Podcast 126 - "...the idea that race or gender or religion or country of origin does not define a person, that each person contains great possibilities."
My late father (who by the way was a supporter of the Ignorant Orange One) worked for 40 years doing plastering work in swimming pool construction in Southern California. He was the Forman of a crew that was almost entirely hispanic and most of those were likely undocumented. It was grueling, miserable work for all of them, my father included, because he worked like a dog right long side of them. If immigration officials were as hard, and ornery on immigrants then as ICE is being now, the entire construction industry in SoCal (not just swimming pools) would have come to a complete standstill. The work my Dad and his crew did was only just notch above ditch-digging, and its sole feature of pride was that occasionally they would get to do a job in the back yard of some celebrity of some sort, where (often as not) autographs, swag, free drinks, and snacks were shared around liberally by the frequently kind (and very rich) Beverly Hills celebs. Though I am 72 now, I remember working with my Dad and his crew during summers as a teen. Immigrants built a lot of what we live in and enjoy...just like slaves built a lot of the Old South. I came to know some those men, like them, appreciate them, look up to them in a way. I ate my first Mexican food sharing lunch with them, before anybody else I knew ever heard of a "taco" or a "burrito".
Thank you. It’s so hard to wrap my head around the lemming like acceptance of immigrants as a threat screamed by this abhorrent administration. I guess next they’ll go after the sick, hungry and poor. Oh wait…
The cruelty of Kristi Noem and ICE and border officers and the rest of them makes me ashamed of my country. I taught many hispanics, yaquis and immigrants in Arizona years ago, in high school and college, and they were such kind, handsome people and full of possibility.
The people who do this are easy to vilify since they are powerless. The orange one knows this and uses it to put a daily quota for their arrests. Hitler vilified Jews and other "undesirables," and it worked, for a while. It is my hope that I live to see the day when the orange one and those who follow his draconian orders get justice, a justice that they are denying those who button your shirts.
It's the bully mentality, which is another name for coward. The same sort who disable smaller life forms simply on the basis of physical size. Poor thinking. I've always preferred small, but that's my partiality.
If it were not for immigrants, my nails, hair, lawn, roof, cleaner, and many doctors would all disappear! Most perform the jobs that Americans( especially white ones) look down their noses at. I do not understand it. We have all either been or derived benefit from immigrants. Most of us would not be here, if not for immigrant ancestors. What will it take to convince Trump and Miller of this?
No one has the right to complain about illegal immigration in this country except Native Americans and the Mexicans that are comming to this country are going to places that used to belong to Mexico. As a natural born American citizen of Cuban descent, I have never felt accepted because of the fact I speak Spanish and am a practicing Roman Catholic.
I happen to live a block from the event video that went viral at the paper of record/all news is fit to print. It was obscene to a degree wherein there are not enough vile adjectives to describe it.
I'm writing from the diverse, inclusive, upscale North Shore suburbs of Chicago, which saw immigrant worker abductions, protesters beaten, pepper sprayed, threatened with guns and arrested, and Blackhawk helicopters flying overhead for the past two days. You don't need men in camo to take down gardeners. This is about punishing voters by terrorizing them while hurting our economy. Keep giving voice to the most vulnerable among us and good people everywhere.
Did you say hmmph when Trump demanded that Republicans not vote for the immigration reform bill that Republicans wrote just because Trump didn't want Biden to have a win, and because Trump needed an issue to run on?
No, Mr. Keillor. No mercy for this jackass, Grifter-in-Chief, and none for any of his hoes in Congress or anywhere else, on his staff, in the DOJ and especially on the SCOTUS. Absolutely not.
Amen!
My late father (who by the way was a supporter of the Ignorant Orange One) worked for 40 years doing plastering work in swimming pool construction in Southern California. He was the Forman of a crew that was almost entirely hispanic and most of those were likely undocumented. It was grueling, miserable work for all of them, my father included, because he worked like a dog right long side of them. If immigration officials were as hard, and ornery on immigrants then as ICE is being now, the entire construction industry in SoCal (not just swimming pools) would have come to a complete standstill. The work my Dad and his crew did was only just notch above ditch-digging, and its sole feature of pride was that occasionally they would get to do a job in the back yard of some celebrity of some sort, where (often as not) autographs, swag, free drinks, and snacks were shared around liberally by the frequently kind (and very rich) Beverly Hills celebs. Though I am 72 now, I remember working with my Dad and his crew during summers as a teen. Immigrants built a lot of what we live in and enjoy...just like slaves built a lot of the Old South. I came to know some those men, like them, appreciate them, look up to them in a way. I ate my first Mexican food sharing lunch with them, before anybody else I knew ever heard of a "taco" or a "burrito".
Thank you. It’s so hard to wrap my head around the lemming like acceptance of immigrants as a threat screamed by this abhorrent administration. I guess next they’ll go after the sick, hungry and poor. Oh wait…
The cruelty of Kristi Noem and ICE and border officers and the rest of them makes me ashamed of my country. I taught many hispanics, yaquis and immigrants in Arizona years ago, in high school and college, and they were such kind, handsome people and full of possibility.
The people who do this are easy to vilify since they are powerless. The orange one knows this and uses it to put a daily quota for their arrests. Hitler vilified Jews and other "undesirables," and it worked, for a while. It is my hope that I live to see the day when the orange one and those who follow his draconian orders get justice, a justice that they are denying those who button your shirts.
It's the bully mentality, which is another name for coward. The same sort who disable smaller life forms simply on the basis of physical size. Poor thinking. I've always preferred small, but that's my partiality.
Trying to not despair.
If it were not for immigrants, my nails, hair, lawn, roof, cleaner, and many doctors would all disappear! Most perform the jobs that Americans( especially white ones) look down their noses at. I do not understand it. We have all either been or derived benefit from immigrants. Most of us would not be here, if not for immigrant ancestors. What will it take to convince Trump and Miller of this?
No one has the right to complain about illegal immigration in this country except Native Americans and the Mexicans that are comming to this country are going to places that used to belong to Mexico. As a natural born American citizen of Cuban descent, I have never felt accepted because of the fact I speak Spanish and am a practicing Roman Catholic.
It breaks my heart reading this, especially that you have never felt accepted. How true, mostly all of us(US) are immigrants.
Absolutely agree. One of millions of jobs for which help is needed….
Are those pitiful white South African refugees going to pick strawberries and button perfectly starched shirts?
Thank you
I happen to live a block from the event video that went viral at the paper of record/all news is fit to print. It was obscene to a degree wherein there are not enough vile adjectives to describe it.
Simple and to the point. Thank you.
I'm writing from the diverse, inclusive, upscale North Shore suburbs of Chicago, which saw immigrant worker abductions, protesters beaten, pepper sprayed, threatened with guns and arrested, and Blackhawk helicopters flying overhead for the past two days. You don't need men in camo to take down gardeners. This is about punishing voters by terrorizing them while hurting our economy. Keep giving voice to the most vulnerable among us and good people everywhere.
So. No need for borders or even enforcing them? And also ignore those who crossed illegally?
Hmmph....
Did you say hmmph when Trump demanded that Republicans not vote for the immigration reform bill that Republicans wrote just because Trump didn't want Biden to have a win, and because Trump needed an issue to run on?
What does that have to do with what I posted?
Are you implying that the bill would have 'fixed' something?
Biden already had the ability to enforce the borders.
Sigh.
No, Mr. Keillor. No mercy for this jackass, Grifter-in-Chief, and none for any of his hoes in Congress or anywhere else, on his staff, in the DOJ and especially on the SCOTUS. Absolutely not.
What is that song at the front and back of the commentary? Anybody know?
I not only enjoy your reflections on life, but also the piano pre and postludes.