Jenn's Reverie
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
All Hail Hitler
Conversation at work. Not exactly quoted, but close enough.
Co-worker: "Jenn, did you see the news today?"
Jenn: "Everyone knows I despise watching the news. But, everyone manages to keep me informed."
Co-worker: "The people in New Orleans are complaining about their help."
Jenn: "Their help?"
Co-worker: "Yeah. I guess most of the people hired to help rebuild the city are Mexican and they think that they migh over-throw them."
Jenn: "Are you fucking serious?"
Co-worker: "Yeah. Even the governor [or one of those political noobs, I forget] is complaining too. They want black people to be the hired help."
Well, you know what? To those who are having this "issue." Rebuild your own fucken city!
"Racism isn't born, it's taught."
Co-worker: "Jenn, did you see the news today?"
Jenn: "Everyone knows I despise watching the news. But, everyone manages to keep me informed."
Co-worker: "The people in New Orleans are complaining about their help."
Jenn: "Their help?"
Co-worker: "Yeah. I guess most of the people hired to help rebuild the city are Mexican and they think that they migh over-throw them."
Jenn: "Are you fucking serious?"
Co-worker: "Yeah. Even the governor [or one of those political noobs, I forget] is complaining too. They want black people to be the hired help."
Well, you know what? To those who are having this "issue." Rebuild your own fucken city!
"Racism isn't born, it's taught."
posted by Jenn Doll at 3:29 AM
30 Comments:
Dey took our jawrbz!!!
(Ah, South Park)
That is one messed up city.
Being a white guy I don't have a lot of ground to stand on in this stuff, but it seems that it sure is ok for groups to claim discrimination, but when they participate it's just the way things are.
I have long thought that every racial group are racist in some way. Maybe this is just proof.
Despite what people like to believe, racism is alive and well and exercised by every racial group. We all just want to be around people like us.
~Jef
Maybe the issue was with the "taco music" (which a Carolinian so eloquently told me in regards to living around hispanic folks).
Messed up stuff. Makes me cringe
I like this post... Short and to the point. I agree.
I was watching "Law & Order: SVU" last night and it was about a Neo-Nazi group. I know it's just t.v., but I also know that there are a LOT of ignorant f*cks like those guys lurking around out there. It's sickening.
And also, New Orleans? You complain because you think that no one cares about the people there because they're poor and black. You would think you would have a little sympathy for people who are poor and not only want to work, but want to help rebuild your city. How much more ungrateful could you possibly be? THAT is IRRITATING.
Why cant we all just get along and to quote Big Kenny "Love Everybody"
Spread the word!
Amen! Get off your asses and the welfare system and build your own places to stay.
I saw a clip about that on the news a few weeks ago, Jenn, and I think that's what the New Orleanians are saying the problem is. They want to rebuild their own city, but they're not being given the opportunity to because the contractors are hiring not just Mexicans, but in a lot of cases, illegal Mexicans to do the work. And they're hiring them because they will work for a lot less. Which is a whole other world of messed up shit.
But what I don't get is (illegals aside, because I can kind of understand that) why are they complaining that they're not being given the opportunity? From what I see on the news, most of the people from those areas have moved away and started their lives over elsewhere. If they're not interested in coming back, why would N.O. begrudge someone else doing the job? For that matter, why are they doing it at all? The cleanup I can see, but why are our tax dollars going to rebuild some of those areas when you know the people that lived there aren't coming back?
Good quote Jenn, true as well.
rt- you raise a good point...its partially one of those "Your damned if you do, your damned if you dont scenarios." and partially a good point. The idea of not hiring the residents of N.O. to rebuild there city, therefore killing two birds with one stone (that being the residents taking part in the rebuilding and providing monetary relief for there services) is a little ridiculous. I'd have to read more into it to make a valid argument either way but I appreciate your insight.
I bet there was some guy with FEMA walking around saying, "damn all this looting! We need someone to rebuild this place that's too lazy to loot!
Send me a truckload of Mexicans!!!"
my mommy was just out there with a group of 11 other people from new mexico helping with the new mexico disaster relief aid work. they weren't supposed to be back until next weekend, but got home last night because the red cross was pulling out of the area and so they had to pull out too (apparently when red cross goes, so do you)
she said it was an awesome experience though, very humbling. pisses me off to hear that people out there complain about the people who are willing to help them.
New Orleans had 400,000 before the hurricane and 250,000 now.
Thats an awful lot of whitefolk who left the city.
Whoa. I better not touch this one without having something intelligent to say. My brain's half-fried now. Bad timing. Jenn finally says something political, and my brain's fried. :(
So...not meaning to change the subject. Hope your Halloween was good. :p
holy batshit..jenn gets political..the whole illegals work cheaper thing is something I can not get into without pissing off alot of people..so I wont..
love ya sista! hope you had a good halloweenie! :P
Well, guys, to me it's not a political thing, it's about humanity, morals, and LIFE.
Fuck the politics. This just shows (as we all know) that racism is everywhere and is still very much alive and in our faces.
'Mexican's are doing our job and might over-throw us. Don't let them.'
From a business point of view, of course you wanna pay someone less to get the work done. I say the people in New Orleans probably don't have many choices for jobs right now, they should take what they can. And does pay matter in a situation like this? When you're trying to feed yourself and possibly your children?
The pay isn't the issue I'm having, it doesn't matter either. There was a horrible disaster. One not preventable. It took your city and many lives away; There are people who want to help in your time of need and you reject it? And your reasons for rejecting it is because of race?
Did you not learn from this that life is too short to be petty? Didn't you learn not to take things for granted? Did you not stop to think before you projected your hate that maybe Mexicans or whites or whatever the hell he/she may be could have been someone who saved your life or your loved ones during this?
And the governor (or whoever he/she is) condones this? Good job! (I guess I can't really bitch about New Orleans voting for that person, Bush IS our president... for the second time.)
Those who feel as they do only add to the saddness of Hurrican Rita's sadness and damages.
And to spew a little bit of politics (but, not really), yeah, paying an "illegal" is an issue because... well, they're illegal. But, it seems to me that the people who are feeling like this aren't having a problem with the illegal factor, but moreso the race factor. I take as a something they threw in the to have some kind of concrete argument.
Of course I'm speaking to those who feel this way. I know that one man or woman doesn't speak for the masses.
Liv: I'm sure there are people FROM New Orleans that want to work, but, it's like I said, they shouldn't be complaining about what they're gonna get paid.
Just like you said, many have had to start lives elsewhere. You take what you can in times like these. Those who chose to stay are in that position. Just like those who chose to try and ride the storm. Some made it, and sadly some didn't.
I understand that they didn't wanna leave home, but it was a choice; A choice that the people of New Orleans had to make. And everytime we have to feel the wrath Mother Nature (or Bush), many more will have to make choices.
As far as tax dollars, I try not to go there. I know I'm gonna pay them even after I die. I know that alot of my hard earned money will be taken against my will to help lazy mother's and father's, thieves, rapists and murderers.
As far as rebuilding it. I think they should. Maybe those that wanna go back home can, even after they've started new somewhere else.
I know I'd wanna come back home. There really is no place like home.
I'm done with this story now. SORRY!
OMGaaawd you are soooo on the money! I totally heart that
Most of my best friends are black and they arent anything like that!
Thank God
well sorry u dont HNT causae u'd be like a total hawtie to check
Happy HNT Gorgeous
*muahs*
Romey
pretty interesting reactions. NPR ran a story on this subject last week. To me, the contrasts of the willingness of some people willing to do without perfect living conditions for the opportunity to make alot of money fast compared to those that want their lifestyle completely restored before they are willing to go back is stark and enormous.
The story recounts the tale of a 23 year old man willing to sleep in his truck in order to make $1000/day (he is a citizen from San Antonio, Texas). Ordinarily he makes about $500/week. Would you be willing to forgo showers and pillows for a month or two in order to own your house free and clear at 24 years old?
The US is all about opportunity and making your own way. The responsibility of the goverment is to make sure those with power do not abuse those without. This means making sure people are paid fairly, not exposed unnecessarily to toxins and other dangers, and protected for predatory labor practices.
Showers, comfortable beds and guaranteed meals are not in the bill of rights. Diginty is.
I think preferences should be given to New Orleans/LA/MS residents for the job opportunities that are there. But I don't want to hear about it if you aren't standing in line to sign up for work.
Sorry to rant!
What about all the poor shmoes that live in poverty right in New Orleans. Isn't this disaster an opportunity for them to make honest workers out of some of them? What an insipid remark about being overthrown. The issue should really be why the work isn't being doled out to the locals that could use a boost.
Something tells me when God finally skins all of us, we're going to look the exact same with our blood and sinew, bones and muscle holding us together. I don't get it. I just don't get it. *sigh*
And yes, that was probably a macabre analogy, but thus is me ;-)
I'm actually iffy about rebuilding the city in the first place. I think it might be tempting fate to try to rebuild it again and hope for the best. Sure, I think everyone should get a chance to try for those jobs but they have to try. I'd like to know how many people filled out job applications to help rebuild that were turned away. I'd like proof that they were purposely kept from jobs.
Jenn - Loved what you wrote in your comments section. That was good. Yeah, if someone is helping you, you simply don't bite the hand that feeds.
You know how I feel about illegal immigration so I won't get into it here. But I know Mexico offered a lot of help, and for that, I'm very thankful.
Linny, Prufr0ck: SAY IT! Please? C'mon, I wanna know what you guys REALLY think. Comment your little hearts out.
Slayer: Thanks. Too bad I didn't think about "don't bite the hand that feeds you" that would have saved me ALL of that time typing that comment. Damn. That's a good song too. You like? (NIN. I'm guessing you knew that)
The joy of people who still remember the Reconstruction period after the Civil War... Then again, it would be nice if they hired some locals to give them a sense of purpose and a living wage (however, I don't care if they're white, black, yellow, orange, green, polka dotted, camoflauged, whatever... I just want to know that the next time I go back that I can see the cool cemeteries again). Have a day.
It just shows that the aftermath after the aftermath is what brings out the worst in people.
An old, retired professor used to storm into my former workplace ranting and raving about a Mexican takeover.
"We've got to stop immigration. Not just illegal immigration. Mexican immigration."
He'd wave his fist.
"Why's that?"
"People are losing their jobs! They need to feed their children!"
"Well, sir, who will they be losing their jobs to?"
"Mexicans!"
"Aha. So you're saying people will lose their jobs to other people."
"To Mexicans!"
"A lot Mexicans have children. Don't they need to feed them, or are you against that?"
He never would say.
The strangest thing about it is that in my hometown, there aren't many Mexicans at all. In fact, there aren't many people who aren't Scandinavian or German.
Not only that, South Dakota's a dying state. Officials have been
trying to find a way to increase the population for years.
It didn't make a lot of sense, but
I guess you're right. Racism and the panic that goes with it are still alive.
I don't think we should provide ANY funds to help racists rebuild their city. Let them get it from Farrakhan.
Why didn't the black people go back to New Orleans to help rebuild it? Maybe the Mexicans are the only ones willing to work..What a mess. I still think that they should make the area that flooded a park and rebuild on the North side of the lake...What's going to happen in a few years when another monster Hurricane hits again?
Forever forward, it's going to be New Orleans post Katrina. It will never have what it had before. Or will it? Most of the workers are transient. They won't stay once the work is done... Is that a factor?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Post a Comment
<< Home