Mi Guerra Es Tu Guerra (My War Is Your War)

What do you say at a family dinner when you do not agree with family members?

Earlier this year, I was disheartened by the “yahoo” attitude of family members when I mentioned that climate change would aggravate the immigration problem.  The response was, “Let them come.  We’ll be ready.”

In July, my brother and I spoke about the need to lessen America’s dependence on oil, not only because of the price of oil, but, also, because of the possibility of war over oil, as mentioned in the “Beware and Share” citation of the July 31, 2008, E-News.

My brother said that people would not change their habits.  I said that that would lead inevitably to war.  He said that, yes, that would happen.

Are we destined to go to war?  To me it seems a matter of substituting good habits for bad, for asserting collective willpower to be prudent.  If we do not do so, my bad habits will lead to war for you and me.  “Mi guerra es tu guerra”, a variation on the Spanish “Mi casa es su casa”.  Hostility replaces hospitality.

If you answer the multiple-choice questions below and e-mail to lessonanswers@mymontebello.com with “Lesson answers” in the subject field, you will be credited toward a “certificate of recognition in community affairs” to be awarded in 2008 by a local nonprofit organization.

1. What might be inevitable?

(a) That we would pay $20 a gallon for gasoline.

(b) That there would be war over oil.

2. What is meant by “Mi guerra es tu guerra”?

(a) Even if we have good fuel habits, we might be drawn into war by our neighbor’s bad fuel habits.

(b) Tension between neighbors in Montebello is increasing.

October 23, 2008