Trending
It was disheartening to see hundreds of racially charged Facebook comments on the recent Times Republican article entitled, “9 Marshalltown residents arrested on federal meth trafficking, money laundering charges.” I’m an Army brat. I can’t say that I’m really from anywhere. I have now lived in Marshalltown more than twice as long as anywhere else, but my last name is not "from" Iowa. I became fluent in Spanish while living in Peru. Marshalltown's Hispanic population is a big part of why I came here. I am so grateful to the staff at Franklin, Lenihan, and Dance Konnection that take such wonderful care of my children, as well as all of the other children with last names that "aren’t from here." I love Marshalltown and am proud of the people trying to build it up.
Over the years, I have had bikes stolen out of my garage, had someone spend the weekend drinking and exposing himself at the back door of my office, had another rob my office, and I still have plywood on a window from when someone decided to throw a part of my retaining wall into it. All of these individuals had last names that were "from" here, but those events did not lead me to make generalizations about all white people in Marshalltown.
I am so grateful for my co-workers, including those with last names that aren’t "from" here. Thank you for your hard work, for learning your trade, and for making Marshalltown a better place. Thank you to all of the immigrants and first and second generation US citizens of Marshalltown with last names that aren’t "from" here for helping build our community. Thank you for processing our pork, caring for our health, building our homes, teaching our children, enforcing our laws, and serving in our local government. I am deeply saddened and shocked by the racist comments from so many in our community. Thank you for serving us anyway. Whether your last name is Garcia, Aung, or Ilunga, you belong here, and I hope that you can be proud to say you are from Marshalltown and from Iowa in spite of the many individuals who do not welcome you. Thank you for your contributions to this great melting pot nation. To those who have last names “from” here, I hope and pray we can bring "Iowa nice" back.