For the last two years we have been asking and expecting President Joe Biden to come to the Texas border and see firsthand the disaster his “open border” policy has created for the local citizens and for the entire nation. So far, he has flat-out refused. He has, however, found the time to stop a multitude of times in ice cream shops to get an ice cream cone. He has made 57 trips as of Nov. 22 and spent 185 days (that’s more than 25% of his time in office) at his Delaware residence. But to the U.S.-Mexico border, nada.
What is he afraid of? This is his border, this is his problem. This is part of what he swore to “protect and defend.”
As our fellow writer would say, hoo-boy.
José C. Coronado
Mission
Wartime
love affair
After Pearl Harbor many of our local boys did not hesitate to join the war effort. In fact, according to Valley-wide Selective Service records, Cameron and Hidalgo counties revealed that more than 27,000 of our boys were registered to serve. That did not include the numbers from Willacy and Starr counties.
Noe Gonzalez was one of those eager to serve and joined in 1942. But he departed with a heavy heart because months before he had discovered paradise.
Her name was Amelia Torres, a beautiful 16-year-old who worked at the Dittmann theater and later at the Grande in Brownsville as a ticket taker.
She was the oldest sibling of 11 in her family. She possessed a lovely singing voice that could be heard on the airways of Station KWWG in Brownsville.
She displayed a striking appearance in her theater uniform, attracting the attention of many, but especially Noe. His visits to the theater became more frequent and not necessarily to enjoy a movie, but to have the opportunity to see Amelia. It was love at first sight for both.
The love affair took a pause when Noe had to report for active duty, but their affection continued through love letters. For months he wrote passionate letters that promised marriage after his return from basic training.
That’s the way it happened! During his furlough he married his teenage sweetheart. But soon after, he left to confront the ugly face of war, but with a sigh of relief that he had secured the love of his life.
As the war intensified, Noe’s letters to his dearest Amelia alternated between fear and hope of what the future might hold.
As the war continued their correspondence was limited, but filled with passion for each other. The tone of the letters were exchanges of the grueling conditions of everyday life in wartime. They communicated anxiously as they waited for the peaceful shared life as a married couple.
The war ended and the letters stopped. But there was no doubt that they served as the foundation for closeness and intimacy through words.
And now, the glances of romance that they shared before the war became real. From the beginning to the end of their lives, they displayed a lasting, passionate devotion for each other, demonstrating that love is endless!
The story continues in our next installment.
Rene Torres
Brownsville
