(Cross-posted at ARGville.com)
On July 5, 2005 Maykel Galindo, a Cuban soccer player playing in a tournament in Seattle snuck out of his hotel, boarded a city bus that happened to be at the corner, and sat nervously on the bus until the last stop. Galindo was defecting. He spoke no English so he called Alex Zahajko, a high school Spanish teacher and soccer coach, the only person in the state he knew.
Within minutes, Zahajko and Seattle police arrived on the scene.
"When I got into the back seat of the police car, the policeman -- a very nice man I will never forget -- turned around, smiled and said, `Welcome to USA.' That was the first time I breathed a little easier, and thus began my new life.'"
When I imagine that policeman's smile and greeting, that is the America that I know and love. Too bad my country's true soul is being marred by war mongers in Washington, hate mongers on radio, fear mongers in churches, misinformation mongers in newspapers, and dishonest pundits with disproportionately loud megaphones.
Indeed, Maykel, welcome to America!
----------------------------------------
For details about Galindo's story:
http://www.miami.com/...
http://www.king5.com/...
http://www.king5.com/...