[AGL] monster rally

[Gerry]

When NAFTA was passed it paved the way for American corn into Mexico,
trainload after trainload of it, so cheap it put the traditional corn
farmers in Mexico out of business. The result of this WTO-think maneuver has
been widespread panic in rural Mexico (which was not exactly thriving). The
corrupt economy of Mexico is largely at the behest of our corporations which
have sucker deals galore in operation with their Latin partners. NAFTA was a
crippling blow for many sectors of traditional employment. Many of the
foreign companies which rushed in to grab the cheap labor have now moved to
China, cheaper and higher quality labor there--for awhile. The workers are
hurting.

Those people rushing across the border are mostly young men who have lost
hope. In Muslim countries they are joining the jihad. In Latin American they
are heading north. They are wily and determined, physically tough and often
highly skilled in the physical crafts. They are often dressed in hiking gear
with backpacks and a knowledge of the pathways along the arroyos. Many of
them travel back and forth a couple of times each year. At off-road survival
they are first class. That's not them you see on the TV news.

I have worked with them and gotten to know a few of them quite well. They
want the same things our young men want, a car, a pretty wife, a house, a
steady job, kids. They smoke pot and drink beer and wear outfits they see
the young gringos wearing. There are places where they socialize, and
sometimes fight, but they are really very gentle people, often quite
religious. Out in the sun they can outwork most anyone. They have a natural
way of teaming up that only people who do physical work understand,
anticipating the next several steps each will take, a cognitive ability.
They are amazingly resourceful. They help one another, a great brotherhood.
As a rule it doesn't take them very many years to assimilate. But if they
could find a way to make a decent living and harbor some hope at home, they
would not come here.

The only way to stop the flood is the trash NAFTA and allow a level playing
field which pays a fair share to the worker, a move to the left. As you know
this is currently working quite well in Venezuela and is spreading around
South America at a rapid rate. It could very well happen in Mexico. If the
skilled Mexicans working here should decide to return home we would be in a
lurch. We need some international plan to use their labor and engage in more
cultural exchange. The world is too small to confront them.

Don't deceive yourself about Mexico. It is a dynamic country, not quite
First World in all areas but not far from it. It still has lots of natural
resources and a work force (thanks in large measure to skills learned in the
US) that can do most anything. The medical facilities are quite good (and
affordable). There are more good musicians per capita than here, public
performances galore. And it still has deep deep traditions that are
preserved with rare dignity. The beer ain't bad either. Etc Etc Etc.

The message from these marches is: Don't fuck with us, Charlie. It is the
automatic felon designation that really them ticked off. They are showing
the world that there is large emotional force within our borders that will
not stand still for severe recriminations. I think the Repubs will use this
as a last resort political tool, racism. I don't think it will work.

G


----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Eisenstadt" <michaele at hotpop.com>
To: <austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 6:46 PM
Subject: [AGL] monster rally


> eeing as there was a monster rally downtown, at the capitol
> and marching up Congress Ave and other streets, i went down
> forto a look.
>
> very peaceful demonstration, a minimal police presence. flags
> mostly American and banners and placards. i dont see the
> point of it because these folks for the most part dont vote or
> can't vote. nor do i understand exactly what they want.
> perhaps they want open borders, perhaps some realise that
> sovereign nations dont countenance open borders.
>
> it is our bad luck that God put a broken corrupt country on
> our border with a native culture which has contributed so
> little to the rest of the world.
>
> i wish i had constructive suggestions to make. Mexico has a
> 2% a year population growth, high compared to most countries,
> and not enough jobs for their 103 million people. and US
> business is perfectly happy to have docile illegals to exploit
> so as to avoid paying living wages and providing a safe
> workplace for American workers.
>
>