Blaming Black Americans for the Illegal Immigration Problem

 

Vincente Fox, President of Mexico, said that "the illegal immigrants do the jobs that black people don’t want to do."   Our politically correct President, George Bush, put the blame on Americans.

 

To understand the problem it is important to look at the jobs that "Americans don’t want."   All of the jobs are from the labor intensive service sector, e.g.  restaurant workers, construction workers, farm hands, etc. The owners of these businesses (employers) have a history of exploiting and undercutting the price of labor. Their goals are profit driven:  the cheaper the labor the higher the profits.  Subsequently, many other employers have outsourced their jobs to foreign countries with cheaper labor and no unions.  Slave wages and unsafe conditions is the watermark of outsourcing and these are the conditions which gave rise to the U.S.  Labor movement.  Illegal Immigration is part of a systematic plan on the part of the owners of businesses to break legal representation.

 

At the time in American history when the union movement (which represents legal service workers) had a voice, these illegal immigrants would have been called "scabs". Prior to the union movement blacks labored in these jobs, for nearly one hundred years, without pay.   Following slavery the owners developed a sharecropper scheme, further denying blacks proper compensation for their labor. It wasn’t until the Second World War and the demands of industrialization that blacks were able to place a value on their labor. The pre-McCarthy labor movement taught blacks that they were entitled to a fair wage for a fair day’s work. Blacks never refused any jobs, they only refused being exploited.

 

Asian Americans, Native Americans and poor whites have also been exploited in the name of American industrialization. It is interesting to note that no one from the post-McCarthy labor movement or America’s black leaders has anything to say about the present immigration problem. The current immigration crisis affects the black community and the labor movement far more than packing up the entire population of 11 million illegal immigrants and sending them home today. There is no shortage of workers in America.  There are more then 11 million legal unemployed workers in America today.

America's unemployed should have the right to first refusal on all jobs. Workers should be able to use capitalist principles where the price of labor is a concern. All workers should be paid a living wage, period.  Furthermore employers who try to break fair labor laws and the union movement by hiring undocumented workers should be held accountable.

 

I am a home owner in a black middle class community with a personal interest in solving the illegal immigration problem.  The demographics of illegal immigration run parallel to the African American community. The black middle class communities like East Elmhurst, Queens where I live, has paid for illegal immigration.  All over the United States, illegals have hidden beneath the cover of the black community to set up home.  Fortunately, for the most part, these illegals have been law abiding residents and good neighbors.   Despite this, the communities of Jackson Heights, NY and East Los Angeles have paid a very high price for the crime and drug traffic run by gangs who recruit members from the illegal immigrant community.

 

When you grow up in a black middle class community, you spend a considerable amount of time establishing your identity with the larger society. East Elmhurst was known in New York history as the “black gold coast".  After World War II, East Elmhurst became a magnet for a myriad of Black celebrities and professionals. There have been several articles written in the New York Times and other papers about the history of the community.  East Elmhurst is a community of basically one and two family homes.  In the 1950’s whites ran out of East Elmhurst because they believed that the presence of Blacks would cause the value of their properties to go down.   It's obvious that such racist thinking was completely wrong. Currently, houses in East Elmhurst are selling for as much as those Long Island communities they (whites) ran to.  In the community of East Elmhurst only a very small percentage of Black families ever received welfare assistance.  It was and remains a working community of Black folks who get up everyday and go to work.  Despite an increased use of drugs in the 1970’s, the rates for both crime and drugs were below the national averages.

 

Things have changed thou, Jackson Heights, Corona and East Elmhurst today, has been over run by illegal aliens. Three years ago the house next to me was a one family home and now it houses three families.  The lady who owns the house, is a South American, she lives in the white community of Bayside, Queens. In those white communities, she wouldn't be allowed to get away with an illegal three family conversion. South Americans have no interest in the history or plight of the black community. Consequently the under value properties in the Black Community, (victims of institutional racism), have become prime targets for speculators who know they can make great profits from packing illegal immigrants into the sub-standard housing of illegal conversions. The borough of Queens has been the greatest victim in the city of illegal conversions to satisfy the demands of the growing illegal population. One family homes are converted into threes and the two family homes are being converted into fours.  The schools are over crowded and under funded because the census data is inaccurate.   Sanitation and policing is also affected by the incorrect census count.

The bottom line to Illegal immigration is that it's illegal, period. You don’t reward anyone for illegal behavior, welfare cheats or border jumpers. Using taxpayer money for the schooling or health care of people, who are in this country illegally, is enabling crime.  

We all must bear blame for the illegal immigrants’ until, all Americans’ stand up for what is right. Illegal immigrants should be repatriated and shore up in the process. They should go through a progression of repatriation which would include a strong program of business and educational development. These returning expatriates have experienced American business and democracy first hand. They should be given the tools and financial incentives i.e. micro-banking, to develop their own countries.

 

Robert Butts

9/24/06

I really don't know how I am on your email list. It was clear to me that you wrote from your very soul. There are many truths in what you express in particular from the eyes of the hood.
IF IT WAS POSSIBLE
I would love to read how Vicente Fox would respond. HIS HOOD IS BIGGER THAN YOURS.
THERE IS A SPANISH EXPRESSION EN CARNE Y HUESO,
which means you react in flesh and blood.
IF THIS IS A SERIES OF Conversation in the Hood
Could you see yourself writing as a resident in Howard Beach, Jackson Heights?
I am a person who believes in the teritorial imperative. In todays world it has changed radically. The boundries , the colors of our Hood are no longer what they used to be WHO WAS THE BLACK MAN WHOM ASKED "WHY CAN'T WE JUST GET ALONG".
There are many truths in what you say.I don't believe the solutions you suggest are workable. ALICE

Robert, inquiring minds often think and act as one... I have been on this band wagon for over 20 years regarding illegal immigrants and otherwise. I wrote a story over 20 years that Hispanics would become the dominant so-called minority in this country. But how can you be a minorty and a majority at the same time?

In Los Angeles where I had a office for many years (HEC Communications), illegals ran all of the Blacks out of service jobs, RE:land scaping... gardnering... Pool maintenance, etc....

You are on the money and I'm happy, unlike so many, you are also paying attention the disappearing voces of the American Labor Movement who have turned the other way because so many of them are the root causes of the invironment.
Howie

I agree with you regarding labor issues in American, its cheaper for business owners to pay illegal immigrants $3 as oppose to an American a living wage with benefits. People should have the right to turn down a job which is not beneficial to there well being. Yes, Queens has suffered the most from illegal conversion, I feel I live between two apartment building, often wondering will I get a parking space. People even block your driveway. Shoot, I could have move to Manhattan if I wanted to search for parking. Real Estate broker are not held accountable pushing home from the angle of having a tenant pay the mortgage. People are so eager to own a home they fall for it, the all mighty $ dictates there actions and the whole neighborhood goes down. Most Queens communities were not built or upgraded to accommodate all these people.

Yet, this is not a new issue, other races have rode on the back bone of Black communities for decades because we accept the disenfranchise. As Blacks in American we know 1st hand the trials of being different in America, so we're more tolerant and try to help, unfortunately we are not discerning enough to realize the bigger picture.

People must be educated, there is so much miseducation, under education and the "Oprah" syndrome amongst us as a people its scary. We can not wait on Black Leadership or American leadership to address this. Why are Blacks the only group who look for or need a leader. Each one teach one spread the word yourself.

Its not only Latinos, its Caribbean, Africans, Asians and Arabs as well, they all profit from our plight. They need to be check as well. Growing up, the only fried chicken you want was from "Big Mama" now Asian sell you fried chicken like they invented it, growing up your Mama braided your hair, now African braid your here in small closets, growing up we purchased neighborhood stores, now Arabs own every corner store, growing up Caribbean's embrace being here, now all they talk about is how

Robert I agree with you're editorial 110%. If we all could remember this whole immigration problem was constructed in the late 80's and early 90's with the institution of NAFTA by the Clinton administration and previous administrations before his.This as you say was to undercut the minimum wage and the minority work force! We as Black people and Americans have to realize that the political parties that be, "DO NOT SERVE OUR BEST INTEREST" Whether it be Democrat or Republican they are one of the same entity!

Bobby!

I thought your article was well written, and supported by hard fact and backed up by a degree of research.
Certainly worth the read. !!!
AMEN.

I’ve been meaning to respond before now but I’ve been real busy. Anyway, your essay has caused me to reconsider my opinions on the illegal immigration issue. Before I wasn’t too concerned about the issue in Los Angeles because, hey everyone has a right to earn a decent living and try to avoid the hassles of a bureaucracy if they can. I would! The problem of course is sometimes this comes at the expense of American citizens and particularly when it comes at the expense of African America citizens, I must draw the line. As always, thanks for your insight! Love to the family.

In short, I agree with your assessment. Ironically, Lou Dobbs from CNN was discussing this very topic on Real Time with Bill Maher last Friday. If you did not see it, they usually rerun them a few times during the following week and it's worth the watch.

I was away, but when I returned I read your editorial on the changes that have taken place in East Elmhurst. I commend you, and as I read, I thought you were “right on”. With the demographic changes that are prevalent in this community, not only is Elmcor Alumi being challenged to exist, so is churches, and black owned businesses. Another area of concern is the fact that most homes purchased in East Elmhurst/Corona, are done so by Hispanics.
As a kid growing up in East Elmhurst, I witnessed and benefited from the first evolution, from white to black. I am saddened to observe this second.

Thank you for including me on your emails to Friends and Family. I have just
recently had the opportunity to really sit down and read through your attached
conversation peice. While I can certainly understand and empathize with some of
the frustrations you voice therein, I must respectfully disagree with some of
the positions and language in the essay. Please consider my responses, and at
your convenience respond. I am eager to hear your thoughts.

What I will attach, after some brief responses to very specific sections of your
essay to follow, is an email I sent to my entire college campus this past
spring. I was at that time the president of my fraternity chapter, the Psi
Chapter of La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc., and the
Vice President of Diversity Affairs for the Dartmouth College Student Assembly.
I mention this to speak to the my strong committment and involvement over my
college years to increasing both diversity and understanding within a community.
My fraternity, unlike the stereotypical fraternity of American pop culture,
follows in the traditions of African American and Latino Greek Letter
Organizations to commit ourselves to community service and empowerment.

The email text I am attaching was an ongoing correspondence, cc'd to the entire
campus, between myself and the President of the College Republicans, a campus
political student group. It was a response to an offensive poster they used to
draw a crowd to speak about the immigration debate. In our back-and-forth, we
entered some sociopolitical and economic debates affecting the immigration
debate at hand. In these responses I believe I touch on many of the same issues
with you raise in your piece.

But first, some direct responses to your writing:

1. I feel that your response comes from an understandably defensive position.
Presidente Fox's comment was inexusable for the set of assumptions it made. His
comment first implies the obvious: that

His
comment first implies the obvious: that jobs taken by undocumented immigrants
are the lowest-paying, least desireable jobs. From that, he implicitly asserts
that black Americans would be the most appropriate segment of society to fill
those positions. His statement is laden with inherently racist logic as it ties
black Americans to the lesser-paying, service positions. However, to respond
applauding President Bush as politically correct seems forgetful of Bush's
political record. This is the same President whose carelessness with Hurricane
Katrina allowed the predominantly black population of New Orleans to stuggle to
recuperate from damages that could largely have been prevented and prepared for.
He also is the first president in a generation to refuse to meet with the NAACP,
and known for his strong position against affirmative action - not to mention
all the wars he has supported in foreign, non-white lands. Luckily for Mr. Bush,
he has enough readers editing the words he will say before he utters them that
he does not often stumble into major offenses. However, his actions speak louder
than his words as far as politcal correctness to me.

2. I urge you to consider that the United States fuels the economic depravity of
many of the nations from which we receive undocumented immigrants. We horde well
over 60 to 70 percent of the Mexican economy by setting up maquilas - sweatshops
- right across the border. We flood the Mexican food market with American-grown,
SUBSIDIZED corn, making local Mexican growers unable to sell the cheif
agricultural product of their own country in their own country. If we disable
their economy by our exports and our reaping of profits because we own most of
the operating businesses, how can we be surprised when in order to escape
literal starvation they come here? In other countries, we set up puppet
political regimes and use the same strong-handed economic policies we have used
in Mexico.

3. I stress th

3. I stress the importance of language - simply the words we use - to retain and
reinforce socially institutionalized stigmas. How we say is just as important as
what we say. By repeatedly referring to undocumented workers as illegals, they
are stripped of all personality beyond their entry (because of necessity) into
the US. To assert they they are the cause for crime and drug use in Jackon
Heights or East LA is to quickly overlook that they are victims of many of the
same types of social oppression that have led to higher crime rates and drug
usage in predominantly black communities. Saying that "South Americans have no
interest in the history or plight of the black community" is a large
generalization. I am of South American descent, and I have put a lot of time and
energy over several years to lessen the plight of people of color, including the
black community. What about black South Americans? Generalizations have so
deeply hurt the black community, it is unfair to turn and generalize,
criminalize, and stereotype against other communities of color (or anyone, for
that matter).

------

I realize that in your writing you do not so directly target the Latino
community with your words as my response may suggest. However, much like has
been done against the black community, by suggesting Jackson Heights and East
LA, by citing Presidente Fox, and your South American neighbor, and by using the
lexicon of the predominant national debate about immigration, the community that
most involved are either saying or thinking is the rapidly growing Latino
population.

Please especially consider what I quickly mention below: the hypocrisy of our
free trade agreements which we repeatedly violate, exploit to gain cheap
laborers across the border, but restrict the free movement of human beings while
allowing their money and the products of their labor to flood American markets.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and wisdom with folks and challenging each of us to think better and deeper than we generally do. I know you’ve always challenged me and it is in that same spirit that I respond to you.

It is a great article and as usual, your analysis, at least to me, seems on point, the key aspect being that Black folk are not opposed to work, but opposed to being exploited. In other words, most of what you say I agree with and therefore, in the interest of time and space, I won’t comment on the many things you wrote that I concur with.

I think there are 3 areas that I have questions for you on, one of which is the title of the paper and the other two are regarding conclusions that you drew.

1. Title: I was curious as to why you entitled it “Blaming Immigration Problem on Blacks?” It did not seem to me that you were saying that, but that Black folk were being most negatively affected by illegal immigration. Did I misunderstand?

2. Illegality: I am a little uncomfortable with saying that “illegal is illegal and that is all there is to it.” A few thoughts come to my mind:

a. Morals, ethics and the law: The basis for laws are supposed to be morals and ethics and obviously many laws in this country’s past (Jim Crow laws, US constitution saying African people were less than a full human being, and, along with women and non-property owners, could not vote, to name just a few); these laws were morally and ethically bankrupt. If these “bad” laws were not challenged by struggle and upheavals, then they would still be the laws of this land. To me, laws have to be evaluated based on the moral concepts upon which they are based, not on their “legality.” I can even remember when children born out of wed lock were called ‘illegitimate.” How can a child ever be ‘illegitimate?’ Can people really be ‘illegal’ because they move about the earth? Makes one wonder. Maybe we should call them �

I can even remember when children born out of wed lock were called ‘illegitimate.” How can a child ever be ‘illegitimate?’ Can people really be ‘illegal’ because they move about the earth? Makes one wonder. Maybe we should call them “undocumented visitors.” Language plays a key role in how we think.

b. Racist laws: The foundation upon which immigration laws in this country have been written historically, and to this day, remain racist to the core. The laws have always favored northern Europeans and people of color have been systematically negated from coming to this country, legally or “illegally.” No one wants to address the fact that a quota for immigrants in 2006 may be 50,000 from Great Britain, but only 500 from Ghana. These are my fictitious numbers but they do somewhat reflect reality. If we forget the racist nature of this country and the equally (but often overlooked) racist nature of the immigration laws – like ‘good white folk’ used to overlook the Jim Crow laws), then we tend to focus on a limited aspect of the issue. Racism plays a huge role in what goes into our immigration laws.

c. Politics in immigration laws: Although I know that “everything is political,” I wish to make the separation here to emphasize a point. In addition to being racist, the laws are political in that they are used to manipulate the US population in terms of numbers and attitude. The US Congress is made up of 535 of the most politically backward people on the face of the earth. They are patronizing to the populace, opportunists, spineless, self-absorbing and out right thieves. How can we trust their judgment to pass just laws when they have proven otherwise for so long? They say it is “legal” for the Cubans to come to our shores but the Haitians get turned back at the risk of being killed upon their return. Laws based on “politics” and not or morals and ethics end up being disregarded and trampled in th

d. Economics and exploitation: Another area that is not focused on enough (and I will only just mention here) is the economic exploitation that this country uses against other countries, making it impossible for many of those countries to be self-sufficient, and is the basis upon which so many of the peoples of these countries (particularly the Caribbean and Central and South America) “have to come here in order to survive.” We have disrupted their economies and exploited their human and natural resources for decades upon decades and now we are paying the price. We find it easy to ignore the fact that we actually created most of the problems that have led to so many people ‘needing’ to come here for economic survival. One of the questions that always comes to my mind is: if these people were able to make a living in their home country, why would they risk the dangers and the unknown to come here? I don’t think I would. The chickens are coming home to roost.

3. Deporting the undocumented immigrants: I think maybe I’m just too pragmatic in my old age, but I just don’t see any practical way of sending 11 million or so folks back home. I just can’t see how it would work. You can’t round them all up; they won’t go voluntarily and their countries probably won’t want them back. The whole immigration issue is so complex and it just seems that sending them home is a simple solution that just won’t work. In addition, all of the problems that led to and are a result of them coming, will still be here (and there in their home country) when and if they are deported. I have to admit that I don’t have an answer, either simple or complex to the problem. I do believe that part of the overall issue is that many people may be “okay” with the 11 million already here but don’t want anymore to come.

One thought that comes to my mind is to ask the undocumented visitors how they would deal with the problem. For example, when I tau

One thought that comes to my mind is to ask the undocumented visitors how they would deal with the problem. For example, when I taught school for a very short period of time, one of the ways I found to be effective in helping to maintain order in the class was to ask the most disruptive children to be involved in ‘policing’ the class. This is similar to how many law enforcement and insurance agencies utilize criminals to help them develop deterrents to crime. What do we have to lose?

Too often we end up using the negative models that have been historically used by the ‘leaders’ of this country: confrontation, pitting groups against each other, threats and intimidation. “I’m bigger and ‘badder’ than you are; my guns are bigger than yours; I’m in a position of power and influence, so I’m going to tell you what to do and how to do it.” Negative approaches have been shown to reap negative results, both historically and spiritually.

It seems to me that because the issue is so complex and inflammatory, that we have to be very thoughtful, reflective and creative in our problem solving. There are workable solutions to every problem out there. Our solution(s) will be grounded in the attitude and spirit in which we approach the problem.

Thanks again for the opportunity to challenge my own concepts and beliefs.

Ron

100% I agree strongly. In my own personal views this issue does not just face East Elmhurst and corona it has been brought to the face of our nation. I am a Black male that has grown up in the East Elmhurst, Corona area all my life. My family and I due to circumstances have settled in North Carolina where land is inexpensive and with an education or without paying the bills would be a lot easier. As a young black male in the south from the north my main focus was to get some reliable transportation. Within getting reliable transportation I was forced to take jobs which were considered blue collar to pay some bills and then the car not and the insurance. On an upwardly mobile scale I then attended college with the hopes of bettering myself and my future. While working blue collar jobs I finally felt that I was in the real world and had been faced with the reality that I wanted more. Within those years of working blue collar jobs I noticed a decrease in young black males working these jobs and an increase in illegal immigrants. Noticing the change in the work environment I and a few friends saw the immigrants taking advantage of the overtime. Although the overtime may not have been a big deal to us there was a change in history about to occur. “Job well done, if you have any friends that want to work or if you want to work on the weekends let me know.” Is what the supervisor said to the immigrants. From that day I noticed that the supervisor’s hired mostly immigrants weather it be legal or illegal. Since I was a student the bigger picture to me did not settle instantly only because I was focused on trying to better my life and moving to the next level based on society’s views of education. Slowly but surly this change started to effect individuals in my age range and also my community. Meanwhile in the community where I grew up (Corona/East Elmhurst) many individuals who did not succeed in graduating from high school were now adults with children living in apa

apartments with their parents, grandparents and other family members on fixed incomes scared and afraid to face the real world with lack of education and homelessness on the rise. In these areas rents are sky rocketing and education for the blacks are taught at a minimum due to the over population of schools. If the federal government won't stop illegals at the border, who will? People are fed up with illegal immigration, and they're demanding we do something now. It's the overcrowded houses, the job market with the day laborers bringing down wages, the health system with hundreds of millions being spent in Virgini hospitals on illegal aliens, and all those ESL (English as a Second Language) classes taking away resources from other kids.There are so many more views that I would like to share, but it seems that this is not the time or the place.

Canweshop2@yahoo.com