Careful What You Wish For, Lou…
Keith Eckel – PA Tomato Farm Owner
As we all know, Mayor Lou Barletta (R), who is currently running for Congress, is a huge anti-immigration advocate. As mayor of Hazelton, he has attempted to pass some of the harshest immigration policies in the country. While these efforts have gained him much attention (something he can’t seem to get enough of), they have not led to any meaningful immigration policy. In fact, the courts have shot down almost all of Barletta’s laws, citing them as being unconstitutional.
Still, however, Barletta continues to run a Congressional campaign, based almost entirely on promises to pass ultra-harsh anti-immigration laws. Barletta, using the tried and true fear-mongering tactic, has attempted to blame as much as possible on illegal immigrants. However, one thing he consistently leaves out of his stump speeches and news releases is the fact that illegal immigrants play a vital role in the United States economy. Regardless of how you feel about that fact, it is just that; a fact.
Illegal immigrants, for the most part, come to America to work. They fill jobs that most Americans simply won’t do. For example, illegal immigrants play a huge role in America’s agriculture industry. Attempts to crack down on these migrant workers might make people like Lou Barletta happy, but the effects on our economy are devastating. Those effects were recently felt right here in North Eastern Pennsylvania.
As reported in almost every local, and some national, media outlet, long time tomato farmer Keith Eckel is shutting down his tomato growing operation. As Eckel’s tomato farm was the largest tomato farm in the state, this is a very damaging blow to Pennsylvania’s economy and to consumers. Now, fresh tomatos will have to be shipped in from farther away, costing more as a result. Eckel says he can no longer keep his farm open because of Congress’s “broken” immigration policy.
Because of increased crackdowns on migrant farm workers, Eckel can no longer depend on having the workforce needed to keep his tomato operation opened. Last year, Eckel employed 180 workers, some classified as “illegal” immigrants, paying a salary of $16.50 an hour. This year, he will employ five workers. As Eckel explained, “No one will harvest tomatoes in 90 degree weather except immigrant labor.”
This is what close-minded, ill-informed people like Lou Barletta simply don’t understand. The US economy relies heavily on immigrant labor and if you chase the “illegal” immigrants out of the country, you chase an important part of our financial stability away as well. That is a fact and no matter how many anti-immigration rallies Barletta holds or how loud he denounces immigrants and migrant workers, that fact can not be changed. Lou Barletta does not deserve to be elected to the United States Congress.
-Dan Cheek
www.StopLouBarletta.com
StopLouBarletta@gmail.com
April 7th, 2008 at 8:36 am
So you are saying we should just let all these illegals in? I wonder are you here legally? I agree that we do have many issues that need to be addressed in Pennsylvania. My ancestors came here from Sicily (LEGALLY) and worked to build up this country, were treated like dirt and flourished in a decade. I haven’t seen any Italian in the voting booths. What I have seen is Spanish all over the place. Tell me other than being the #1 minority in this country and getting all this free stuff from welfare oh yeah and being the laziest bunch of people to work the earth why are we catering to them? Don’t forget we pay all there tax in Puerto Rico as well. What a joke!
April 7th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Actually, what I’m saying is that any immigration policy that we enact NEEDS to address the fact that illegal immigration is a big part of the American economy. That is a fact and if you choose to ignore that fact, you are really only seeing one side of the issue.
As for why Spanish is found, in some places, in this country is because the Latino-American population is exploding. Again, this is a fact. If the Italian-American population were exploding at such a rate, I’m sure we’d be seeing the Italian language in many places, as well. However, that just isn’t what is happening.
And finally, as for Latinos being, “the laziest bunch of people to work the earth”, well, obviously you have some serious racist issues of your own to deal with. It’s close-minded, ill informed people such as yourself, Franceska, that are one of the saddest parts of our society today. I feel sorry for you.
April 7th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
What part of ILLEGAL immigration don’t you understand? It is ILLEGAL. Period. As far as I know, any other illegal activity is punishable. Thus, Illegal Immigrants should be “punished” by being deported. Also, keeping illegal immigrants out of the country should be enforced just as any other law.
As for accomodations made for the Spanish-speaking population…to explain that we are simply providing for an exploding population is ridiculous. The Spanish speaking population can explode (legally) until the cows come home…people that live in the United States should have to be able to communication in English. I’m not saying Spanish speaking individuals cannot use their native tongue to communicate to one another, but they must be able to understand English so that bi-lingual signs, forms, announcements, etc. are not necessary. Any national population should be able to explode in the U.S. (legally) without having to accomodate another language. I would never dream of moving to France without being able to communicate in French! I wouldn’t expect to move to another country and demand that they cater to my native language! If you don’t speak English and you want to move to the United States then LEARN English. I don’t care if you are Spanish, French, Pakistani or Polish!
April 7th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
What has also happened is that migrant farmers in the country “legally” will not come into this part of the state. Barletta’s short sighted, self aggrandizing lunacy has had a negative impact on the “legal” workers needed in the farm industry.
Unless one’s ancestors came here prior to the 1950′s there was no real immigration policy in place. There were no criteria to enter the country.