General Discussion

secondvariety

(1,245 posts)

80. Same here.

Mon May 5, 2014, 04:02 PM

May 2014

I worked in restaurants for years-dishwasher, prep cook, line cook. So did my brothers. So did most of my friends. I've been in construction for thirty years and to say that Americans won't do the work or Americans can't do the work is nonsense. I asked a sub contractor we use why he stopped hiring Americans and is now hiring only immigrants. He told me that they'll do any job, no matter how dangerous or disgusting, they'll work for next to nothing and if one gets hurt he'll just get another. His words. I told him that was pretty fucked up.

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Highlight:

BOURDAIN's stunning love letter to Mexico and Mexicans [View all] UTUSN May 2014 OP

Love Anthony Bourdain blueamy66 May 2014 #1

Anthony Bourdain loves Mexicans who work for very low pay. fasttense May 2014 #12

Okay. How come Mexican immigrants can survive on these wages? blueamy66 May 2014 #17

Actually I do hire people who cost me more. fasttense May 2014 #39

I'm not a manager. I was a home owner. blueamy66 May 2014 #41

Just because every body does it, doesn't make it right. n/t fasttense May 2014 #47

Why should I pay more? blueamy66 May 2014 #50

It's NOT the way of the world fasttense May 2014 #54

I would be more convinced... CanSocDem May 2014 #69

Well, I have no status, so that isn't an issue. blueamy66 May 2014 #103

Do you feel the same way about outsourcing, clothing production in foreign sweatshops, and the such? whopis01 May 2014 #78

I guess that it isn't at the top of my list of priorities right now. blueamy66 May 2014 #101

You know, that's just what Mitt Romney said about his taxes. eggplant May 2014 #86

You know that is so not the same. blueamy66 May 2014 #102

Actually, I was quite serious. eggplant May 2014 #111

My statement may go against ONE issue....and I am allowed to have differing opinions... blueamy66 May 2014 #112

Nah, your opinions on child support aren't really progressive either. n/t tammywammy May 2014 #119

Of course you are allowed to have whatever opinions you like. eggplant May 2014 #120

Anti-labor propaganda BrotherIvan May 2014 #88

Sounds like you are more concerned about their "legal" status than paying a fair wge. Starboard Tack May 2014 #42

I don't want ICE coming down on me, so I make sure my workers are all American citizens. fasttense May 2014 #48

I feel for you. Truly. You have a dilemma. Starboard Tack May 2014 #63

You do realize, you can have azmom May 2014 #75

You do realize quakerboy May 2014 #91

I don't want ICE coming down on me, so I make sure my workers are all American citizens. azmom May 2014 #94

Also, how come these immigrants who aren't being paid a fair wage are surviving? blueamy66 May 2014 #44

Same reason the hungry still work and don't give up their crappy jobs even though fasttense May 2014 #51

Do you live in a border state? blueamy66 May 2014 #55

Because they live in packed homes Codeine May 2014 #92

They share everything. roody May 2014 #107

Link Unknown Beatle May 2014 #81

I very well might pay the difference. cloudbase May 2014 #40

Didn't think about that. blueamy66 May 2014 #43

No...that's why legitimate businesses are bonded and insured passiveporcupine May 2014 #82

Yeah, I know what "liberal" stands for. blueamy66 May 2014 #104

Desperate people will work for less dbackjon May 2014 #87

How the fuck does a Democrat even write a post like that? Codeine May 2014 #93

It was easy. blueamy66 May 2014 #105

The "Democrat party," eh? WorseBeforeBetter May 2014 #113

get another hobby...put me on ignore.. blueamy66 May 2014 #114

And miss your always delightful replies? WorseBeforeBetter May 2014 #116

It's your boring life, not mine. blueamy66 May 2014 #117

I shall! WorseBeforeBetter May 2014 #118

15 years ago I paid my kitchen crew of 40 or so a beginning DebJ May 2014 #18

I find there is NO DIFFERENCE between the Mexican American, legal immigrants fasttense May 2014 #46

Ok, well before you hadn't mentioned Anthony actually aid how DebJ May 2014 #72

You realize, of course, that Bourdain doesn't pay anybody. Xithras May 2014 #73

THANK YOU. Someone that knows what they're talking about when it comes to Bourdain. Grown2Hate May 2014 #108

I just watched the episode of Archer he was on. Classic. Initech May 2014 #110

I have heard... yallerdawg May 2014 #2

What a thoughtful post. ty n/t UTUSN May 2014 #4

Well, I appreciate you highlighting this subject. yallerdawg May 2014 #8

Absolutely!!!! n/t DebJ May 2014 #19

Here's ole John... progressoid May 2014 #31

Welcome to DU, yallerdawg! calimary May 2014 #33

awesome post! blueamy66 May 2014 #61

And thank you for the welcome. yallerdawg May 2014 #70

I had some work done on my house and I can vouch for the truth of your post. Warpy May 2014 #90

My industry, professional horse sports, is also heavily dependent on Mexican labor riderinthestorm May 2014 #3

I used to be a groom prior to becoming an equine photographer. 17 years Ed Suspicious May 2014 #49

You have effectively summed up the reasons for why there is so much effort being directed Maedhros May 2014 #74

wasn't a movie made called a day without mexicans? California would turn to dust. roguevalley May 2014 #96

Awesome...just perfect, really. K&R Jefferson23 May 2014 #5

I am a middle-aged white man. When I was a younger man I sure as hell DID go into ChisolmTrailDem May 2014 #6

*You* did. He's talking about his own 20-30 yrs' personal experience. & the numbers. n/t UTUSN May 2014 #7

He's talking out of his stream of consciousness and "common sense" which means he is not correct. KittyWampus May 2014 #27

Guess he hasn't travelled to VT.. Those were the first types of jobs all of us had. glowing May 2014 #13

I'm all for Mexican people seeking prosperity here in the U.S. But to say that Americans won't ChisolmTrailDem May 2014 #15

Did you see when Colbert went out to try one? DebJ May 2014 #23

How many years has the economy been geared towards exploiting immigrant labor? KittyWampus May 2014 #28

That is Alabama, tomatoes rotting in the fields. yallerdawg May 2014 #36

1984 was thirty years ago. Maedhros May 2014 #76

My experience was the same as Bourdain's over quite a period of years. DebJ May 2014 #21

Same here. secondvariety May 2014 #80

As someone who worked herself to the bone Le Taz Hot May 2014 #109

I've worked in food service for years now. xmas74 May 2014 #121

There are many, many nice little restaurants in my part of Brooklyn. The_Commonist May 2014 #9

Are you talking about Calexico? Dorian Gray May 2014 #97

This is not a new subject for Bourdain either, I became a fan years ago when he did a show about the Bluenorthwest May 2014 #10

that trip to Puebla was magnificent tishaLA May 2014 #35

Latest episode of his show is Mexico City. Atman May 2014 #11

I felt no threat while walking the streets of Da Nang and Saigon Plucketeer May 2014 #14

We took a wrong ferry back from the islands... Atman May 2014 #20

Ok, I am not informed on this, but isn't drug wars in Mexico..... Logical May 2014 #16

Not so much for tourists. Atman May 2014 #22

I also think he is safer that I would be as he is a celebrity! nt Logical May 2014 #24

It's live "Survivor" Atman May 2014 #65

Absolutely. Seems to me he's focusing on the people/culture. & I started to post a few times UTUSN May 2014 #25

I travel to Mexico often and am sad and amazed at the vilifcation of this wonderful country. As I LuckyLib May 2014 #30

Excellent post. cbayer May 2014 #34

Thanks for the grea information..... Logical May 2014 #64

Love Bourdain, his episode of Haiti was a kick in the gut, but he's wrong about jobs- KittyWampus May 2014 #26

du rec. xchrom May 2014 #29

I have been living in Mexico for the past 7 months cbayer May 2014 #32

I don't know where lancer78 May 2014 #37

Sounds like they Americanized! yallerdawg May 2014 #45

Would you work for less than $10/hr? Starboard Tack May 2014 #52

Hell, I would right now. blueamy66 May 2014 #58

That is truly sad. Best of luck. Starboard Tack May 2014 #68

I don't know what the issue is. blueamy66 May 2014 #71

I guess it is more of a hirer's market, than a hiree's. Starboard Tack May 2014 #85

thank you for this. BlancheSplanchnik May 2014 #38

Bourdain has been outspoken on this for quite a while underpants May 2014 #53

Thanks for such a great post. Starboard Tack May 2014 #56

My first job was as a busboy. Erich Bloodaxe BSN May 2014 #57

"We just want jobs that pay enough to live on." blueamy66 May 2014 #59

I'm not saying anything against Hispanics. Erich Bloodaxe BSN May 2014 #60

Exactly. blueamy66 May 2014 #62

Every time I go to Mexico I am amazed at the quality of the baking. Beausoir May 2014 #66

Whoever wrote this headline should be shot AngryAmish May 2014 #67

Leaving for Mexico in a week... a la izquierda May 2014 #77

"Also, how come these immigrants who aren't being paid a fair wage are surviving?" djean111 May 2014 #79

Bourdain Rocks warrprayer May 2014 #83

Anthony Bourdain is such a cool guy. nt Sarah Ibarruri May 2014 #84

Correction: Americans won't do those jobs for the shit wages you are willing to pay, Anthony. alarimer May 2014 #89

I wonder how these people think these jobs got done before the migrants came along... shaayecanaan May 2014 #99

Let me tell you what I know about the Mexican azmom May 2014 #95

I did seasonal labour on farms while in university... shaayecanaan May 2014 #98

I get tired of hearing the "jobs Americans won't do" bullshit Major Nikon May 2014 #100

Durable and soulful people...and there is lots to endure, e.g. Romantico, which you can Netflix BeyondGeography May 2014 #106

I'm sick of the "work Americans won't do" lie... MellowDem May 2014 #115