4 ms·
When the 'take our jobs' website first came up (immigrants offering citizens to take their jobs bending over artichoke fields and what not) I was one of the fir
by notch656a 5y ago
When the 'take our jobs' website first came up (immigrants offering citizens to take their jobs bending over artichoke fields and what not) I was one of the first to sign up. It turned out they didn't actually want people to take their jobs, and they never actually offered me a job even though I was 100% ready and wanting to take their job. These jobs are largely closed off to citizens through the old boy network of immigrants (I'm not impugning them for this, I'm very glad they're here working those jobs so I can eat). I ended up hitchhiking to North Dakota for one of the few labor jobs available, building housing for the oil rush.
- user249 5y agoThat's hilarious that you actually thought they were serious. No, they've got Mexican-American field managers in California who are second or third generation running crews of recent immigrant Mexicans with green cards. The last thing they want is some Anglo coming in to start demanding rights.
- notch656a 5y agoAt that time I was young and willing to do pretty much anything. The idea of living in a tent in a field sounded like a great way to save money. Even if the pay was $5 an hour, I figured I could save almost 100% just like the immigrants working these fields do, and then follow them back to Mexico where my money would last awhile. Hilariously I basically just wanted to join in on the same action.
- user249 5y agoI had the same idea but even if I spoke fluent Indian-Spanish dialect, which I don't, there was no chance of it happening. They have a system that works well for growers, 2nd and 3rd generation Mexican-Americans and recent Mexican immigrants and I'm sure it will be working the same long after I'm gone