I Love America but...

At the Gold Room...

A few nights ago my sis, boyfriend and I went to our favorite hangout spot, The Gold Room in Echo Park. They are locally known for having a year around beer and tequila shot for $5 bucks deal and free unlimited quesadillas and tacos after 9pm. We always joke about having birthday celebrations there because, " all you need to bring are the cake and friends". Even in the middle of the week there was still a swirl of white American hipsters and working class Mexican paisanos rubbing elbows but in two different worlds.

As we sat and chatted" getting Golden" a well built white guy in cargo shorts and a polo shirt with a crew cut edged himself into our booth forcing us to move over a little. He didn't say 'hello'. His girlfriend stood next to him and smiled shyly. She looked like she wasn't surprised. He said, " Hey ya'll know how to beat box?". Before we could answer he started into it. At least he was polite enough to cover his mouth to keep spit from flying. Maybe he assumed because my sis and I are Black and my boyfriend is Latino that we would know how to free-style and beat box. Well lucky for him he was right! We had a our little session, my sister spitting her usual articulate political flows and my boyfriend beatboxing as a counter rhythms to his wild half drunk beat box. I drummed on the table. Fuck it, go with the moment, right?!

After we decided it was finished he said he wanted to battle my boyfriend. We asked what his name was and said we didnt want to battle. He started to get up a little hurt I guess and we asked him his name. "Raymond" he said. We asked his girlfriend her name, "Rachel". I asked him where he was from. He said, " San Diego". I decided to be brave and ask, " are you in the service?". He said, " yeah I am in the Marine Corps, I am about to go off to Afghanistan this Saturday." It was already Wednesday. We said, " How long you been in the military." He lifted up his hand and showed four fingers, " This is my Fourth Tour". We asked, " What do you think of the whole war thing?"

He leaned in. " You know they don't give a shit about us over there, those people don't want us there. They hate us." He said the Marine corp is against the war and that "he didnt want to go but ( shoulder shrug) you know". He took a swig of his beer and almost slammed it down. He girlfriend folded her arms as the cold air blew in from someone leaving the bar.

He leaned in and looked around, " They tell you you're defending this country but thats bullshit. You know what... I love America...but I HATE America because everything this say to you is a lie.! Its all one big fucking lie. " He was shaking his head and taping the sides of his bottle with his fingertips. And crocked into the booth as if soomeone had punched him in the stomach. Then he said, " You guys don't understand". We said, " No man, we never been there but we're with you". That took him by surprise. He then asked, " Do you guys work for the government?". We of course were like, 'NAW man! We just agree with you dude, a lot of people in the Marine corp argee with you? He said, " Everybody thinks that way!'. Then he shook all of our hands, We said again, " we're with you brother"

Later we saw him sit at another table. It looked like he may have known those people before. As Rachel sat on Raymonds lap they played a game. He would try to inch his hands into her inner thighs and she would gingerly put his hand back on her knee . Before he left we made sure to say goodbye. He yelled, "vote for me" and humped Rachel's leg. She smiled at him and shook her head. In that small space maybe he got a little something before going to war and maybe never coming back.

I feel lucky that at least Raymond although buzzed was able to tell the truth which looked so hard for him to do and that we were able to confirm what he knows is right. Raymond and Rachel you aren't alone. Facts for Working People tries to write about those things which capitalism doesn't want us to say, things some people can only say when they are drunk . But the more we say it the less painful it is and hopefully the braver others are to say it too. This system is rotten and there is no "fixing it". Raymond saw it and we at Facts for Working People are in solidarity with soliders and vets who see the truth and continue to speak it.