Immigration Discussion
I am not, by nature, a political person. I try to avoid unpleasantness when I can, though I have my beliefs and hold firmly to them, I am not the type of person to argue openly. I believe it's impossible to change a firmly held opinion rooted in emotion. The discussion of immigration that is going on currently is highly emotional - ever more so since 9/11/2001.
People around the country see outsiders as far more sinister now than ever before. Though, let's face facts, it wasn't orange pickers flying jets into our countries trophy buildings. Please don't get me wrong, I'm emotional about 9/11 as much as anyone. I just don't think Jose and Maria should be held responsible for it.
Let's look at a few facts - most of these folks are here because they'd like a better life. For whatever reason, minimum wage working the hardest and most menial jobs sounds like heaven to them. They are, for the most part, less educated than those who call themselves American and who look at the same jobs with a shudder of outright fear and disgust. So, they haven't spent a lot of time before hand looking for a legal entry to this country. Many probably aren't even aware of where to start. I can't say I blame them. I'm not either, and I live here.
Now, let's look at this economically - people are griping and bitching about companies sending work to other countries - outsourcing if you will - because of the economic impact. But yet they refuse to see that these companies are doing this because people here want far more than it's worth to pick oranges. Or dress meat. Or put plastic thingies on shoestrings. Whatever.
Wouldn't it be best, I wonder, to let these folks come here, work at their dream job for pay that we of the spoiled middle class blanche at, and then spend their hard earned dollars here on US soil at McDonald's or RayRay's Realty? C'mon people, if you want, we can pay people twice what we're paying them to pick oranges, but then you're going to be paying quadruple the current going rate for oranges, leaving you less money for McDonald's, and slowing down the sluggish economy even more. Every company in America right now is trying to figure out how to make a profit paying $6 or $10 an hour to people who do no more than push buttons or count hanging nads and don't have to actually think. They're thinking 'hey, if I can do this for cheaper, I can sell my stuff for cheaper, more people can have it, I can sell more, so we can spend more... ' so they can further oil the sluggish and rusted cogs of this economy.
Get a grip. Let them have their dream. It's not like any of you are jumping for these jobs at those rates. Let them have their chance to be 'legal' - let's use this opportunity to continue to build our economy, and stop spending millions or billions or whatever trying (and failing) to push them back over the border. These people have given their lives in some cases to improve life for their families. Damn - if anyone can understand that - can't WE?? This country was built on that ideal.
A comedien - I'm sorry, I can't remember who - once commented on a joke about seeing 10 mexicans in a corolla. His punchline was 'hey, at least they're going to work!' And he was right - they're a hard working, saving, building, goal achieving bunch of people. They've seen the other side and they don't wanna go back. Maybe more of us should see their other side - maybe it would motivate us more to be thankful for what we have and achieve more.
And don't give me that bull crap about how my kids won't have jobs because of them. If we keep off-shoring jobs to keep costs down, my kids won't have jobs anyway. So shut up, let them work, let them become citizens, and let them contribute. I'm sure they'd be thrilled for the chance to pay taxes and fight against your other imagined enemies and vote and get off food stamps and maybe even go to college and come up with new ideas to keep America great.
The rest of you can get out there and compete with them on your own intelligence and will power and work ethic. If you think you can.
People around the country see outsiders as far more sinister now than ever before. Though, let's face facts, it wasn't orange pickers flying jets into our countries trophy buildings. Please don't get me wrong, I'm emotional about 9/11 as much as anyone. I just don't think Jose and Maria should be held responsible for it.
Let's look at a few facts - most of these folks are here because they'd like a better life. For whatever reason, minimum wage working the hardest and most menial jobs sounds like heaven to them. They are, for the most part, less educated than those who call themselves American and who look at the same jobs with a shudder of outright fear and disgust. So, they haven't spent a lot of time before hand looking for a legal entry to this country. Many probably aren't even aware of where to start. I can't say I blame them. I'm not either, and I live here.
Now, let's look at this economically - people are griping and bitching about companies sending work to other countries - outsourcing if you will - because of the economic impact. But yet they refuse to see that these companies are doing this because people here want far more than it's worth to pick oranges. Or dress meat. Or put plastic thingies on shoestrings. Whatever.
Wouldn't it be best, I wonder, to let these folks come here, work at their dream job for pay that we of the spoiled middle class blanche at, and then spend their hard earned dollars here on US soil at McDonald's or RayRay's Realty? C'mon people, if you want, we can pay people twice what we're paying them to pick oranges, but then you're going to be paying quadruple the current going rate for oranges, leaving you less money for McDonald's, and slowing down the sluggish economy even more. Every company in America right now is trying to figure out how to make a profit paying $6 or $10 an hour to people who do no more than push buttons or count hanging nads and don't have to actually think. They're thinking 'hey, if I can do this for cheaper, I can sell my stuff for cheaper, more people can have it, I can sell more, so we can spend more... ' so they can further oil the sluggish and rusted cogs of this economy.
Get a grip. Let them have their dream. It's not like any of you are jumping for these jobs at those rates. Let them have their chance to be 'legal' - let's use this opportunity to continue to build our economy, and stop spending millions or billions or whatever trying (and failing) to push them back over the border. These people have given their lives in some cases to improve life for their families. Damn - if anyone can understand that - can't WE?? This country was built on that ideal.
A comedien - I'm sorry, I can't remember who - once commented on a joke about seeing 10 mexicans in a corolla. His punchline was 'hey, at least they're going to work!' And he was right - they're a hard working, saving, building, goal achieving bunch of people. They've seen the other side and they don't wanna go back. Maybe more of us should see their other side - maybe it would motivate us more to be thankful for what we have and achieve more.
And don't give me that bull crap about how my kids won't have jobs because of them. If we keep off-shoring jobs to keep costs down, my kids won't have jobs anyway. So shut up, let them work, let them become citizens, and let them contribute. I'm sure they'd be thrilled for the chance to pay taxes and fight against your other imagined enemies and vote and get off food stamps and maybe even go to college and come up with new ideas to keep America great.
The rest of you can get out there and compete with them on your own intelligence and will power and work ethic. If you think you can.
posted by Danielle at 7:08 PM
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