Are Illegal Aliens Paragons of Family Values?

[EndersDame]

It takes a lot of cajones to risk drowning in a river, starving in a desert, or being shot by a minute man just to get over the border and then working all kinds of crazy hours hell maybe even literally worked to death by racist rednecks and wealthy whites who think you are not much above an animal. Not to mention with the constant threat of deportation and imprisonment. Going through all this to scrimp save and send money to your family for food medicine clothing education and shelter.

Family really must come first for them

[Hello_Kitty]

1. Ethnic stereotypes are always demeaning, even when they are "positive".

If the economy of the United States were decimated to the point where the minimum wage in Canada was $100 an hour compared to ours, you would probably do everything you just described to support yourself and your family.

Please stop romanticizing poverty and exploitation.

[EndersDame]

2. I remember visiting my grandma's cousins in rural Mexico and was totally shocked

That is the point I would do exactly the same and most in the US (even RWers ) would do the same

On edit- And that is why all of should show compassion for our fellow (north and south) Americans

[Hello_Kitty]

3. Exactly what I'm saying

Making it about the qualities of "those people" is to provide cover for exploiters. Some Mexicans are smart. Some are hard working. Some are not so smart. Some are lazy. The same can be said of every single other ethnic group, and of Americans. If you really care about immigrants, care about their wages and working conditions. They shouldn't be working for anything less than what an American would do, or in any worse conditions. Again, don't romanticize poverty and exploitation.

[EndersDame]

6. I am not saying all Mexicans and not trying to romanticize

Maybe I am not that great of a writer (i seem not to be the best at using the internet for making a point kinda using the RW talking point of family values) but I do have a sincere appreciation for people who sacrifice for their families whether it be the single mom working two jobs or the immigrant crossing borders. They are reserved front seats in heaven in my book. I do believe everyone should get paid a living wage and have protection from corporations and serious (i am talking jail time ) of any employer exploiting immigrants

[Hello_Kitty]

9. I know you do. And you're a wonderful writer.

What I'm saying is that NO ONE should have to crawl across the desert in the hot sun to support themselves or their families. And no one would do it if they didn't have to.

[create.peace]

4. cojones....nt

[Hello_Kitty]

5. poverty and deperation...nt

Stop romanticizing poverty and desperation!

[create.peace]

11. i was just correcting a misspelled word....nt

[LostInAnomie]

7. Family values or not, illegally entering a country is against the law.

You'll find very few people on here that will say they are not hard working and virtuous people, but that is not the source of the objection.

[NoQuarter]

8. $10.00 heads of lettuce.

That's the objection.

[Hello_Kitty]

10. So you're justifying the exploitation of human beings for cheap lettuce?

If $10 a head of lettuce is what we would be paying if the people picking it were paid and treated decently, then so be it.

Of course, there are many who argue that shipping and marketing is a bigger factor in the cost of produce.

[Confusious]

12. I agree

I could probably pick 50 heads of lettuce in an hour ( even in my pathetic state ), and at what $3.00 hour? Ain't no $10 there. $5.00 for the CEO, $2.00 for the investor, $2.00 for marketing, .75 cents for shipping, .24 cents for the regular workers, and 1 cent for the picker is more like it.

[Zookeeper]

14. Maybe it's time to start thinking about seasonal availability...

when it comes to food. I live in Minnesota and therefore choose to buy very little fresh lettuce during the winter. During the summer, I buy it locally grown or grow it myself.

There is nothing all that special about lettuce. Somehow, our ancestors lived without a year-round supply of it.

[WatchWhatISay]

13. I don't know what the solution to this is, but you sure do understand the problem

What decent father or mother wouldn't do this in order to give their children a better life?

I know that their being here creates problems for some, though nobody minds benefitting from their cheap labor. They do add a burden to our educational systems, and social services. And yet when I was selling real estate in Texas 15 years ago, norherners and those from the west coast who were transferred here couldn't understand how real estate could be so cheap here. One of my customers finally figured it out - its because homebuilding is labor intensive and labor could be had here for bargain rates (not so much anymore though).