Racism in Los Angeles. I had the urge to write some immigration stories, maybe just to blow some steam, here is one hope you like it.


To the Governator, may he learn his lesson the easy way. From the Mexican people, all over the world.

Short Story

Rabbi Joshua

            Joshua was born in the midst of a conservative Jewish family in 1959. He was loved by his grandparents, brothers and sisters. Both of his parents died prematurely, first, his father, in the same year he was born, from sequels produced from the concentration camp, World War II had severely scared this family. All of them, without exception had suffered it’s consequences one way or another. Joshua’s father was never the same. A cheerful, fun individual lived a gloom life after that. Behind his back, some even said he had lost his soul and the only thing that remained was his carcass, a body without a spirit. Whatever the truth, he lived the remainder of his life quiet and isolated, and would seldom speak or smile. When he received news that his wife Sara was pregnant with Joshua, he plummeted to the ground and died, as if the was just stretching life until his son was conceived.

            Three years later, Joshua lost his mother at the hands of Neo-Nazis,  the man who struck the killer blow was said was one of Hitler’s young favorites.

 

            By the time he was 10, understandably, as many other Jews and non-Jews, he hated Hitler, even more so than the rest of his friends and he grew to become the man that despised Hitler the most, as it was that man and his actions that again and again affected and marked many events during his lifetime, mostly for the worse. “The man of hate” Joshua called him, as he couldn’t even pronounce the name.

            In first grade he was suspended a week after he argued with a professor who wanted him to debate about racism and he was to be the racist, but Joshua denied. Later on, he was rejected from the law school of his choice. He could not understand, he had worked so hard, he studied the courses and sacrificed so much, many others that were less prepared got in easily. In the most unusual way he found out later that the principal had a  copy of “Mein Kampf” in his right drawer of the desk and read it daily, a fan of Hitler, he hated Jews. “That animal will never be allowed to walk my school without a leash” he found out the principal said.

            Joshua could not understand the attitude of some people; after so many years of grief, after so much information about the problems produced by racism, nobody seemed to have learned the lesson, hate and discrimination were stronger than ever. Why did people hate Jews so much for so many false motives? He loved his origins, he was proud of who he was, of his family and his people. Even as a small child he was compelled to know and understand everything he could about Jewish history.
           
            He grew sad every time he saw how people mistreated others; in his case was a lot of people mistreating him, just because of his race. All his physical appearance screamed out “Jew”, large prominent nose, round cranium, bushy hair and thick eyebrows. Even if he wanted to he could not deny it; and it seemed as if he was a racial magnet. He attracted anyone with a racial grudge towards him. He had been beaten by almost every color, race and nationality.  The ones who knew him felt so sorry for him, He was so kind, so considerate, gentle and helpful, but people never bothered to look deeper than his physical appearance. He was the kind of guy who would take his own sweater off if you said you felt cold, he offered love openly to anyone, it was so sad he was always in that kind of trouble- ironically, he was against violence.

            Then one day, he and his best friend, David concluded that the problem with the world was that even though we all lived together, we did not know each other, it was because we felt so foreign, so distant, that the racial attitude was possible. If someone was to say vile things about your best friend you would not listen to it, because you knew this simply was not true. It was as if someone came up to you and said lies about yourself, of course you would not believe it, because you were certain of the truth. The closer they could get to other people, the more they would learn to respect and appreciate each other. Joshua was absorbed by the idea, and tried throughout his life to get close to people of other cultures and religions. That and he being a racial magnet did not make a good combination, and most often than not the people he approached were rednecks, nazis or a racist of some sort and his good intentions became the source of many attacks and problems. Why? Why was he cursed in such a way? Was he being punished? He did no wrong to people; he was respectful, honest and hard working. Was God angry at him? Was he just born with bad luck?

            He tried to look for answers, he got desperate and constantly prayed for an explanation, hate was very hard to defeat. He believed in a holy master plan, but felt he was simply left out of it. What could he learn from such horrors? Yet, he still had his faith, he believed he could do well, that there was a purpose to all, but could not grasp the reasons or motives. He studied the mysteries of his religion and became a Rabbi. Yet, the hate to his person increased dramatically, so often in fact, that he started to fear for his life- and the ones around him.

After many years of effort, he had finally befriended a Catholic young man, who incidentally met him in a mob that gathered together to beat him up. Rabbi Joshua felt so proud of himself, he had recovered from concussions provoked by Steven and walked into the prison where the only one arrested was this young man. Steven spat at him the first day, but Joshua would not give up, day after day, he visited the man, being locked up, where could the man go? Just as Joshua said it would happen, a respect, a new understanding grew within Steven. After two years, they had become good friends. Joshua felt so incredibly happy, so complete, finally, after so many harsh years, his prayers were answered. He had proven his point, there was hope for mankind, and both men formed a bond few people achieve thought their lifetime. Joshua had taken Steven under his wing and helped him out, they played chess almost every day and Rabbi Joshua helped his friend to get a good job.

The best chess game of their lives was taking place, a tournament fit for any grand master, unfortunately, it had been interrupted three times, and every time they were interrupted the game developed totally differently. First, Joshua was winning, after their first interruption; Steven was putting his friend in a very tight spot. After the second interruption, Joshua managed to find a loophole and now he was winning. Of course, Joshua did not welcome the third interruption and hoped it would not last long. Steven had gone to the store to buy some cigars, but Joshua said he was just trying to change his luck, and he was taking too long, so Joshua went down the stairs and into the street to call him up. Steven was at the store, cheerfully telling the anecdote of how Joshua had been beaten up by an old lady. When Joshua stepped in he was asked to tell the story. He was a young man helping this old blind lady cross the street, while they walked somehow the conversation turned to religion, and when Joshua told the lady he was Jew she had struck him with her walking cane, he had to run towards the cars and climb in the back of one to escape the old lady. he still had the scar on his head and was showing it around to the amusement of his improvised audience. They all laughed and Joshua and Steven went back to the apartment to play, “Don’t you think we’ll end this now, I’ll have to look for another interruption if you start winning now” said Joshua. Two men approached them, one of them said “that’s the fucking Jew!” and their hands went into their pockets. “Stay out of this Steven, I’m used to it” said Joshua as he was preparing himself for another beating, but the men passed him by and stabbed Steven several times “Take this Jew lackey!” the men said. Joshua got between the men and Steven and was stabbed as well. Everything happened very quickly, the men came and disappeared just as fast. Steven bled from everywhere, “It was nice knowing you… my friend” said Steven. A scream came out of Joshua, rage, confusion, sorrow so deep it was painful.  He felt his friend’s life go away, expired before the ambulance ever arrived.

He stepped aside when the paramedics arrived, although he had been dead for over 10 minutes, just before the ambulance arrived, somehow, Steven started breathing and moving. When the men started to move franticly Joshua knew there was hope, they called on the radio and got Steven into the ambulance, he was still alive! Joshua was exited; they both got in the same ambulance and were in their way to the hospital. He had seen severe blood loss before to recognize it immediately.

Steven opened his eyes and Joshua said “You gave me one big scare there, my friend.” But the young man did not look like he was almost dying.  He was exhilarated, he could hardly talk, but his words were filled with strength. “I was in heaven, Josh, I was there! My god, I felt so much love, so much! My life was reviewed… I lived a terrible life, just wrong! You showed me the way Joshua; I was saved because you cared about me, because you helped me! So many things I did wrong, with so much hate! How could I be so blind? Thank you Joshua… my soul was lost, but you did a difference, I just had to tell you this, just had to. I mean, there I was, and you came in and melted away my hate, I really had tons of it, you just, poof, melted it away!; now, I must go back…to greet…you.”  With those words, he passed away, just as they were opening the doors of the ambulance. As he went flat, doctors and nurses got the dead body inside to try and get him back.

Now that there was nothing to do for Steven, the nurse wanted to take a look at Joshua, he had also been stabbed, but made no much hassle about it. When the nurse examined him, she had an expression as if she had seen a ghost and screamed for a stretcher.  “What’s wrong with him?” the doctor asked. “You better have a look at him, he’s, he’s, …dead.” Said the nurse.

As if he just needed someone to tell him, he saw himself outside his body, he had managed to survive in the hope of saving Steven, but he had died even before Steven, with a stab through the heart. Joshua is filled in a bright light, brighter than any mortal has ever seen, he had so many questions, and knew the answers would come soon, he was very happy. He understood life, love was there for the giving, yet few ever gave it. If love was followed, people would find the light. The presence of many spirits distracted his thoughts, “it’s time for your review”, one told him; Joshua knew, his life was gonna be shown, just like Steven told him… then he realized that spirit was Steven. He was a very, very old friend. Their friendship had been tested during that lifetime, but they had many other lives, many other experiences together. Then the review took place.

It began in Germany, in 20th April 1889 in "Braunau am Inn", Austria. “Wait a minute,” he thought to himself, “I know this place, it’s… I’ve seen it many times” he then stopped thinking and just looked at the images. It was Hitler’s life he was seeing. The man that had scared his life in so many ways, now he had the opportunity to see him up and personal. The man of hate missed again and again chances to produce love. He had been given a glorious opportunity; he could have done, so much. Joshua felt how hatred consumed him. The man closed his eyes and refused to learn, he used his life to destroy, and he grew in hatred and missed countless opportunities to share love. His faithful servant always advised him well, he was sent to help him, to be guided in the right direction, but he did not care, he was deaf, he recognized Steven as the faithful servant. Joshua started to feel sorry for the man of hate, even more so as every action was felt and lived through Joshua, as if he was… him. He then realized the horrible truth, instantly everything came back to him. He WAS Hitler, he had wasted a marvelous life, then he died, his flesh was devoured by his hatred over and over, his selfishness and greed turned against him and consumed his body for a thousand years. Then, finally, realized he had done wrong and was sorry, slowly he felt the waves of love surround him, he had to make up for his wrong doings. He asked for an opportunity to live another life so he could learn. It was he who asked to be placed in the worst racist environment and as a Jew so he could understand the people he hated so much, it was then he was reborn as Joshua. Only a few years had passed on human time, as he was granted that wish. Yet, he was not ready; he had to learn so much more, he asked to be taken back, now as a gay Muslim. But this time, his wish was not granted, he had a lot to undo, he now had to help a lot of spirits that were contaminated by his teachings, he had twisted many hearts, and now he had the obligation to show them the light. So he stayed in the spirit world, and pretty soon his first spirit arrived. A soul that was resisting, even in that dimension because of Hitler’s teachings of hate. He knew he had to convince them that any life was wasted if it was not used for love. It was so obvious there, they were all one and the same, and hurting another was hurting oneself. Spirits were on earth only to learn, to exercise absolute forgiveness, to help others. The lessons had to be learned; it was up to the spirit if it took one life and moved on to another lesson or repeated the same mistake life after life.

The man in question had been a neo-Nazi in his youth, a hard worker and talented individual he become a powerful man in the world of the living. Unfortunately, he used his power and influence to promote hatred instead of love, to increase racism instead of brotherhood. His mortal name was Arnold Swarchzenegger, he had made life a living hell for immigrants, even if he himself was an immigrant. He refused to learn the lessons given. He embraced violence; he treated minorities as third class citizens, even if he very well knew they were the backbone of the government he led. A group of spirits gathered around the man. What would you recommend he does so he can learn he has to love, that hate will destroy all of mankind? “Send him back as a Mexican”, Hitler suggested.

The end.
By Ayo.