Today eighty seven years ago a leader, activist, and farm worker was born. Most importantly a HUMAN BEING was born. Cesar Chavez the father of "La Causa" was born on March 31, 1927 and passed away on April 23, 1993 in his sleep. This man believed in social justice. He clearly stated "The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people." This fight is not about a race/ethnicity it is not about the strawberries, grapes or lettuce it is about social justice. This fight is not about the latino, or the filipinos who fought for social justice in the 60-70's. This fight is about anyone who is experiencing injustice. I am very angry that I live in a world where the people who work the soil do not have basic living standards for themselves. It makes me feel disgusted with the human race! What have we come to be?! We have forgotten that those who provide our food, are human too. We have forgotten to be compassionate.
Today I am reminded of this great leader, but I am also reminded of the so little change that has taken place after his death. The farm workers are now allowed breaks from their labor, have running water, and porter potties, but that is not enough. Where are the chairs and tables?! What about health care and insurance. Can someone tell me where these things have gone?! The workers are exploited day-in and day-out. Minimum wage is not enough. It does not pay for the mother's, father's, and children's doctor visits. In fact most farm workers do not go to the doctor, because they are afraid of being laid off, or being fired for reporting an injury and asking for disability pay. Many of the workers do not report the injustices because they are afraid to be fired or deported. They are oppressed, and suffocated by the shadows of the boss, and of the system. The farm workers labor is so brutal on the body that most of the farm workers live less than the average age. The list of injustices goes on...but nobody speaks of it. Nobody want to see the injustice, it hurts too bad, or it is just something we think we cannot change. We turn the other cheek because we too are afraid of getting involved. We need to educate ourselves on this cause and we need to educate the farm workers on their rights!
Article #1
Cesar Chavez Resolution Blocked by GOP:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/31/cesar-chavez-resolution-blocked-gop/
also a relatable article: Senate Resolution To Honor Cesar Chavez Dies After Republican Tries To Add Border Security Language http://www.buzzfeed.com/adriancarrasquillo/resolution-to-honor-cesar-chavez-in-senate-dies-after-republ
Republicans on Monday refused to allow the Senate to honor Cesar Chavez, drawing a stern rebuke from Democrats who questioned the GOP’s motives.
Republicans said they would have allowed a resolution to pass if Democrats had accepted additional language that recognized Chavez supported strict enforcement of immigration laws in order to help protect American workers’ wages. But Democrats refused to agree to those additions, leaving both sides at a stalemate.
“It is an injustice to his memory,” said Sen. Robert Menendez, the New Jersey Democrat who tried to force a vote and who said Republicans were trying to mix the immigration debate with a commemorative resolution.
Mr. Menendez said it was the eighth year in a row that Republicans have blocked such a resolution on Chavez’s birthday, March 31.
Mr. Menendez said this year he came to the Senate floor to deliver a speech and force Republicans to object out loud.
Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican, did just that, arguing that Democrats were whitewashing Chavez’s stances, which backed strict enforcement of immigration laws and regularly protested farmers’ use of illegal immigrants in their fields.
Chavez helped form the United Farm Workers labor union, which organized agriculture workers.
Chavez has become a hero to many Hispanics in the U.S., and to labor union leaders. He died in 1993.
Oh! America sure can be ridiculous sometimes...
I believe Cesar Chavez was a republican...but i'm definitely not!
I believe Cesar Chavez was a republican...but i'm definitely not!
Article #2
New York Times Article urges GOP to block farm worker's wages hikes:
http://dailycaller.com/2014/03/31/new-york-times-article-urges-gop-to-block-farmworkers-wages-hikes/
Republican legislators’ inaction on immigration may increase wages for Hispanic farmworkers in California, a New York Times article warned March 29.
“In recent years, farm owners have grown increasingly fearful of labor shortages [and] last year, the diminished supply of workers led average farm wages in the region to increase by roughly $1 an hour,” read the article, which described the agriculture sector’s threats to cut contributions until GOP legislators agree to raise the inflow of low-skill migrant workers.
“Getting higher wages! Heaven forbid,” responded Steve Camarota, the research director at the Center for Immigration Studies.
The Times’ recognition that extra immigrants will impact wages for Hispanic-Americans shows that “the interests of workers is exactly contrary to what the advocacy groups [for higher immigration] are pushing,” he added.
These executives include farm-owners and labor companies that supply thousands of contracted Americans farmworkers, as well as many recent immigrants and illegal immigrants, to farms during the harvest seasons. .
However, the mostly Hispanic workers aren’t joining the executives’ effort to drive down their wages, admitted the New York Times’ reporter, Jennifer Medina.
Cesar Chavez fought for better wages and now industry executives are searching for foreign workers so they can reduce the pressure for higher wages!! I am furious! This is exactly what Chavez fought for. Boy does history repeat itself. This is where Chavez was against foreign workers. He wanted to make sure that the farm workers were treated justly and had better and improved working conditions. He knew that if foreigners came and did the work that the activist farm workers stopped doing change would never come. He wanted to make sure that change came.
Article #3
Minimum Wage Increase:
Beginning December 31, 2013, New York State’s minimum wage will increase in a series of three annual changes as follows:
$8.00 on 12/31/13
$8.75 on 12/31/14
$9.00 on 12/31/15
This is still not enough... for this
VIVA LA CAUSA
LONG LIVE SOCIAL JUSTICE
AND LONG LIVE CESAR CHAVEZ!
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