Fortunately, the media has started portraying them in a much better light. These Mexican men are actually very hard workers and there is no way to know their real story just by driving by. In the last couple of years, laws have been overturned that previously banned these men from soliciting work from passing cars in various states. These men are just trying to make their way in the world and may have fallen on some hard times. The following article illustrates the headway made by overturning these laws: Do Day Laborers Have the Right to Job Hunt?
"Lazy Missourians could learn from Mexicans" was a statement made by House Speaker Rod Jetton that was featured in the Southeast Missourian's online issue (Link to article). If positive statements like these continue to be made, perhaps there will be less Mexican men on the roadside looking for work because they already will have work. I think what is mostly hindering them is this false image they've been branded with of laziness when in fact, they usually work harder than most. They know what it is to have little and not know if you can feed your family that day.
The real story, as you mentioned, should be that they care for their families and are willing to do what it takes to make a living. Their presence at the roadside looking for any form of work only illustrates the fact that they are hard workers, obviously a positive quality in anyone.
ReplyDeleteI was contemplating whether or not to write my blog on panhandlers. I was surprised to see this post as many people may see Mexican roadside workers and panhandlers as something similar. However I see them as something completely different. The true story of panhandlers is that they are begging for money and the money often given to them goes towards drugs and alcohol. Mexican roadside workers are willing to work for the money you give them, which to me, means they are dedicated to their own cause and not just lazy.
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