Honking
not enough to support workers
Julie
Guevara
No Me Calles
We've
all honked in support.
We've
driven by those markets that walking into
now, seems as bad as walking into an abortion
clinic. We've seen the picketers, heard
their voices and some have even stopped
to ask questions and hear their stories.
It's not just enough to honk. It's like
meeting someone at a bar that tells you
that they're going to call you, but never
do. You feel somewhat bitter, beating yourself
up over the, "Why did they say they
were going to call and not call?" You're
that person who doesn't call when you honk
in support of the picketers and then stop
inside that very same store to pick up a
few items.
It
was day two of the strike when a close friend
of mine called me and lost a bit of my respect
at the same time. After a bit of small talk
she told me how she ran out of toilet paper
the day before and had to make a quick stop
at the local grocery store, which just happened
to be Vons. She continued to tell me how
walking in felt like walking into a battlefield
but she assured one of the picketers, who
tried to talk her out of going inside, that
she just needed to buy some toilet paper
and that was it. The picketer reminded her
of the Stater Brothers a few streets away.
My friend ignored the picketer's reminder
and rushed inside the Vons for the much
needed paper.
All
this coming from the same girl whose boyfriend
works, or worked, at Albertson's. Needless
to say, he too is on strike and without
a job. How disappointing it was to hear
that this girl, who I was somewhat embarrassed
to even be friends with, walked into Vons
knowing full well that her own boyfriend
was on strike and against the supermarkets.
"Has
hecho tu parte?" Have you done your
part? Did you just honk and then walk right
in anyway? I've honked and waved to show
my support. "Pero su, 'peep, peep'
no es bastante!" But your, "honk,
honk's" aren't enough.
Just
the other day, I did my part. The Yankees
were playing the Red Sox in game four of
the series and I wanted to pick up some
snacks for the splendid event. Coming home
from school, I thought about the Vons right
around the corner from my house. But there
was no way I could honk at the picketers
in front of Ralph's and Albertson's off
of Palo Verde on the way to school only
to come home and stop in at a Vons. So I
proceeded to take the long way home so that
I could go to Stater Brothers.
"Aye,
aye, aye. Muchisima gente." Oh my goodness.
So many people. I felt like I was in the
parking lot here at Cal State Long Beach,
circling around waiting for someone to leave.
After finally getting a spot, I walked in
only to see the extremely long lines. Very
discouraging, but nonetheless nice to see
so many people here and not at the other
stores.
I
saw one of my neighbors who told me that
he went to the local Ralph's the day before
to buy a cake for his parent's wedding anniversary.
After seeing the picketers, he said he went
across the street to the overpriced Gelson's
so that he could show support for the cause.
So
if picketers think they have it tough, we're
suffering too. Crowded markets, having to
go further to another store can get quite
frustrating but well worth every circle
around the parking lot, the screaming children
dying to go home, long lines and any other
obstacles that present themselves during
this strike. Bring it on baby, because we're
still honking and boycotting those damn
markets. So if you think you can rob the
people of their benefits, guess again folks,
because we're all going to help. And for
those of you like my friend who are still
shopping at Ralphs, Vons and Albertson's,
put yourself in their shoes. Would it really
cost you to literally go the extra mile
to another store. Together we can bring
the workers back, cut the lines down and
keep the crowds down. "Si se puede!"
We can do it!
Julie
Guevara is a communications major at Cal
State Long Beach and can be reached at MissJewel212@aol.com.
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