“They don’t want us here.” The Brutalist.

By Manolo Betancur

“It is not the journey; it is the destination.” The Brutalist 2024 Movie.

A couple of hours ago, I went to see The Brutalist- I read about it this morning, and I decided to watch it this afternoon- as an immigrant in the USA- and as big a believer as I am in the American dream, I like to read about those inspirational stories. 

“They don’t want us here.”  Lazlo Toth (Adrien Brody) said in one part of the movie that those words made a big noise in my head—immense pain in my heart and a bigger echo in my soul. I still think about it, and I think about how life has not changed that much. 

Still, I also felt that I didn’t even need to explain why I didn’t need to define “They don’t want us here.” to make such an impact on myself. It is easy to understand for anyone who reads the news in the USA lately.

On the other hand, the message at the end of the movie,  “It is not the journey, It is the destination,” really touches me, and it makes me sit here in my house to write about it. 

I also had a question that has been bothering me for the last few days. Finally, I decided to connect both thoughts in writing, expecting these words to go further in society. 

If they do not go that far, at least I took them out of my head, and I put it in writing. 

Now –  the Question

A friend of mine, a few days ago, said to me:

“So Manolo, ICE has already started deporting immigrants in Charlotte, so what are you gonna post right now on your social media?’ 

My answer was nothing yet—I was expecting that. I am not going to share fear in my community, and I am going to wait to see what happens in the next few weeks.

Well, I did not have to wait weeks; I just had to wait days to tell how everything changed in seven days: 

• My sales were down. 
• My community was in fear, and they were not getting out of their houses. 
• My coffee prices went up 25% to 50%  higher because my Colombian president got into a fight with Trump. 

A few hours ago, I  had to tell my daughter to stop reading the news, and I wanted her to focus on being a kid. 

I also learned how to answer my son’s question,  “Dad, are we going to be ok?”  Of course, we will be ok- I will not let anything bad happen to you and anyone else by me. 

Then, I had to explain my way of thinking to my wife when she asked why I love to catch fights with the system. 

Finally, I just had to tell my younger brother, who was going to be having his interview tomorrow in Colombia to get his visa (No worry, brother- everything will be ok after the American embassy emails him his interview is canceled) by the way he, my sister in law and nephew have waiting 2 years for this interview.

Not even a week passed for too many changes to take place in our nation and around the world- not even a week passed for my nights to change- to become long nights thinking about what will be happening tomorrow- complaining about how sucks it is going to bed in fear. 

I left Colombia to be at peace in the USA. I did not leave Colombia to feel that I was afraid of being a target because of where I was from or for what I said or thought. 

Not even a week passed for me to find my new way of thinking, doing, and sharing my new way of life: 

• Focusing on my destination. 

Deciding what life will bring me in the next few years will not be easy.

But I know God is next to me; I know myself, my straightness and weakness, and most of all, I know my community. 

As we have done before, we will keep doing it. We will be together, showing the haters and dividers that we will walk together. 

Please, dear friend, don’t leave me alone; don’t leave my community alone. 

You can visit any small business an immigrant owns, buy something from them, and tell them they are not alone. 

We, as immigrants, know very well that when we decide to leave our country of origin, our journeys may be difficult and painful, but in the end, our final destination will be, like life: beautiful.

Love!

Manolo

By Manolo Betancur

Charlotte, NC Jan 27 2025.