Caught between the lines.

Don't feel alone, I'm caught in the middle too. I see both sides and feel the government has made a mess of things. I don't have a prejudiced bone in my body, and in fact have a hispanic daughter in law along with well over half my friends being hispanic too. I don't feel that people should be allowed to break the law, so it seems this is all a huge government goof that just keeps building and breeding racism where there didn't "seem" to be any beforehand. The Mexicans should be allowed to come to the U.S. but also need to do so within the legal boundaries. Had our government done so to begin with concerning all nationalities there would be less of a threat of terrorist inside the U.S. who have come over the borders of Mexico. I love working around the people who come over with work visas. The whole thing is just a major mess and I too hate seeing the racism that's brewing on both sides.

I asked some of the men (Hispanic) in my class this week what they thought of the issue too. Two of them have served in the military, one born in the U.S. and served in Vietnam, the other came over illegally and served in the first war with Irag. Let me tell ya, it was an interesting discussion and we all left on the same page. I'm grateful we're not caught up in it as we're all very close, yet all of us in the class are in some way dealing with racism from one or more family members over the whole mess.

 

I too am caught in between. I'm by no means a racist. But being in Arkansas... I am surrounded by racism. I have no problem with any race or nationality driving a truck or coming into the US. I wish everyone would do it legally. I served in the military with people from all reaches of the globe. You couldn't have asked for better guys. There are good and bad people in all races. Its sad. We should know better by now.

 

Yes, and this thing is growing such a strong hatred that sooner or later it will divide families. I get several emails a week that rant and rave about the issue from a couple of family members who are prejudiced. It's just sad all the way around. I will lose family members before I ever become a racist.

 

I don't think race has anything to do with it. It doesn't matter whether they're from Mexico or Canada or anywhere else. Resentment is breeding because the immigrants - legal as well as illegal - are pushing down the wages for the average Joe trying to make a living. Our poorest working-class Americans take jobs in motels and restaurants but their wages are being depressed by the influx of more employees from South of the border. Now everyone who does manual labor is threatened - from the factory worker to the carpenter, the meat packer, plumber, welder, now the truck driver, etc. etc.

We have laws that are supposed to provide for a steady flow of immigrants. We have to have LIMITS. These limits aren't being enforced and we're suffering the consequences for it. The fat cats are making a killing off the cheap labor but everyone else is getting screwed. The theory is that eventually, the standards of living will even out for everyone in this "utopian global economy" but the fear is that in the process, a lot of people are going to have their standard of living lowered. Just ask anyone who's been "outsourced".

I'm considering making a career change and truck driving is something that I'm looking at. One of the things that attracted me to this idea of driving a truck is that it's a job they can't send to India! I guess the board-room theory is that if you can't export the job, import the cheap labor. They may not be allowed to make domestic runs now but I can certainly see that changing in the future. The FMCSA says that American trucks will be allowed to run into Mexico but I don't see that happening either. More likely, they'll just have the Mexican do it - because he's cheaper. It's ALL ABOUT THE MONEY.

 

I did say in my post that I do not agree with breaking the law. The problem with not looking at this as a racial issue is because it has already become one in the eyes of most who cannot divide that line. I'm seeing more downright racism and hatred over this than the original issue of being illegal. It's now turned into the battle of the Mexicans and that's just wrong.

 

BOTTOM LINE? the american trucking industry will be gone! simple as that you have seen the rates get cut by the canadaians now there gonna go even lower as soon as the mexicans come across... im not a racist eaither but im trying to the industry thats is 1, the backbone of a america and 2, the industry that keeps a roof over my head and food on my table