War of words heats up between Arpaio, Gordon

[sassyone]

Originally Posted by macmeal

I think she's referring to the "exploitive" nature of the whole situation. These illegals are actually being "used". They're doing so willingly, but the fact still remains that employers see them as a group that can be abused (by low wages, lack of 'perks', or worse), and for that abuse, there's little or no practical defense. In many ways, it does resemble a modern-day version of 'serfdom'. It exploits the relatively defenseless 'newcomers', and it does so at the expense of the 'locals' whose wages suffer as a consequence.

Just because it's a voluntary situation, doesn't mean it doesn't 'smell'. Plenty of young girls, if they were poor enough, might show up willingly to work as prostitutes...but that doesn't mean this would be a "good" thing. It still is a form of people being exploited, and not having the financial means to do much about it but to 'submit'....

Thank you very much. You are right, they are exploited from the coyote that does not care if they arrive alive or dead, they get paid either way.
A thousand dollars a head is quite a bit of money. They are exploited by the
drug smugglers or bandits (who do you complain to when you are illegal?
If they make it to a job, they are exploited by the employer. Many have been killed in the desert and who is going to turn in a missing persons report. no one. Right or wrong I still see them as human beings being used and abused.

[FireKwame]

Originally Posted by sassyone

Do you realize they sell everything they own to come here? I know it makes no difference to you anything in regards to their welfare. It is fortunate for them, not everyone dislikes them. I would vote for amnesty in a heartbeat.

OH! MYYYYYY! GOD!!!!!!!!!!!

You make Mexico sound like Ethiopia during a ten year drought!!


Maybe we should start an exchange program? We trade one of ours for one of theirs?

[macmeal]

Originally Posted by sassyone

Do you realize they sell everything they own to come here? I know it makes no difference to you anything in regards to their welfare. It is fortunate for them, not everyone dislikes them. I would vote for amnesty in a heartbeat.

I agree with the previous poster--I think you're going a little overboard here. I've known and talked to literally DOZENS of illegals over the years. Some really were hungry, and most were poor...but others just come for 'convenience'. Many actually own property in Mexico. Many go 'back-and-forth' seasonally, until their kids get old enough that they no longer want to live in 'un-cool' Mexico. For a great many people, it's just a desire to 'boost' one's standard of living. It's a long way from life-threatening 'desperation' in most cases. Some save up their money and return to Mexico in brand-new pickups--or build a house there.

As far as 'dying in the desert', this does happen--and it's tragic, and it's horrible. But this is NOT a direct result of these folks' desperation. It's usually an unfamiliarity with the border area (the border region of Arizona/ Sonora gets FAR hotter than most of Mexico, in summer). It's a 'gamble' that goes 'bad', or 'taking a foolish chance', more than it is the actual threat of starvation. Mexico is a 'tough' place, and in many ways, an 'unfair' place to the poor----but it's hardly oppressive, nor is it desperately poor. It has no "prison camps', nor does it have 'secret police'. It just HAPPENS to have the world's leading economy right next door, to tempt those with a desire to 'go for it".

Would I help these folks dying in the desert if I happened upon them? Of COURSE I would....and so would most decent folks. But it isn't true desperation that causes them to 'get into' their predicament--it's the desire for an improved standard of living.