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Subscribe to RSSThe full transcript and video of this report will be available Monday, July 19.
What are your kids doing this summer?
Swimming, playing, going to camp?
For some children in America -- hundreds of thousands of them -- summer means hard labor in the hot sun.
They're migrant laborers -- some as young as five or six -- working alongside their struggling parents on America's farms.
We took our cameras and spent months in the fields. What we found was a story of hardship, perseverance, and love. And sometimes a hard-won triumph over adversity. Watch the full hour here.
Correspondent Dennis Murphy with "Children of the Harvest" on Dateline at 7/6 Central.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
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Although I was able to attend school, I worked on a family farm.
It was a time when we pulled weeds rather than spraying them. I cleaned feedlots, and fed the livestock. I helped harvest the crops we fed to the livestock. My father did it and so did my great grandfather.
Has our society come to believe it is better for children to play video games than to work?
During the summer I worked, and I am a better person for it.
My thoughts exactly!
I agree, I also grew up working on various farms in the area. We are not talking about sending children to the textile mill,these kids are working side by side with mom and dad.
At one point one of the girls was asked; How do you feel? and she answered "proud".
In the area where I live kids still do the work, we don't group it into child/adult work. We at one time took the summers off from school to do just what these families are doing.
Please get out of the city and see how the rest of us live.
My dad turns 87 this year - he was working on a farm, picking cotton, milking cows and whateverelse before he was 8 years old...as his kids, we baled hay, hauled hay, milked cows, drove cows to the sale barn, pulled weeds in the garden - and we are all GIRLS. Get over the sad children of the migrants. This is life of the farmer. Have to sell cows to make it through the winter. Life is tough - but we are all strong responsible adults.
I too was raised in the country (first an orchard, then a dairy farm, then a cattle ranch and finally an organic farm). From the age of six I got up at 3:30 am to: milk cows, feed the pigs and chickens, muck the stalls, pull weeds, pick stones, ad infinitum, and then go into the house and help make breakfast and then cleanup). I do not consider children working side by side with their ILLEGAL ALIEN parents to be 'abused'. They are learning the truth of life: life is hard then you die, and the only reward that is REAL is the sense of accomplishment you get from hard physical (or intellectual) labor. I also learned how to be disciplined in my life. I didn't drop out of high school, but I DID graduate at age 12, and have been working in the computer industry since then, 50 years now.
If you don't want mexican kids working in the field, then SEND EMPLOYERS TO JAIL as a FELONY for hiring ILLEGAL ALIENS, aka 'FELONS'.
Otherwise, leave those kids alone, they are not only helping their families survive, they are learning all the lessons you learn when you have to WORK for a living, unlike the American ho's who live on welfare they receive for having bastids, and raise their kids to expect to get welfare when they reach breeding age.
I know this goes on in the US, but what about Middle East countries? I have worked in the Middle East in many countries. Every where you go, very young kids are working in all kinds of work. A man will take a job, then hire young boys to do the work for pennies. Then he will reap the rest of the money. What is the foreign aid the US sends all over the world for. It does not go to help the poor people. These kids might make .25 cents a day if they are lucky.
I do not think that this was supposed to be a show about illegal aliens so let's stop with irrelevant discussion. The family are legal residents and U.S. citizens. This show was NBC's liberal agenda about child labor.
It is great that these kids are working hard to help their family support themselves. There is nothing wrong with hardwork! There are too many lazy, young kids and adults in this country. Kids have been working on family farms for decades. There is nothing wrong with it except that the family farm is endangered in this country. We need more kids working during the summer so they develop a strong work ethic.
I agree wholeheartedly! When I was a child, I remember going with my mother twice to help her on a farm in Massachusetts. Once I was picking raspberries and another time it was peppers. I was a bit of a brat and complained the whole time, wanting to be at the mall instead. Looking back, I am proud of the experience and seeing how most kids are nowadays, I think many can use a hard day's work. In our past history, children were very capable by a young age. We taught our children how to grow their own food (including farm animals), how to hunt, cook, sew, respect our elders and care for those that are younger. Now all kids want are the latest gadgets, trendy clothes, and to be famous for nothing besides being obnoxious and showing skin.
As long as their education isn't compromised by missing school to work on these farms, I don't think it's a bad thing! In fact, with everything we've been reading about the failing state of our public schools they might be learning more on the fields that in the classroom.
I find this story very interesting. I was raised on a farm and I would never have changed it. Sure, our summers were filled with hard work, however; the lessons that came form that hard work are irreplaceable and the fmaily memories will last forever. I have worked side by side with my aunt, uncle, grandfather and grandmother since I was 13. I have spent every summer on the farm since I was born. I would never think that I was illegally labored because, it was ALL volunteer. There is nothing more important to me than family and summer time was just three months out of the year that I was able to atleast help return my dues for all of the help that they have given me through out life. I know that my future children will spend all of their summers on the farm as well....it is just a family tradition that helps earn our profits for the year.
Although well done, Children of the Harvest did not come close to depicting the reality of the majority of migrant families. The migrant families I work with live in third world conditions in Collier County FL. The vast majority are undocumented and are not entitled to any assistance whatsoever. These children spend their young lives crisscrossing the country with their parents in search of work. They are innocent victims of circumstance and are mature far beyond their years. They learn and assume responsibilities at an early age. Their families are close and very loving. Their parents work hard in order to provide food and shelter. They pay for their housing and in many cases the rent is an automatic deduction from their pay.
The children do lag behind in their education due to interruptions; starting late and leaving early. I have had the privilege of attending two Senior Banquets in Collier County, witnessing the pride of parents as their children graduate from high school (under the most difficult circumstances), some going on to college.Happily, the number of graduates is on the rise!
I commend the parents for their back breaking work and realizing that education is the only way their children will succeed. They provide a tremendous service to every American by working in the fields, providing each and every one of us with fresh fruits and vegetables. A task none of us is willing to do.
The migrant families could teach our children how to be responsible and not so self centered...
I invite Dennis Murphy to contact me and come to Collier County FL. I would be more than happy to take you on a tour!
David
I worked on the farm every summer too. My mother was the oldest of 11. I'm the oldest of 4.
Every summer, I picked cukes and tomates (that is what French Canadians call cucumbers and tomatoes). I was paid 50 cents a bushel.
It was hard work but it was something to do and I was making money.
Oh my gosh. I was an American picking vegetables in Canada.
And then I went home. The Quebecois also helped but they went home too when the harvest was done.
Bedtime Karen - what part of my post do you not understand? I'm an American who visited Canada every summer to pick vegetables. That was my vacation. I'm an American who picks vegetables. Please correct your post.
Is this stupid show supposed to make me feel sorry for illegals? NOT!!! Far from it. In fact, quite the opposite. All I see is an illegal immigrant doing illegal things to his kids and teaching them to ignore and disobey our laws and do illegal things themselves. Typical of criminals, typical of these scumbags who think that our laws don't apply to them and typical of your bleeding heart BS. Have these idiots EVER heard of comdoms? And BTW, I picked my own vegetables this summer in the blistering heat in FL. For free. Quit trying to plead the case for criminals. It only makes you look bad yourselves.
maybe you should listen , these are americans . shows how smart you are , help fix the problem or go away!!!!!!!! this is america not your slave labor camp!!!!!!!!!!
Hollybodx what part of they are legal American's did you miss?
Hollybodx your comment is typical of all the ignorant hypocrites that are left in this country! What an IDIOT!
Since so many want to remind us that these farm workers are American - that just blows everyone's theory that only ILLEGAL ALIENS will work on the farms OUT OF THE WATER.
It is NOT true that only ILLEGAL ALIENS work on farms. This story is about Americans.
And we WONDER what happened to our work ethic---you don't see these children on drugs or in jail NOR are we supporting them. You probably don't want to pay union rates for your produce do you?
this is stupid i dont care about Ricardo and his band of illegals i want to watch my t.v in ENGLISH please not subtitles from now on i think im going to watch fox atleast they supporty LEGAL Americans . why dont they do that kind of thing for the people in the gulf who have lost everything.
Then change the channel.
Oh and in case you missed it these were American Citizens.
You are an ignorant racist, and white supremasist did you not listen when the reporter said they are legal americans all of them. it is people like you that make this country such a terrible place. you and your precious fox news are so close minded you do not realize with out these people a lot of precious fruits you enjoy reaches you because of people like Ricardo. As for your gulf comment the RGV(Rio Grande Valley) is on the gulf, and the only reason these people have not lost everything is because people like you keep Ricardo and other migrants from having something to start with. All you people do is point fingers and claim illegal when these people are clearly legal there is a check point just north of the valley you can not pass through unless you are a legal citezen. My mother was a migrant worker she and her familly traveled far and wide to live the so called 'American dream' these people are hard workers with strong morales and beliefes more than i can say for the majority of your "LEGAL" Americas. I applaud NBC for showing you close minded republicans the truth behind who those "Illegals" are. they do more good than harm. They pay their taxes and they try their best to educat them selves. All you chase and other americans who think like you need to remember is that you need these migrants as much as they need work. To Reiterate these migrants work twice as hard as you do to make half as much as you. as for the gulf situation, you voted for the people who wished to drill as far as i'm conserned the fisherman and all the residents of Alambama, Florida,Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, and all those who thought "drill baby drill" was a good thing, thats your ignorant fault. So don’t go degrading that of which you do not understand just keep your mouth shut and consider your selves lucky to have these people in our country because they know what working and family, and Christian values is all about.
Michael stop with your liberal BS! Most hardworking Americans are sick of the liberal lies!
Hollybodx...maybe your too close minded to even watch the special because the family they were doing the story on are not "illegals" they are in fact all Legal residents of the United States. And your condom comment is just ignorant because they have only 3 children and even if they had more for religious reasons that is their choice. They own their own land and farm and work hard. So the next time you enjoy all those fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, or carve that pumpkin or enjoy that Christmas tree just remember who made that possible to you. So if consider compassion and concern for others as "bleeding heart" you clearly have no heart.
@Maggamay
This hard working American is sick of the right-wing lies, many of which you can read above.
Every summer my sister, cousins and myself always helped pull and hoe weeds in the spring. We went out and picked up rocks out of the fields just like these kids. Maybe if more parents made their kids get up and work we would not have such a poor work ethic in adults now. Hard work never killed anyone. Would you prefer we all just live off the government. They are not taking Americans jobs either. Most people are to lazy to work this way.
Denise the box is part of our culture just like if we go to theirs they dont change their box they can deal with it just like we can if we chose to go their
Denise the box is part of our culture just like if we go to theirs they dont change their box they can deal with it just like we can if we chose to go their
tear tear there still are black and white farmers who do the same thing what about them no it has to be tailored to the mexicans to make people feel bad for them. ohh and if they are so legal why arent they speaking ENGLISH ? after all they are supposes to be Americans and even though there is no official language everyone almost speaks it ... its a funny thing between immigration from the 1800' to now they wanted to speak english and give to America all the immigrants now which are mostly from south want to come here and send their money to Mexico not here and dont want to learn English i say their more like invaders.
Learn your history, the land they work was swindled from Mexico to begin with. Most of the children speak excellent English. After working long hours in the fields, then providing meals for the family, who has time to go to English classes? They are feeding us, so just say thanks are be quiet!
Karen
Stop spewing your liberal BS. We did not swindle land from Mexico you moron!
Where do these people get off that we swindled land from Mexico.
As far as California is concerned, Californians could not wait to be American. They had our state consitution to the President for review before he even knew we wanted to be a state.
How is this any different than any farmer in US or Canada that has there children working along side them in the feilds.
This is about more than being illegal or legal... it is about families trying to provide and take care of their own. This is not a race or color issue, it is as basic as families trying to survive and having pride and a work ethic that means they do not turn to public assistance easily.
I see these children from two perspectives, as a teacher and a mom. When they come into my classroom they often struggle, not because they are not intelligent but because they have intelligence that we are not accustomed to seeing. They are “world and work” smart and not afraid of hard work. These families do not fit into the “box” that most Americans would like to squeeze them into. Our educational system often fails to meet the needs of students that do not fit in this box. As a mom I now live in the city (south Texas) but I grew up on a farm and worked hard like these children. My own children are more modern, yes they work but not without the moaning and groaning and they love their video games. I do wish they had more of the “work ethic” I grew up with.
There needs to be a balance and that comes with the education of families, their children and our country. There are many unemployed people in the states, but how many are truly willing to do those jobs?
They don't turn to public assistance?!? Where in these United States did YOU teach?!? I taught in the San Joaquin Valley in California and it was families EXACTLY like these which required teachers to work additional hours to attempt to increase their grade levels; required our support staff to work more hours to find more sponsors to fund their "needs" so they could be more productive in school; received free breakfasts and lunches; required more funding to meet their special needs; get realistic! Families such as this are not being "expected" to become "Americanized" as my grandparents and great-grandparents were...and they ARE costing us! A great deal when one considers ALL the resources they receive versus what they contribute!
Both sides of my family immigrated here...great-grandparents on one side, grandparents on the other and they had to met very strict requirements to come here and to gain their citizenship. And one of the those requirements was that they had to be able to support themselves AND their families in all ways. These people are NOT doing it!
Child labor laws? Give me a break. No wonder my 15 year old son can not get a summer job.
You should be providing for your son; too many adults are unemployed for him to take one of the few jobs available. He can mow lawns or deliver newspapers for spending money if you do not provide him an allowance for chores.
Karen
A parent should only provide so much. The son, at 15, should have a summaer job. It teaches many more lessons about real life than mowing the lawn can.
Karen with the number. I find your comment about a 15 year old's summer job - OUTRAGEOUS.
I want the 15 year old to have a summer job like I had one when I was in high school.
If the parents pay for the 15 year old, the 15 year old will never learn the work ethic.
I really hope you have zero children. That is a ludicrous comment that the parent should support the 15 year old. In my house, I was working at that age and paying for my own clothes.
If more children worked one fourth as hard as these "Children of the Harvest" there would be less crime in the streets. We are too soft on our children - they should be out there helping bring in the harvest to our tables. If they knew where their food really came from instead of playing video games all summer, they wouldn't be so overweight.
So they work so hard to support the families, but who makes them have half dozen children?
That would be the Pope! And those children are the most respectful and best-behaved in my classes.
Karen
Karen with the number
I wish you were not teaching. I would prefer that American children learn the value of hard work and you don't agree. You want children's parents to give them things instead.
I really wish you would pick a different line of work.
American farm life is hard work - proud people and family oriented. Not everyone is a lawyer, politician or some desk jocky. They should be glad they have jobs....
So. We saw WORKING families! Should we condem them or those who gave them jobs? As I was always told, "Any job is a good job." As a teacher, I am proud of our migrant students. They come with so much experience. Yes, often they are behind, just like any other child who moves regularly, but they come with pride and such a strong sense of self. I am so sorry that Dateline once again played the "liberal" card and only showed this experience as negative. At the end they show how the family made 1/3 of the money they usually make, and why? Because there are too many people putting there noses into a situation they no nothing about!
I couldn't agree with you more. All I could think of was what would happen to these families if the children weren't allowed to help. Their annual incomes could plummet, putting them out of homes, communities. We all feel bad, but to ease our "guilt" that we have more, we in turn would be destroying lives.
As a TEACHER -YOU should know that they are bringing MORE THAN EXPERIENCE-Such as - a host of CONTAGIOUS AIR-BOURNE DISEASES .such as T.B. As a teacher you know that you can't force vaccinations on illegal immigrants . What happens to an airbourne disease on a SCHOOL BUS? Where is DATELINE THEN? Where was DATELINE when my AUTISTIC niece was put in a room for two weeks because they didn't have funding for her special needs- even though she ,her parents and their parents are ALL CITIZENS, The funding was sent to the next ROOM TEACHING ENGLISH as a second language! WHERE WAS DATELINE THEN? As a TEACHER YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE or maybe you are in the wrong line of work- As a teacher you need to do your HOMEWORK!
Why don't they work on an ORGANIC farm?
The cruz family are NOT illegals...they are naturalized citizens - why don't you arrest the parents for child abuse?? all 4 of us would have been without parents if we didn't help around the farm. they own property in Texas and Minnesota.... sounds like they are doing pretty good.... they love each other, their kids are American citizens and they ahve learned hard work. Oldest is in college - what is the story here?
Excellent point stacy s. What is the story here? The story. There is no story. Children are learning to work at an early age -- this is great! They are learning the values of hard work and responsibility. These so-called Human Rights Watch people are plain nuts. Working is a good thing -- not a bad thing. My father picked cotton when he was a child without any shoes on. Spare me the pity party NBC.
stacy s
I have to agree. My mother was raised on a farm and is the oldest of 11 kids. I worked on that farm every summer until I got a job at McDonalds where I was paid more money.
Working on a farm is good work. Not everyone wants to work at a desk.
My grandmother wanted my mother to marry a farmer. My mother wanted to marry someone with a college education so she would not have to farm anymore and could be a stay at home mother for the children. She found her college graduate and that is what she did.
Interesting topic, however, the journalism leaves little to be desired. Here is a tip. Try sliding your propaganda in the backdoor and let the viewers make their minds up for themselves. It seams the only enemy these people face is the big bad "roundup." Child labor laws will only hurt those migrant families and not help them. They will lose money that they need.
It's also a shame that Democrats have perpetuated this problem by creating a sense of entitlement amongst Americans and those that vote that way would never do the type of work shown. Why should they when they can sit back, eat McDonalds (then sue them for being fat), collect unemployment for a year or more, collect wellfare, and who knows whatever else all without leaving the couch.
I bet the migrant workers grades are also better than their American lazy welfare counterparts.
As one that grew up on a sugarbeet farm in North Dakota there were a few points that were somewhat slanted.
1. Every farmer (including my own parents) has his children working on the farm in some capacity along side migrant workers. This Dateline special made it look like the farmers' kids just played while the poor migrant workers broker their backs in the fields. Funny, I don't remember it that way.
2. Roundup as a herbacide has been around for decades. That said, technological advances, especially in the area of beet thinning in the early growing season, has drastically reduced the need for migrant work.
3. If a farmer really needed migrant workers to clean out weeds during harvest time that would indicate a problem with the irradication of weeds during the earlier growing season.
4. They made it sound like the migrant workers had it so hard working 12 hours a day - 6 days a week. Well, that's just the way harvest rolls during a beet harvest. It is a 24 hour operation with 2 - 12 hour shifts that runs continuously until it is complete.
5. As the one farmer pointed out, enforcement is virtually impossible. If the farmer has a 4,000 acre farm (a common midsize farm) beet fields are spread miles apart.
I certainly sympathize with the hard work and do not condone under age workers on farms or the exploitation of children, but, I did want to point out a few truths.
Good points Jason. :-)
No child should have to work like this and should be giving the opportunity for their brains to develop. What bothers me about this story is why is it not concentrating on all the children in the country who are dealing with the same issues. I don't see it as so much a migrant issue as an overall poverty issue.
Is this still America? Is this still a county of laws? Child labor is ugly. I survied it. this needs to stop. Close the boarders, Stop Child labor. Vote Republican in November.
Are you Native American, or did you forefathers come from elsewhere? What gives you the right to slam the door when Lady Liberty says to welcome "the huddled masses"? The Reps caused this economy that is killing the middle class and stealing homes from hardworking people--shame on them!
Karen
SHAME ON YOU DATELINE!!!!!! I will never watch another DATELINE. this is obviously sponsore by the Democratics. ILLEGALS need to be documented. Get them out of the country until they can be LEGALLY here aned speak ENGLISH! WHY should legal over-taxed paying AMERICANS pay for them to be here. I call BS!!! Obama and his kin need to be deported.
Wow, Dixiel - such vitriol: is it indicative of an onslaught of right-wing rhetoric? Perhaps instead of watching further episodes of Dateline and investigative journalism, you'd be happier watching FOX News?
"Obama and his kin need to be deported...." - would that be your utopian dream? A nation of Republican, angst-ridden, white (documented) people with no grammatical or spelling skills? As you clearly appear to be....
Next time you buy tomatoes, lettuce, apples, grapes - or just about any other fruit or vegetable, just ask yourself: who made it possible for me to get this at the price I'm paying and not 3-4 times as much?
Do you understand english? They are LEGALS and all were speaking english.
Fine, then go out and pick your own food and then go empty bed pans in your local hospital, because these people do all the hard and nasty work we are too stuck-up to do.
Karen
Speaking English does not make one an American... The migrant workers are all legally here and at least they work, something that other "Americans" do not do because they would rather be collecting Welfare, now they are the "Americans" that are costing you!!!
What an uplifting story!
Firstly -- the family featured were LEGAL residents NOT illegals so this is NOT about illegal immigration. It is about an AMERICAN family working hard to better themselves and their lives in pursuit of the American dream. And they are doing it without a NINJA loan or a subprime mortgage and they are not going on unemployment benefits or welfare. They are doing it by the sweat on their foreheads the way America was built -- through sheer hard work.
I didn't grow up on a farm -- I grew up in a city. My parents were small business people and I remember my summers as a 9-10 year old doing inventory, sweeping the warehouse floor, delivering goods. It was not the backbreaking work these people did but it was honest work nonetheless. It taught me the value of the dollar, the value of industriousness and the importance of helping family.
I applaud this family and the other families who are working hard to put food on their tables, roofs over their heads and a future for their children. It sure is better than those "Real Housewives of New Jersey" or others who are filing for Ch. 7 bankruptcy to get out from under their debts and indulging their 8 year old children with designer outfits and idiotic "careers" in showbiz.
This is about LEGAL immigrants doing their best to get their piece of the American dream -- God bless them and God bless America!
since when did our founding fathers have names like Ricardo? American i think not.
You make this way too easy: The very name America is a not exactly an English name in fact it was named after Amerigo Vespucci.
http://geography.about.com/cs/historicalgeog/a/amerigo.htm
YOU AT DATELINE are accessories to crimes committed by these criminals! If this were BLACK OR WHITE CHILDREN the story would be about D.H.R. coming into the families to take the children and put them in FOSTER CARE! How dumb do you think the AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE? Why don't you do a story about the children who are home HUNGRY because their father has been out of work for months-because the CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY ILLEGALS? My husband- a 31 year SKILLED WORKER was told that "a black man and white man won't work!"If they were legal we have CHILD LABOR LAWS in this country.If things are so bad on them where are their new trucks coming from? WE WILL DO THESE JOBS! BUT WE WON'T ABUSE AND "USE" OUR CHILDREN. yOU SEE -THEIR CHILDREN DON'T MEAN ANY MORE TO THEM THAN A LAWNMOWER or A TILLER! If this statement weren't true and if you didn't believe it YOURSELF you would have called DEPARTMENT of Child Services. If this weren't permitted they wouldn't have 2 houses ,new vehicles ,nice clothes,and LIVESTOCK to SELL! WHAT,S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? How many BLACK and WHITE families can offord to have so many kids? tHERE'S A REASON FOR THIS-I say we need to boycott foods -and the COMPANIES HIRING THESE PEOPLE-thank you for at least telling us that their kids can drive and OURS can't!TEACHERS IN ALABAMA DON'T MAKE THAT KIND of MONEY! and the poor migrants are only working PART TIME! I am ashamed that DATELINE is MAKING THEM LOOK LIKE victims
when the farmers and the companies should be arrested. tHANK YOU FOR TELLING ME IN A ROUND-ABOUT WAY not to shop at KROGER,WAL MART and to teach me that the GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION OF diong anything but "GLORIFY" LAWBREAKERS AND PROMOTE MORE FENCE JUMPING! I wish I could make 10,000 for a Part time "job. YOU KNOW HE HAS ANOTHER JOB THE REST OF THE YEAR-DO A STORY ON THAT! Do a story on the black man on skid row who feels that he is a FAILURE because his kids WILL NEVER GO TO COLLEGE- Do a story on The VETERAN WHO WAS AWAY FIGHTING- only to come home to his wife in a shelter and his kids in FOSTER HOMES- SEPERATED Because a "poor migrant worker liked the money and the boss liked the profits so much that he sent him across country to his COUSINS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY- DISSPLACING THE VETERAN WHO CAME BACK FROM WAR! why don't you cover those stories? YOU MAKE ME SICK AT MY STOMACH! wHY DIDN'T YOU TELL WHY PEOPLE GET SALMINILLA AND ecoli FROM THESE VEGETABLES? i DIDN'T SEE 1 PORT A JOHN IN THE FIELD? wHERE WERE THEY-Possibly right where nature called? WHERE IS THE REST OF YOUR STORY?
Perhaps if instead of focusing your hatred onto others, you'd learn a new skill or improve your marketability so as to find better employment ...then you and your 'cousin' would lead happier & wealthier lives?
Although my family and I came from Mexico as "illegals" and worked in the fields for several years in Florida, Texas and the Carolinas: my sister just obtained her MBA, my brother is a Licensed Master Plumber with his own business, and I'm a Financial Analyst studying to sit for the CPA - is this not the embodiement of the American Dream?
America provides the opportunity, but the person must provide the effort ....
Lastly, I'm proud to state that we are all now proud to be American Citizens, and sincerely wish we've dispelled any myth and misconceptions brought on by fear-mongering and rhetoric used for ratings and/or the spreading of ethnocentric rage.... Improve yourself, instead of blaming others.
Thank You !!! june you said all that I was feeling. I feel this show was a way for us to feel sorry for the Legal or illegal imagrants. and it didnt it made me sick! My kids had to work hard in the summer in our family buisness as do many others.
Congratulations Ruben, well said and well done by your family. Xenophobia is an unfortunate part of the American psyche, and not a very attractive one. What the "illegal" immigrant bashers are actually saying is they are against Latino Immigrants out of fear that they are losing their identity, this same fear that accompanied the waves of Irish, Italian, Eastern European and Asian immigrants.
I suspect this too shall pass in time, but I fear it will get very ugly before then.
BS. enter this country LEGALLY! otherwise, you are a burden on the taxpayer! Get the ILLEGALS and OBAMA out of our country!!!!
FYI the pilgrims came illegally.
Karen
I'm reading ignorant talk from people has always on this subject every time it comes up.. these people whether illegal or illegal,make this choice on there own, no one else is to blame, if there is any problems blame the employer, did you hear how much money they make doing this? picking fruit is not on my list for the workforce I have higher goals and better interests. Last time I checked there are plenty of other farmers out there of other ethicity or races that do the same thing (WORK HARD ) but no one wants to cover that story.