Posted on 10/10/2005 11:37:09 AM PDT by Crackingham
Most of the signs are handwritten and simply worded, such as "Workers Wanted" or "Need 50 Laborers Now!"
Word has gotten out and each morning day laborers who come from Central America and Mexico by way of California, Texas and Arizona gather on street corners in the Kenner and Metairie neighborhoods on the western edge of the city. Lured by jobs paying $15 to $17 an hour, the Spanish-speaking day laborers have flooded into New Orleans to haul out debris, clear downed trees, put in drywall and perform other tasks as rebuilding takes hold in the city. Specialized roofers can make $300 a day. Contractors know the new day-labor pickup spots. By noon, a tree-trimming firm hires the last available hand on Williams Boulevard near Interstate 10.
"We've never had Hispanic day laborer sites. That's a totally new phenomenon," said David Ware, a longtime New Orleans immigration lawyer.
With 140,000 homes destroyed or damaged by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is undergoing the nation's largest reconstruction effort and its new workforce is largely Latino. No one knows how many immigrants have descended here since Katrina ravaged the city five weeks ago, but their presence is visible throughout the city.
Abimael and Filegonia Diaz may have been among the first wave of newcomers. Since Sept. 12, the couple has been clearing debris, washing windows and sweeping floors at a hotel in downtown New Orleans. For six years, Abimael worked in Nashville as a day laborer and sent money to Filegonia and their three young children in Mexico.
"We'll stay here because I think the job will last a long time," Abimael Diaz said. "If we can make enough money, we would like to buy a house and bring our children to New Orleans."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
What do you call having American Taxpayers paying for all the Social Services that these Capitalists will demand?
#88 - Good post, NRT. You say it well.
Those citizens are sitting in shelters two months out now. Put hammers and lumber in their hands and check everyone's documents. There's a bus service named Adame that trucks the illegals in, it goes back to the same points they came from.
Americans need this work not only for rebuilding their community, but to reestablish/relearn the pride of accomplishment and to once again have an investment in their community.
Amen.
I hear you and I'm not insulated from the wefare mindset. Hell, I've been living a few skips over from you in Nashville in Reconquista Central Nolensvile Road. I've faced down seven or eight partys, demanding they turn the crap down while the homies looked discombobulated that a lone gringo dared to tell them to shut down their noise. Just marching right out to the discerned leader's face worked until the gangs moved in. That's when a head-to-toe tattooed guy laughed at me and made a throat-cutting gesture. I walked right up to him just to find everyone running away (not good). Long story short, I abided punctured tires until moving out 5 months later.
They decided to hate me, despitite my history of being a good neighbor, on the grounds that I was a "gringo". Racism/eclusivity defined on their part. They especially resent my understanding Spanish but refusing to converse in it. Tough! Leave!
Now I still refuse to induilge in racism. I don't care what they are. I do support every efort to deport illegal aliens. In truth they were trying to intimidate me and make me cower to their lawless values. Not happening. Unfortunately the government shipping their butts out also isn't happening.
Post hurricane is always like a boomtown for certain trades. However, I disagree with you on the relocation of people. I think it will work out to be a good opp[ortunity for many, and I do not thinmk that the government owes anyone a living where he chooses to squat. Finally, NO seems inbred to me, and fresh blood helps that, though I do not favor illegal immigration. There were 300,000 illegals in NO before the storm.
It seems to me that black businesses are complaining and others are sitting around waiting for someone to give them a hammer. They also are complaining about illegals. Any American who can't compete with unskilled people who don't speak the language and who know noone have noone to blame but themselves. Blacks have been in America 400 years and should have an advantage over foreigners, but they must get a move on.
Sorry, no personal content intended.
Sorry I forgot to add a (smile) ;) after the last sentence.
Be Ever Vigilant!
There were 300,000 illegals in NO before the storm.
Either you are exagerating or you are claiming that 25% of NO population was comprised of illegals.
... though I do not favor illegal immigration.
Sure sounds like you do.
So, there is no need to talk about Mexcians taking away anyone's jobs or driving down wages. These erroneous gripes just act in restraint of trade.
Or, are you just making excuses for their presence?
New Orleans: Population: 1.2 million
Area: 200 sq miles (515 sq km)
There were 300,000 illegals in NO before the storm.
Either you are exagerating or you are claiming that 25% of NO population was comprised of illegals.
... though I do not favor illegal immigration.
Sure sounds like you do.
So, there is no need to talk about Mexcians taking away anyone's jobs or driving down wages. These erroneous gripes just act in restraint of trade.
Or, are you just making excuses for their presence?
Then we are on the same page. I apologize for jumping to the wrong conclusion about what you were saying. I try not to do that, but sometimes I err!
susie
I agree with your post wholeheartedly!
susie
"The illegals will build a city that many long time residents (aka ghetto dwellers) have never worked in for generations."
That's not the point. The point is that they're illegal invaders and are the spearpoint for the culture war that is now raging in this country. Viva La Raza! Viva La ReConquista!
That's what I keep thinking, you CAN find out. If someone has very good fake documents, it may not be so easy, but you would also think that when someone uses a fake SS card for any length of time, the SS office should catch on. That seems like a nobrainer as well.
That's why I believe the people in charge do not CARE!
susie
In the back seat of a 57 Chebby??
The 300,000 number is from an article in the WSJ. And, I have no sympathy for a born in America who cannot outcompete an illegal from Mexico.
Really? You have no sympathy for Americans who are not willing to work for $5 or $6/hour, not willing to live 20 to 30 per house, are not willing to break law after law, not willing to learn English, are not willing to invest in America by sending their money to a foreign country?
Good for you! I will remember you as one who has more respect for law-breaking illegals than his fellow citizens (if you are an American citizen).
Get a grip! You have had your whole life to develop education, skills, and contacts to make a good living. If you have squandered that, I am sorry to hear that, but it is your own fault. But, I suspect that you are one of those people defending some abstractions without any grounding in reality, as once again you are talking about $5/hr when the article says people in NOi are earning $15-17/hr. Take an economics course and learn how things really work. don't bother me with ideology that is 150 years old and out of date.
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