Dave Zirin is rarely as smart or as good-looking as when he’s echoing my sentiments. Citing Georgia’s passage of HR 87 — the latest tribute to Arizona’s SB 1070 — Zirin calls Atlanta “a brutally awkward setting” for MLB’s 2011 Civil Rights Game, and finds particular irony in the treatment afforded musician Carlos Santana. From Zirin in The Nation :
Carlos Santana took the microphone and said that he was representing all immigrants. Then Santana added, “The people of Arizona, and the people of Atlanta, Georgia, you should be ashamed of yourselves.” In a perfect display of Gov. Nathan Deal’s Georgia, the cheers quickly turned to boos. Yes, Carlos Santana was booed on Civil Rights Day in Atlanta for talking about Civil Rights.
Then in the press box, Santana held an impromptu press conference where he let loose with an improvised speech to rival one of his virtuoso guitar solos. He said, “This law is not correct. It’s a cruel law, actually, This is about fear. Stop shucking and jiving. People are afraid we’re going to steal your job. No we aren’t. You’re not going to change sheets and clean toilets. I would invite all Latin people to do nothing for about two weeks so you can see who really, really is running the economy. Who cleans the sheets? Who cleans the toilets? Who babysits? I am here to give voice to the invisible.”
He went on to say, “Most people at this point they are either afraid to really say what needs to be said, this is the United States the land of the free. If people want the immigration law to keep passing in every state then everybody should get out and just leave the American Indians here. This is about Civil Rights.”
Where was Bud Selig during all this drama? It seems that Selig slunk out of a stadium backdoor in the 5th inning. If there is one thing Bud has become an expert at, it’s ducking his head when the issues of immigration, civil rights, and Major League Baseball collide. If Selig really gave a damn about Civil Rights, he would heed the words of Carlos Santana. He would move the 2011 All-Star Game out of Arizona. He would recognize that the sport of Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente and Curt Flood has an obligation to stand for something more than just using their memory to cover up the injustices of the present. If Bud Selig cared about Civil Rights, he would above all else, have to develop something resembling a spine. But if Bud is altogether unfamiliar with the concept of courage, he received one hell of an object lesson from Carlos Santana.
cleaning sheets and toilets, have any of you idiots ever been to a construction site or any factories? no, they are not just taking jobs americans wont do, they are taking jobs americans cant do for the same pay they will do them. do you think the owners of these companies are selling they’re products or services any cheaper because they are getting cheaper labor…hell no!! they are just getting richer off the backs of illegals, and screwing legal citizens(black,brown,and white) out of jobs
ps…..f*%k carlos santana
My parents live in a suburb of Atlanta. They filed paperwork today to become American citizens after living here for nearly 40 years with permanent resident status.
They have always had one poor excuse or another not to file the paperwork. But the recent change in both the climate and the laws regarding immigrants convinced me to pressure them to file.
The thought of my innocent, elderly parents being harassed was simply too much.
“do you think the owners of these companies are selling they’re products or services any cheaper because they are getting cheaper labor”
Please identify a factory that is exclusively employing (and exploiting) “illegals”. Ask yourself why the owners of such operations aren’t targeted with nearly as much zeal by lawmakers as individual immigrants. Or rather, people that look like individual immigrants.
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen at least a few illegals up at Matador. Are you SURE you’ve seen Robby’s long form birth certificate?
Greg, maybe if you and the rest of the real, native-born American citizens knew anything about grammar, punctuation or spelling you might actually stand a chance at being employed at your dream factory and/or construction job. Until then, please STFU. Did it ever occur to you that being American and being dumb as a rock are not mutually exclusive qualities? Did my use of double negatives and hard words confuse you, Gregory? Need some time to think it over?
Incredibly, there is wisdom in Greg’s stupidity.
According to Mr. Cummins’ assessment, it’s a labor problem, rather than an immigration problem. Mandate that all Georgia workers are subject to wage minimums. That way, our commenter and his ilk aren’t facing cheaper competition, and only remain unemployed by their own arrogance and apathy.
Of course, that doesn’t play as well with the white-bred voters as a good, old fashioned witch hunt on the beaners.