager and when he showed up he was Hispanic. He asked what happened and the old man started talking about how he was going to move to California because all the spics were taking over Florida. We all laughed at him then, even the manager.”