South Carolina Lawmaker: Mexicans Work Harder than Blacks and Whites

[sjr09 155]

South Carolina Lawmaker: Mexicans Work Harder than Blacks and Whites

Robert Ford (D-Charleston), a black state Senator in South Carolina, argued last week against stricter immigration laws in his state saying that firmer laws would hurt South Carolina's economy because blacks and whites do not work as hard as Mexicans. (<A href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/08/AR2011020805187.html">The Washington Post, Feb. 8, 2011) The comments came during a state Senate Judiciary Committee hearing held last week on an Arizona-style bill making its way through the South Carolina legislature. (Post and Courier, Feb. 8, 2011) According to an audio recording of the hearing Ford said, "I know brothers, and when I'm talking about brothers I'm talking . . . about black guys and they're not going to do that work at Boeing with all that dirt and stuff to be hauled to build that plant. Ain't no brothers gonna do that. Not like a Mexican will." (WCBD Charleston, Feb. 10, 2011) He followed these comments with additional disparaging remarks: "Now you know my blue-eyed brothers, pale-skinned brothers ain't gonna do no work. They ain't gonna do that kind of work . . . Ever since this country was built, somebody came in and did the work for us. That's America. It's a country of immigrants." (Id.)

Executive Director of the state GOP, Joel Sawyer, demanded Senator Ford apologize, "It's abhorrent and incredibly offensive that any elected official would make comments this racist." (The Washington Post, Feb. 8, 2011) Lonnie Randolph of the South Carolina chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) also found Ford's comments offensive, saying, "All human beings that I know of share both positive and negative traits . . . All individuals share the same shortcomings." (Id.) Senator Ford showed no intent of retracting his statements, saying of his critics, "They're taking life too serious. My advice is for them to get a life and to learn American history." (Id.)

[Danno 1,228]

If this guy was white, he would have already resigned.

But clearly we have two sets of rules.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

If this guy was white...

[faust-yusov 103]

Thank goodness the US consists of only three ethnic groups - cultural aspersions would otherwise be rather troublesome to cast.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This seems somehow apt.

Gonzales: There is one question, Inspector Callahan: Why do they call you "Dirty Harry"?

De Georgio: Ah that's one thing about our Harry, doesn't play any favorites! Harry hates everybody: Limeys, Micks, Hebes, Fat Dagos, Niggers, Honkies, Chinks, you name it.

Gonzales: How does he feel about Mexicans?

De Georgio: Ask him.

Harry Callahan: Especially Spics.

Edited February 16, 2011 by Ron Burgundy

[sjr09 155]

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - Work has officially started on building Boeing's $750 million aircraft assembly plant in South Carolina - the largest industrial investment in state history.

The North Charleston plant is expected to create 3,800 jobs within seven years and construction will mean another 2,000 jobs.

Sounds like Ford is looking for undocumented supply of cheap workers that can remain within his state, certainly not for the work at the new Boeing plant.

Can undocumented and unskilled workers operate equipment such as GPS controlled earthmovers? Or is this clown thinking the dirt and stuff is going to get moved with shovels and a wheelbarrow?

[peejay 327]

Mexicans Work Harder than Blacks and Whites

I've been around construction and construction projects for most of my life. I didn't start seeing mojados (illegal aliens) in the offshore oilfield in huge numbers until GWB conspired with Fox to open the border and practically stopped work authorization enforcement. I started noticing hordes of illegal aliens on these projects around 2004-2005 and it got worst and worst with time.

So I know what I'm talking about when I say that illegal aliens are not supermen. Not only that, but there is a safety issue on these jobs when us American operations people cannot communicate with illegal alien workers that speak little to no English. The majados don't work any harder than the American crews I've been around, but they have certainly driven the wages down. Not to mention that many Americans don't want these jobs anymore because now many look at it as being wetback work. These jobs have been devalued in the eyes of many Americans.

To get high quality American workers back into construction trades again the perception has to be changed that these are good paying jobs with a future and not deadend jobs relegated to wetbacks. The first step is to make E-verify mandatory nationwide and weed the economy of cheap illegal foreign labor. With unemployment as bad as it is now these jobs should be returned to Americans to do. We did them before and we can do them again. Pay a fair wage and Americans will do the work.

[sjr09 155]

I've been around construction and construction projects for most of my life. I didn't start seeing mojados (illegal aliens) in the offshore oilfield in huge numbers until GWB conspired with Fox to open the border and practically stopped work authorization enforcement. I started noticing hordes of illegal aliens on these projects around 2004-2005 and it got worst and worst with time.

So I know what I'm talking about when I say that illegal aliens are not supermen. Not only that, but there is a safety issue on these jobs when us American operations people cannot communicate with illegal alien workers that speak little to no English. The majados don't work any harder than the American crews I've been around, but they have certainly driven the wages down. Not to mention that many Americans don't want these jobs anymore because now many look at it as being wetback work. These jobs have been devalued in the eyes of many Americans.

To get high quality American workers back into construction trades again the perception has to be changed that these are good paying jobs with a future and not deadend jobs relegated to wetbacks. The first step is to make E-verify mandatory nationwide and weed the economy of cheap illegal foreign labor. With unemployment as bad as it is now these jobs should be returned to Americans to do. We did them before and we can do them again. Pay a fair wage and Americans will do the work.

I agree with you on the E Verify. But more needs to be done with the employers, the incentive must be removed for the undocumented worker. This starts with the business that are willing to hire them. I believe when they go to apply, the 'employer' knows that they don't have papers.

As it stands now when ICE agents or auditors conduct an inspection of the Forms I-9 for compliance. When technical or procedural violations are found, pursuant to INA §274A(b)(6)(B) (8 U.S.C. § 1324a(b)(6)(B)), an employer is given ten business days to make corrections. An employer may receive a monetary fine for all substantive and uncorrected technical violations. Employers determined to have knowingly hired or continued to employ unauthorized workers under INA § 274A(a)(1)(a) or (a)(2) (8 U.S.C. § 1324a(a)(1)(a) or (a)(2)) will be required to cease the unlawful activity, may be fined, and in certain situations may be prosecuted criminally. Additionally, an employer found to have knowingly hired or continued to employ unauthorized workers may be subject to debarment by ICE, meaning that the employer will be prevented from participating in future federal contracts and from receiving other government benefits.

Monetary penalties for knowingly hire and continuing to employ violations range from $375 to $16,000 per violation, with repeat offenders receiving penalties at the higher end. This fine is drop in the bucket for the BIG CORP.

Penalties for substantive violations, which includes failing to produce a Form I-9, range from $110 to $1,100 per violation. In determining penalty amounts, ICE considers five factors: the size of the business, good faith effort to comply, seriousness of violation, whether the violation involved unauthorized workers, and history of previous violations.