[TowerTalk] Digging a tower foundation hole

[Randy]

At 04:20 AM 9/23/2005, you wrote:
>TTers,
>
>I happen to totally agree with Hector.  The "day laborers" Steve referred 
>to are hard working men trying desperately to support their 
>families.  Politics aside, I feel that the terminology was beyond 
>politically incorrect, and I feel that an apology is in order.  No 
>"Cheers" in that message.
>
>73, Bob W7BJ



I can see both side of the issue...
But, were I Hector, the offense that I would have taken would be with the 
generic term "Mexican".
I can't tell a Mexican from a Cuban from a Honduran from any other Hispanic 
from Central or
South America, or the Old World for that matter. Heck, I can't necessarily 
tell them from Arab
terrorists, Jewish terrorists, or George Hamilton.

Despite the racial strife of the 1960's, my elementary school education 
didn't mention doodly-squat about
persons of African lineage, but they made damned sure to drill into us all 
the history between Mexico and
Texas, which is where I was born and where I was at the time. The message 
was that they are "our
neighbors to the South" with which we Texans shared history, and, for many, 
familial ties and lineage.
Zero contempt or disrespect was in the curriculum, and it didn't even 
exist, at least amonst those of
us <10 years of age, nor did I witness it at home.

Fast forward to 1985, in Manatee County, FL. I managed a condominium, and 
the telco decided that they
needed new wires to all the homes, and it needed to be HAND DUG. ~12,000 
FEET. They subbed it out,
and the sub sent in a crew consisting of 1 Gringo <his terminology> and 
several Hispanics. Other than
being "in charge", technically, and sorting out where the trench had to go, 
his main job seemed to be
carefully watching the crew and removing them from the trench when they 
started to visibly wobble,
approaching heat prostration. I witnessed this several times. They were 
making $5/hr, somewhat above
minimum wage at that time, but not by much. IIRC, this was in July.

I'm not putting words in anybody's mouth, defending anybody, taking sides, 
or anything of the sort.
If Hector is offended, then, he's offended. He's entitled to his emotions, 
as are we all.

Having said all that... the fact of the matter is that, here, if you need 
some manual labor done, it's
likely to be a Hispanic doing it. They'll bust their asses to get it done. 
Almost universally, if you
see somebody on a mower, cutting the grass in the median strip, it's going 
to be a short, male,
young Hispanic. There's nothing racist or prejudicial about saying that; 
that is a factual statement.
A goodly number of these individuals not only have to support the family 
here, they ship some of
their income back to their families on the other side of the border. Yeah, 
yeah, I know, I know,
there's alot of "illegals" here that *don't* pay their taxes, won't ever be 
drafted to defend this country,
etc. There's also alot of lilly-white people born here, that also fit that 
description. Asians...etc.

I'd also point out that we all know that there's a difference between being 
"stupid" and "uneducated".
The people in question, i.e. "Mexicans" [sic] aren't experienced with 
shovels because they want it
that way, they're doing it because their (current) education and language 
skills
  limit them to backbreaking labor. That in no way implies that there is 
anything inherently
wrong with an entire race, or that they'll necessarily go their whole 
working lives with a shovel in
their hands.


I am ***proud*** to live in a country that people strive to get to, no 
matter what, and bust their hump,
no matter what, and live and die and raise their families here.

Randy
KZ4RV
-ex N4MBL
-ex WD4CRP ..