My Fellow American

Whilst attempting to enjoy a few beers and make some new friends, I was confronted with the unfortunate event of meeting a white racist individual from Virginia. He first noticed my skin color and gave me looks of disapproval. All the while I sit there and just wonder to myself, Is this for real? Am I truly being judged right now? And then it began.. this drunken individual began a rant about how WE MEXICANS are the reason that home-bound soldiers and those who are 'truly innocent' and BELONG in the country are unable to attain jobs in America. He also began to mention statistics and his "truths" as to why the country is the way it is now. According to him, I do not belong in America. I stole the rights of others because my family and relatives are illegal and have NO RIGHT to live there and should go back to where I came from.
I first attempted to explain my own views of the situation but he wasn't having it. He did not let me counter his arguments to let him know that my generations of family were in the country of The Republic of Texas before it became a state. He did not let me state that my family does in fact pay taxes and are good citizens of this country. He did not let me say that I am a successful student at a world-renowned prestigious university for which I busted my ass to get into like everyone else. He spoke as if my family and friends have not served in the military to protect this country, to fight along side others who believed in the same freedom.
One has the ability to empathize with others when one hears the stories of what happened to them or a friend or family member. We are able to feel the anger, the hurt, the appall, the astonishment, the rejection. But it is completely different when you experience it for yourself firsthand; especially when you are not even in the land that you claim as your own.
Here are two things that really got to me: Firstly, my friend that I was with is of the same race as I am; she does not look the part as much as I apparently do, and yet this individual couldn't help but to attack only me for my profile even though she stood by me, claimed her identity, and attempted to argue back. Secondly, one of his own friends that was sitting there and drinking with him was African American (another minority that apparently reaps off the government so he said). He had nothing to say directly to him and still he had to attack me for who I am.
Despite all these racist attacks and degrading insults, I feel sorry for him. He is the one who will not be able to deal with the truth of the acceptance of the minorities or the fact that within the next century or so, there will be no such thing as race. We will all be people in different situations trying to live life to the best that we can in order to set a bright future for our kin to come.
But thank you, my fellow American. Thank you for opening my eyes as to the true obstacles that I have felt and seen vicariously through others but never experienced before myself.