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A Day Without Mexicans
Have you heard about what’s happening May 1st? Some cities saw smaller versions of it recently, but supposedly the Mexican American Political Association is organizing a nationwide strike of Mexican and other Latino workers, dubbed “A Day Without Latinos.”
The protest is named after a 2004 movie, A Day Without a Mexican (Un Día sin mexicanos), in which the state of California wakes up one day to find a third of its population has disappeared “Left Behind”-style into a thick pink fog. Suddenly the state finds itself floundering without the backbone of cheap Mexican labor. Unlike the mysterious disappearance of Mexicans in the movie, the May 1st walk-out is planned in protest of proposed legislation that would criminalize illegal immigration.
“We are asking people not to go to school, or work, or shopping, and instead to go out and protest against the racist and inhumane measures in this bill.”
Though it’s not widely recognized here in the US, May 1st is also International Workers’ Day, “which is the commemoration of the social and economic achievements of the labor movement.”
While this is an exciting and necessary act on the part of Latino workers in the US, media polarization around the issue of immigration seems to be shaping up in advance in a bad way. A blogger on a site called Euphoric Reality does an excellent job of regurgitating totally mindless (and heartless) anti-immigrant sentiment:
I suggest that able-bodied American workers, especially those hundreds of thousands of unemployed Katrina victims, show up and just TAKE back those jobs the Latinos will be walking away from.
In fact, I suggest that true Americans show exactly how they feel and refuse to accept any and all labor from illegal immigrants! You can’t do anything about the behind-the-scenes employment of businesses everywhere except boycott them if you know they hire illegals. But there are things you can do to free yourself from personal dependence on illegal labor! Get your kids off the computer and away from the TV and get them to mow your lawn! Fire your Mexican nanny and spend time with your own sweet kids, or hire an American babysitter. Wash your own dishes or hire an American teenager, flip your own burgers or hire an American cook, clean your own house or hire an American maid service! We’ll see exactly what happens to the American economy when Americans do the work that had always been done by Americans before. And an added side benefit? We’ll have better kids who know how to work!
Personally, what I would suggest instead is that we actually sit down and talk through the complexities of these issues. These aren’t “illegals”, these are actual humans with thoughts, feelings, rights, and all the rest. These are people who are caught in extremely difficult situations as it is, and who most of us rarely even give a second thought to. We need to start framing this debate in a more useful way than what’s presented above, and what’s sure to be presented on network tv if and when this walk-out really occurs.
Talk to people who’ve come here from other countries, rather than just letting them serve you or ignoring them. Find out what their lives are like and what conditions they are living under. And you’ll see that simply “stealing back the jobs they stole from us” really isn’t a viable answer.
But what is? Is this act of protest going to play right into the hands of people who are trying to enact stricter laws around immigration? Is it just going to make them look like ungrateful bastards in the media? It’s up to us to set the stage and be on the ground talking about this before, after and during these events to really help shape the outcome.
- Papers, please!
- National Guard: Coming to a Border Near You!
- La Santa Muerte
- The Demise of the White Race
- The man in black? He left out back
- Prev: Expect Delays!
- Next: Seeking
April 12th, 2006 at 4:52 pm
I believe this is just the end game of major immigration that was needed by the US to sustain its workforce over the last decade. The next line of play about this story is in fact the Democrats taking the moral road here, probably taking the Presidential on this issue. In the long term though, I have done extensive reseach in finding that hispanics are the next Republican swing voter in the run up for a George P Bush candidacy.
April 12th, 2006 at 6:18 pm
This debate I’m interested to see how it all unfolds. I worked in Fresno, CA, for 9 months, specifically with the hispanic population. There are many of them who are here to work their asses off for several years, then return to Mexico to live the large life. Some are here to take advantage of the welfare system (that’s not available in Mexico) so the mom can support her fifty kids without working. There are others who are here to escape the horrible economy and poltics of Mexico with no intent on returning. My fiancee is an immigrant from Colombia. All of his friends share the same stories of the horrors of the fighting that takes place there. They speak of the unstable and corrupt governemnt, the lack of organization and urban planning (which is probably a good thing because of the beautiful landscape), and the constant fighting.
ILLEGAL immigration, especially from Mexico, is a big problem. But can you blame them for wanting to flock to a country that offers more promise, freedoms, and safety than their own?
April 12th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
These aren’t my fucking problems.
You live in a city and have mexicans move in over 5 years time for farm labor and you try having crime go up from them and their kids which loyalties obviously are to mexico from the flags they fly over American and don’t learn english and et pissy with us in OUR areas for not, and attack girls in walmart which we all now call (little mexico) after 10. Attacks and being called a redneck cracker and getting the shit beat out of you. You think that only whites do these things to them, welcome to the 21st century reversed racism century.
I live it, still do. Thats why I do not trust them, and never will. I have met my share of good ones, but the rest, 90+%, scare the shit out of me. And now we have many more skinheads and nazi people around town if they see one they run them off in “our parts of town” and they have been bigger jerks since the illegal protests.
We don’t go to their areas (which used to be ours). But they sure as hell come to where we are now. Give them the whole US, I don’t CARE! But when it gets shitty and they try and move to Canada and Europe, thats the day I get fed up an join the nazis. Which I dont want to cuz I hate them, but thats getting ridiculous from not learning from the past.
April 13th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Unless you are Native, everyone’s family was an imagrant at some point. If we want to learn more about it, we should look into our family history. Of course many came to the States legally, but many did not. The way Mexicans are being treated now, remind me of how the Irish were treated when they arrived in hordes, to escape poverty, the famine and English oppresion. They were the pioneers of the American ghetto, and worked for far less than anyone else including the blacks after slavery was abolished. Eventually they worked their way up and now are their decendence are accepted as Americans. The impoverished Irish immigrants were extreamly violent! They were hungry, dirty and constantly persecuted. I think this current affair resonates the old saying “those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.” Now the shoe is on another foot, and people are treating the Mexicans with the same indecency with which their ansestors were once treated. (This is just an example and not to imply all Americans are Irish.)
April 13th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
some people are damn iggnorant. Most immigrants come to work. its 90% that work and then the ones that cause problems are the ones that are born here, thats from influence off the damn gangs.
April 13th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Hmmm… I guess my real question and observation is, Why is Tim Boucher purposely avoiding the unique and interesting perspective given by Harretto? Besides the fact that Tim Boucher is a pussy and coward that likes to hide behind his keyboard in fanciful blogworld, why does he totally avoid a like-minded individual who happens to have a strong opposing viewpoint to his? Either A: He is a Moron and too afraid to recite an answer… or B. He is just a fake computer program; a facsimile in other words, not even a real person. Come on Timmy Boy you are real aren’t ya? Don’t make me call your mama… Are you not going to give a cute little snide comeback remark to Harretto or still trying to grow some balls for that decision? Oh yeah and in the meantime, cue the little pathetic tribe of lackey followers, who will of course only answer because of this current post… (Oh yeah of course address it to me, Not Harretto because of course you losers are dominated by your pathetic coward, non-individual wills…)
April 13th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
I can’t stand hearing all this sympathetic bullshit about why they come here illegally. Every country around the world has an immigration policy and enforces it - most more strictly than we do. We’re not saying they can’t come here for find better work, living environment, etc., but they have to follow the proper channels, the same as anybody else in any other country. Have any of you tried to see what goes into immigrating to Canada? It’s not a cake walk. It’s more strict than our system. We don’t need to build a wall, or turn all illegals into fellons. But we do need to get them documented, and reform our immigration system so that those who make the effort to come here legally by obtaining work visas, gets a proper terrorist screening and if found to be no threat, gets the visa. Anyone without a work visa, just like in any other country across the globe, gets deported. End of discussion.
And “Curios Observer”… for the record, Tim is real, and while I don’t always agree with him, I think he’s one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met. He works a real day job in addition to operating this site, so he’s not just sitting behind his keyboard waiting with baited breath for some idiot like you to post your trash so he can rebut it. Get over yourself.
April 13th, 2006 at 5:06 pm
http://getintheirface.blogspot.com/200...3/fema-camp-footage-google-video.html
2 + 2 = 4.
April 13th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
I’m a California native (non-Hispanic). I live in an area with a fairly high population of both legal and illegal immigrants. I know several of them personally.
It’s a different thing to witness from a distance, just watch the news, and then formulate an opinion based on limited evidence and current debates. There’s been a lot more to it than both was and is being presented right now. On one side, most of the immigrants DO work. By and large they do the jobs no one else is interested in doing, whether because they’re too hard, too simple, or “demeaning.” Not all of the women sit at home and crank out kids every year or two, but they do have larger families (they’re very family-oriented, in case people haven’t noticed). I haven’t noticed any reverse racism and so far everyone’s been pretty friendly. However…
This debate centers around the larger picture: the effects that the levels of illegal immigration we’re experienced is having on the U.S. Usually, in heated times, voices can get quite loud and belligerent and of course the media can put any angle they choose on it. In California particularly, people are worried. Some people are angry, some sympathetic, but most are at least CONCERNED. It is a difficult issue. Business owners profit from the cheap labor and consumers enjoy the effects of less expensive produce and bottles of wine in the cellar. But if the statistics are correct (and unbiased), many workers’ wages are diluted, hospitals strained to point to closing, and the previously implicit vs. quite EXPLICIT sentiment of Mexicans “planning to take back the U.S.” reveals a ?possible agenda that has people up in arms. As far as the history goes, I would like to see something that clearly states whether the majority of the “native Americans” who were either slaughtered or driven out were actually from Mexico, because if not and we’re talking about what people erroneously call “Indians” (true Native Americans), then this “you took it away and we’re just taking it back” argument really lies on shaky ground.
I can see why Euphoric Reality would feel inclined to post what they did–however ill-informed the view–and it is partly true. If the jobs simply were not available, what would be the impetus for immigrants to come to work here, assuming that’s what they’re after? But it’s not as simple as that. Larger businesses are not likely to change their policy any time soon just to help America out with the immigration problem; not if no one does anything to penalize them otherwise. Individually, yes: if someone really doesn’t like Latinos doing the jobs that others can do but generally refuse to, then perhaps they should think about doing their own gardening, painting their own house, tiling their own floor, and cleaning their own homes… or pay someone they find “acceptable” to do it even if it costs three times as much.
Meanwhile, this debate’s been making the rounds for a long time and probably won’t be going away anytime soon.
April 13th, 2006 at 5:25 pm
yeah, this is rly cool i wont even go to skool, get it??? it rhymes!!!!
April 13th, 2006 at 9:35 pm
Careful Anna, you don’t wanna “nuke” Tim for trying to “open a few minds…” lol, I wonder if half of you people ever realize how stupid some of the comments you make really are?…
Oh and I know “Curious” is one of those really tough complicated words to spell… It’s almost as hard as “Anna Montana.” btw, That sure has a nice comic book ring to it
April 13th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
Sympathy is never bullshit
April 13th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
Well, me, I’m boycotting Cinco de Mayo! That’ll show ‘em! : )
April 14th, 2006 at 1:49 am
Did you hear about the recent event, where American workers in Louisiana and Mississippi were sent by an employment agency to New Orleans to work the construction for rebuilding? Did you also hear how said workers were sent away because the construction companies found illegals to do the work?
Enough with the bullshit that they are doing the jobs that Americans don’t want to do.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:22 am
Yeah Tim Boucher is obviously anti-american among other things. And we are all supposed to care and give a damn that he is “struggling” and undergoing turmoil, yadda yadda… Yeah lets donate some money for Tim Boucher so he can continue on with his opinions on how he believes its ok for America to go down in the sewer. Those are the types of people that I seriously wish would get the hell out of my country, ten times worse than any illegal immigrant. The words pussy, coward, and traitor come to my mind quite clearly.
April 14th, 2006 at 3:50 am
Buzzwords like Anti-American and unpatriotic make me laugh. It is almost as if being American has this universal meaning aside from “I was born/grew up/live in America.” It’s sad how people who question the way things are run are labled unpatriotic or anti-American because they care enough about their country to want to see some positive changes. meanwhile the poeple who are “patriotic Americans” fly flags on their SUV’s and attack anything that in their mind that endangers the “American way.” Way to fall for the “If you’re not with us, you’re against us!” program. You can tell who the enemy is because they don’t agree with you, the people who should not be in “your” country. Can you say tool?
April 14th, 2006 at 12:27 pm
Let it all out. Tell me how much you hate me and people like me and Mexicans and everything. The floor is yours to dance on to your heart’s content. Let’s hear all of it in every last horrible detail. I want to feel the flames of your hatred surround me.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Seriously though “Mark S”, what’s the point of all this? Why do you feel the need to sit here and attack me, to send me threatening emails and the rest? You’ve said your piece time and again. I’ve given you the opportunity to take part in our conversations, encouraged you to share and asked people to hear you out wherever possible. But nothing seems to be enough. You don’t like me or my views. Fine. Let’s just move past it and get on with our lives.
April 14th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
I think it’s funny that the people who are the quickest to say “They don’t learn English” always have such a poor grasp of the language themselves ….
YOU GUYS ARE RAD!
April 14th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
Threatening emails? Not, me, sorry…..I hardly ever use emails maybe like once or twice in the last month. And I’m sorry if I’m a person that chooses to go against the grain most of the time, even if that goes against “popular” ideas and opinions.
And this threatening email thing; you automatically come to the conclusion that it was me? I’m sorry for whatever it is about me and my comments that makes you think it was me. Whatever attacks or flaming I make, I generally like to do wide open in the public, that’s sort of my weird view of democracy (even if the majority of everyone else despises the remarks I make)
And Harretto is the one who has the issues with Mexicans, and I respect his opinion, it seems to be based on a lot of personal experience and frustration. If you want to truly empathize then I think you should put yourself equally at both ends of the spectrum, and try to put yourself in the shoes of both “polarized” perpectives… In other words, neglecting to recognize the wrongness and hatred of those who think its ok to burn American flags, but proudly come here in millions and droves and pledge Allegiance to Mexico is pretty one-sided in my opinion. You do, definitely appear to apply a pretty strong double standard at times, and I guess I do go too far sometimes in trying to reveal that.
And here’s the post, I reposted from your site on a forum…(Because I thought it was a good post)
http://www.sqlspace.com/a-day-without-mexicans-vt24659.html