Comments on: Mining Racism in a Northeastern Pennsylvania Town

By: walt brasch

walt brasch — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:58:09 +0000

Dear Zorro–were you ever in Shenandoah? Did you talk with people, analyze the facts, and then write your conclusions? Do you have any basis for your “ideas”? Do you beoieve that ALL business owners who hire illegals should be fined and imprisoned? That, of course, would mean that several thousand (yes, thousand) Republicans will be fined and imprisoned for knowingly hiring workers at subpar wages and no benefits. And, think about this — how many illegals got the job YOU were looking for? Were they better trained than you? Or, were the onwers willing to pay them poorly and explout them at your expense? More important, were you willing to work for any job that an illegal has? Ndxt time you comment, go on the streets and develop some knowledge–and then write something of substance

By: Zorro

Zorro — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:50:00 +0000

Your article is hateful rhetoric from the open borders side. I don’t see how YOUR speech is any less divisive than the speech of those who might demonize illegal aliens. You don’t know or have all the facts of this case. Is there anger about illegal immigration in this small mining town? YES Is there anger about illegal immigration in the country as a whole? YES. It cannot be distilled through the prism of racism. It is not that simple. It is the failure of this government of George Bush to enforce immigration laws that we already have which has resulted in MILLIONS of people from other countries coming here at an alarming rate through illegal means.

It is ALARMING because it is not being stopped and the presence of these MILLIONS of outsiders who we did not invite to come here that is changing our small towns across this great country. We don’t know WHO has crossed our borders even STILL, this many years after 9/11. We have border crossings yet we have huge swaths of desert with no border fence that people travel in the night and not get caught. How stupid is that in our “War on Terror” that we have thousands of people possibly PER NIGHT sneaking into our country at our borders?

The people of this town are under assault by the invasion of people from other countries who refuse to learn our language and who are being supported by the likes of the Catholic Church and various ethno-centric groups that are NO different than groups like the Black Panthers or the Nation of Islam. We used to have a name for giving aid and comfort to the “enemy” and that name is SEDITION. There are many who are guilty of that. And YES our enemy are those people who come here illegally and settle in our communities when we don’t know who they are or whether they are criminals.

I think once the FACTS come out in this case there will be a slightly different picture. Perhaps the FACTS about Ramirez being in Vine St Park with the 13 year old sister of his FIANCEE may reveal Mr Ramirez was not the hero they are making him out to be. Perhaps it will be learned that Mr Ramirez was a dirtbag who was molesting girls in his spare time and calling it a relationship? Perhaps it will be discovered that Mr Ramirez started the fight that the teens finished? Perhaps it will be discovered that his death resulted in the fatal blow that the CEMENT provided rather than the fists or feet of the teens. And I DO believe this is also a case of a language barrier becoming part of the problem. After living in this country for SIX YEARS Mr Ramirez STILL did not know English. THIS is part of the PROBLEM!! He was also a fugitive and had been involved in a stabbing incident in 2004 it has been learned.

You see – you don’t have all the information and people like you just jump on the story as if you do. Shame on you.

And for Walt Brasch – commenter above – if the illegal aliens were not here to take the slave-wages jobs – the DEMAND for employees would drive wages UP not DOWN. The imported SLAVES are driving wages down because our government is getting away with NOT PUNISHING business who hire illegal aliens. Even though they are conducting raids that merely scratch the surface – the employers who hired them are STILL not being punished – even AgriProcessors in Postville where HUNDREDS of illegals were picked up and it was found that the HR department was helping them forge their documents!!!!!

By: walt brasch

walt brasch — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:05:49 +0000

A couple of you have questioned my “in the field.” Please note: I grew up and worked in Southern California, and in a city that is about 65% Hispanic. And, stop talking off the tops of your heads. I agree that SOME undocumented workers are taking higher paid jobs, but most Anglos complain that such workers are taking jobs Americans could have. As I wrote forcefully, in a downturn economy, people look at others to blame for their own problems–and problems caused by the system. One of those problems is owners who outsource jobs, another is owners who are willing to pay low wages and no benefits and who do everything imaginable to keep unions away. Don’t carp at the messenger–carp at the system first.

By: walt brasch

walt brasch — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:05:32 +0000

A couple of you have questioned my “in the field.” Please note: I grew up and worked in Southern California, and in a city that is about 65% Hispanic. And, stop talking off the tops of your heads. I agree that SOME undocumented workers are taking higher paid jobs, but most Anglos complain that such workers are taking jobs Americans could have. As I wrote forcefully, in a downturn economy, people look at others to blame for their own problems–and problems caused by the system. One of those problems is owners who outsource jobs, anotehr is owners who are willing to pay low wages and no benefits and who do everything imaginable to keep unions away. Don’t carp at the messenger–carp at the system first.

By: MrSynec3

MrSynec3 — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:24:48 +0000

To Tom Joad,

Are you trying to be sarcastic and “cute”? You did not answer not even
a single point of my message! Are you just another TROLL?.

To Walt Brasch,

No one said that illegal immigrants are taking jobs from lawyers and
doctors. How about construction, mining, meat packing
and yes, Wall Mart and similar job catogeries. How abot taking a job
from a black young man who is trying to start in life or just average kid looking for a summer job??!! And in doing so pushing the level of wages
and benefits available to workers down and down.
Many illegal immigrants are taking and capable of doing high end jobs
and are pushig every body else out. They are accepting lower pay and
almost no benefits. Please do not kid yourself and try to kid us.
Please be honest with yourself and us .

By: cg

cg — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:15:58 +0000

Typical answer from someone who spent just how much time “in the field?”
While “in the field” did your guides, sponsors, sherpas or whatever they’re called these days give you the grand tour or the quickie tour?
Try being honest and admit that many Mexicans can and do work at those “higher level” jobs they are capable of and do so for the same proportionate “cut” in pay the lower level workers take. It’s still a bounty for them. Far above what they are used to at “home.”
That’s the word in the “field.” And I ought to know, I don’t just visit there, I live there.
Hardly, indeed.

By: walt brasch

walt brasch — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:04:40 +0000

“What the average citizens see is hordes of illegal immigrants that are
descending on small/big town America and taking the small number
of jobs that are left behind after NAFTA and out sourcing to Chine and the far East. ”

Hardly. I doubt most immigrants (at least from my experience in the field) are taking anyone’s job. If anything, business is NOT paying well, NOT giving benefits–and expecting undocumented workers to take the jobs because American citizens won’t. Would things change if business paid better? Possibly not–most of the jobs are in unskilled or low skills. Many Mexicans could work at higher levels, but can’t get hired. (And, I doubt ANY illegal Mexican is taking away jobs of lawyers and doctors or store managers.)

By: Tom Joad

Tom Joad — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:47:35 +0000

The orignial wave of immigrants eg. (the Irish, the poles, the Italians
etc etc) came here in a period when the whole country was being built
and industrialized and there was tremendous need for workers. Definitely that is not the situation right now.

Yeah, my grandparents were in that wave. Polacks to be exact. They got here thru Ellis Island about a hundred years ago.

The Mexicans I see are usually pretty brown. I think this is because they are decendents of the native indians that were here thousands of years before my ancestors. For that reason I have a little problem resenting them as “foreigners” .

By: MrSynec3

MrSynec3 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:50:20 +0000

The average citizen judges what he sees and not who is the master mind behind behind what he sees. Yes, the main culprits are big business which encourages and rewards illegal immigration to guarantee an endless supply of cheap and intimidated labor that will reduce the bargaining power of the American workers and push their salaries and benefits down and down.
What the average citizens see is hordes of illegal immigrants that are
descending on small/big town America and taking the small number
of jobs that are left behind after NAFTA and out sourcing to Chine and the far East. They see crowding in the schools and compitition for the little social and medical services for the needy that are available after the massive tax cuts of GW Bush. And yes, they see rise of crimes and gang activities. So, they have the right to be resentful and fearful.
The orignial wave of immigrants eg. (the Irish, the poles, the Italians
etc etc) came here in a period when the whole country was being built
and industrialized and there was tremendous need for workers. Definitely that is not the situation right now.