This is an important subject for this election cycle and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why. It’s a chimera, that is infecting how Americans think about “others”.
I don’t want to minimize or dismiss any harm you may have experienced at the hands of an immigrant. This article is about the broader perspective in America.
I am in my sixties and I have never met anyone who has had a life impact from an immigrant. I know that is meaningless in the broad view of America, but seriously, how is the average American being impacted by immigrants? The pundits and the candidates keep saying “They are taking your jobs!” And unemployment rates are low and have been very low for several years.
In most places where cheap labor is necessary, that is where you will find Mexican and South American men and women immigrants. There are plenty of places where you will find children laboring on American soil also. Where do we need cheap labor in this country?
On most construction crews.
In every single restaurant in this country.
In every single berry patch in this country.
Deondra’s Daughter
On every single lawn maintenance crew in this country and:
for every single housekeeping crew in this country.
While this is not inclusive of immigration from all over the world, it does tell us where South American and Mexican immigrants are working.
History Lessons
Because I’ve been around the block a few times, I remember another group of people that were being demonized by politicians. It began in the 1960s and continued as an issue into the 1990s, there was a group called “welfare mamas”. The pundits claimed that they were draining the country of tax money, not only for their own families, but also because they cheated. “These women are claiming two families so that they can get double the benefits!” It was an awful time for black and Latino women, all of the financial frustration of this country was placed on their backs. The public was not afraid of blaming them for everything wrong in America.
This caricature was not a true representation of women on welfare and was debunked several times over. During the 1990s, the truth was found to be exactly the opposite. The reason for the incredible expense in health care was systematic fraud, mostly by professional health care providers.
I suspect that the same bad faith will ring true here. Immigration is a scape goat or slight of hand that makes it easier for some other form of stealing and/or fraud propagated on the American people. It’s like preaching that women dress to lure men and the whole congregation is raping Suzy in the back room.
I am not trying to minimize the effects of immigration on you. I’m just asking for you to fully review those effects and be honest about it.
Here are the effects on me this week: I ate berries and carrots that were picked by Mexican and South American legal and illegal immigrants. The crew that maintains and mows the property I live in is all Mexican and South American.
There is no excuse for ignoring factual information. There is no excuse for taking rumors and gossip and pretending they are factual.