Put down that fork, you scoundrel!
Regardless of what Mom told you, stop eating your vegetables
The United Nations Children’s Fund has released a report detailing that in Mexico, 300,000 youngsters are toiling in the fields picking crops. According to the study, 43.5 per cent of Mexico’s population are children under the age of 18
We are certainly not in favor of child exploitation or the high levels of illiteracy that goes hand-in-hand with this abuse of children—imposed upon them by their impoverished parents.
What we do question is the above-the-fold headline in today’s daily: Child labor in Mexico puts food on U.S. tables.
Here’s their take on the story: About 300,000 youngsters such as Adriana (who attends school only one hour a day) work illegally in Mexico’s fields, the U.N. Children’s Fund says, making child labor a major link in the chain that increasingly supplies American dinner tables.
The logical conclusion is that we, the eaters of salads, and consumers of vegetables, should not harden our hearts to the plight of these families as they sneak across our borders in violation of our law. After all our gluttony is the real reason for their need to invade our country.
Get it?
May 9, 2008 at 8:33 pm
The real logical conclusion is that the Mexican government needs to do something about their own child labor laws. When American business was exploiting children for factory work, Americans solved the problem. When American business allowed workers to toil in unsafe conditions, Americans solved the problem. Mexico needs to step up and take care of their own people and stop foisting them off on us.
May 9, 2008 at 9:53 pm
And if we stopped eating the crops they harvest, would these children and their families starve for lack of income? It’s absolutely up to the Mexican government to take care of its own citizens.
May 10, 2008 at 3:47 am
The White Guilt Fork -
If the US government boycotts Mexican produce, the US is not living up to the promise of NAFTA, is denying fair trade to Mexico, and is failing to integrate the NAFTA economies.
If the US government allows the free flow of Mexican produce in to the US, the US is not living up to the promise of NAFTA, is denying fair trade to Mexico, and is failing to integrate the NAFTA economies.
If US companies buy Mexican produce, the US is complicit in exploitative child labor practices.
If US companies buy Mexican produce while applying pressure to the Mexican government and Mexican agricultural companies and farms to stop exploitative child labor practices, the US is unfairly forcing the adoption of non-indigenous cultural practices (exercising cultural and political hegemony).
If US companies refuse to buy Mexican produce in the hopes of ending exploitative child labor practices, they are run by racists.
If US consumers demand to know points of origin for produce and refuse to buy Mexican produce, they are racists.
If US consumers buy Mexican produce, they are racists.
Reparations will be specified at a later date, but for now, just acknowledge that the US is completely biased against Mexico and the Mexicans, no matter what is actually done or not done, said or not said, thought or not thought.
Because, you see, the US is forked.
Completely forked.
May 10, 2008 at 6:09 am
Guilt! We need to feel guilt! The corrupt Mexican government has no culpability here. I suppose?
Let’s grow our own. I like the old concept of ‘Victory Gardens’ they had during WWII,when many American households planted some of their own vegetables in their yards.