Racism: Country is rotting from the inside out

After Donald Trump's racist remarks about Mexicans and the largely supportive response from many Americans, it is easy for me to conclude that we are a racist country.

Being racist is not new. What is new is that Trump's racist remarks are lifting old sentiments of resentment towards Mexicans and tensions are building. I can feel it.

Today racism is expressed by unkind small actions, like delaying work breaks, placing extra demands, exclusion, bullying, even forbidding coffee samples to Mexicans.

This country is very sick. It is rotting from the inside out. We are losing the values that made us strong: respect for each other, moral responsibility and ethical behavior. We are losing the support of a community, the union of the family and the responsibility of a work team.

I want to live in a nation where I am not afraid to say my country of origin is Mexico and I speak Spanish, I want to live in a nation where public insults to minorities are not OK, a country that builds bridges, not walls, and aims to carpet flowers and peace, not bombs.

This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 9:21 AM with the headline "Racism: Country is rotting from the inside out."