What is Digg?211 Comments
- brwright, on 04/23/2008, -13/+40@CryRightardCry
He meant illiterate in English. I am not justifying what he said, just making sure it does not get skewed. - IkeMavent, on 04/23/2008, -20/+43buy a dictionary...words have meanings. Mexican migrant farm workers who cannot read english are "illiterate peasants" in a very literal way, despite offending your delicate liberal sensibilities
- biotch, on 04/23/2008, -6/+25Its still an erroneous statement. The vast majority of Mexican immigrants can read and write english. I live in California and have worked with lots of Mexican immigrants and I havent ever worked with anyone I couldnt at least have a simple conversation enough to be productive together at work (except for one person from vietnam). I also have never had a complaint about the work ethic of any Mexican immigrants.
To refer to Mexicans as illiterate peasants in such a derogatory manner suggests they are useless and I would argue from my experience he is way off the mark. - inactive, on 04/23/2008, -17/+36"In 2004, the literacy rate was at 91%,[128] and the youth literacy rate (ages 15–24) was 96%, placing Mexico at the 24th place in the world rank accordingly to UNESCO.[129] Primary and secondary education (9 years) is free and mandatory." (wikipedia)
I realize we can't trust wikipedia, so here's figures from the cia factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world ...
"Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 92.4%
female: 89.6% (2004 est.)" - superduperguy, on 04/23/2008, -16/+35I didn't realize that we have an aristocratic-class in America. Genuine "elitism" displayed at its best.
- mogebier, on 04/23/2008, -25/+43I bet they are very Literate, in SPANISH.
They are just Illeterate in English because they refuse to learn it.
Whatever, they make good tacos. - GrayOne, on 04/23/2008, -10/+28illiterate (adj) Having little or no formal education.
peasant (adj) A member of the class constituted by small farmers and tenants, sharecroppers, and laborers on the land where they form the main labor force in agriculture.
Can some please explain how he is incorrect or how thousands of illiterate peasants, um, I mean, temporary foreign agriculture workers will benefit the economy? - inactive, on 04/23/2008, -15/+30They are. They cost hardworking Colorado taxpayers a lot too.
- Tuxbunta, on 04/23/2008, -14/+27What is the problem here? Are you guys saying that these illegal immigrants can indeed read and write in English? Are you guys saying that these guys have white collar jobs and are not working in the fields? If not, then they are illiterate and peasants by American standards. The use of the term illiterate does not signify racism if it is true, and many illegal immigrants are living as peasants.
- inactive, on 04/23/2008, -8/+18Why do the Colorado taxpayers have to pay to import workers from Mexico? Is their unemployment rate 0%?
- johnlm89, on 04/23/2008, -7/+15Dugg for "Bruce is also know for kicking a photographer."
- jgzman, on 04/23/2008, -4/+12Would you call a native of French that only used French 'illiterate?' No? But it's OK for Mexicans, yes?
- Y0tsuya, on 04/23/2008, -2/+10Those who cross the border are often from poor regions with inadequate schools. Many only have a 6th grade education, barely literate by today's standards. The Mexicans who received good schooling earn good money in Mexico and have no incentive to swim the rio grande. They also view farm work as beneath them.
- ieatpizza, on 04/23/2008, -4/+11It's not okay to tell the truth anymore, you might offend someone.
- khedoros, on 07/31/2009, -8/+15Technically, he's correct. You can sugarcoat things however you want, but most of the Mexican workers I've seen speak/read/write little to no English, and don't own the land that they farm.
- Spartycus, on 04/23/2008, -1/+7Thats total crap. If you are hungry, you will find a way to get money, even if you only consider a crumby job as temporary. Americans are no different. In fact, it is arguable that people only have the ability to turn down jobs and not find work because of government intervention and funding.
- commernie, on 04/23/2008, -1/+7You are justifying what he said; at least implicitly. It's quite clear that he meant these workers are ignorant, backwards people. The fact that some definition of the word "peasant" could be applied to these workers is irrelevant (and, by the way, they aren't peasants by the standard definition of the word).
- fridder, on 04/23/2008, -5/+11I worked in a political office in Colorado Springs and can speak from experience that this guy is a conceited ass who just loves to hear himself talk.
- inactive, on 04/23/2008, -2/+7immigrants from mexico come here to work. The whole world hating America is because of Americas attitude that they
are superior to everyone else. Medling into everyones business. That's why every Arab in the world wants to bomb your ass. - dcox2004, on 04/23/2008, -2/+7While it's never fair to generalize, the fact is that millions of Mexicans have come to this country illegally to work. Depending on who you believe it's between 10-30 million. Employment in Mexico is around 97% (though with great underemployment). I don't have numbers to back it up, but I'm guessing it's not the doctors, physicists and rocket scientists that are emigrating here. The only types of jobs I know that are easy to get without proper papers are the jobs no one looks at too closely: construction, car washes, meat packing, migrant field work. In other words, back-breaking manual labor. I wouldn't be surprised if a large percentage of those workers were illiterate in English.
- inactive, on 04/23/2008, -4/+9Do you people think that immigrants illegal or legal refuse to learn English? They try very hard but most of these people are older and it's difficult to learn a different language at a higher age. Most of their kids I'm sure speak English very well.
Another point, is it really ONLY Mexicans who can't learn English? That's where i found his comment racist and hateful. - inactive, on 04/23/2008, -4/+9Illiterate? How can you make an assumption about and entire group of people?
Did you forget this part?
Peasant - a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement - SIRBERUS, on 04/23/2008, -12/+17Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he meant illiterate in regards to Mexicans understanding English... not Mexicans understanding Spanish.
- eth3l, on 04/23/2008, -2/+7The illiterate pesants and those clinging to religion should get together and go bowling.
- inactive, on 04/23/2008, -9/+14Illilterate-having little or no formal education.
Peasant-Laborer on the land.
I see nothing wrong with his comment.
Maybe he should have used his political finesse to soften his wording at least. - Ryan166, on 04/23/2008, -4/+9...but you are literate, so he wasn't talking about you. Unless you used Google translate to type your message?
- trotskyist, on 04/23/2008, -1/+5what?
- dotnetr, on 04/23/2008, -0/+4nice headline police job elliott ness
- marx2k, on 04/23/2008, -11/+15So.. they're illiterate... and they're peasants.... ok... ?
- GOW619, on 04/23/2008, -3/+7you are right.. not many people on digg would last a day... it is needed in the usa... economy depends on it.. and these racist people dont realize that in a few years the "illilterate mexican peasents" are going to be litterate and elite and running the country...
- dotnetr, on 04/23/2008, -0/+4I live in colorado springs. He was on a radio talk show and he gave his phone number over the air so people could call him the day this happened (yesterday). The radio host tried to stop him, however, he said "it's public information since it's in the phone book." This guy is a piece of work!
- GoKings, on 04/23/2008, -3/+7"That's why the Whole World hates America."
Then why are they coming here? - afruff23, on 04/23/2008, -1/+5in the butt
- lineweight, on 04/23/2008, -2/+6the irony is that he just described our commander and chief out on the ranch....
- stoobywon, on 04/23/2008, -1/+5what?
- inactive, on 04/23/2008, -2/+6It's incorrect to form an opinion about someone being illiterate because they work in the field. You don't know them or their education background. Are we to say that all people working at McDonalds are illiterate because they work there?
Did you forget this part?
peasant - a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement. - Y0tsuya, on 04/23/2008, -0/+3A lot of Mexicans didn't receive good schooling, but a lot did. Mexico has its problems, but it's not a 3rd world ***** the wetbacks would led you to believe. They really are giving us their tired and their poor. Talk to a Mexican who doesn't have dirt under his fingernails and you'll understand.
- Tuxbunta, on 04/23/2008, -10/+13I am assuming they can read and write in Spanish. Last time I checked that doesn't really count in mainstream America. Well, it shouldn't count, but we have a lazy ass government too weak to protect America's unity by having one common language.
- Matri, on 04/23/2008, -1/+4what?
- pintomp3, on 04/23/2008, -0/+3because in a lot of 3rd world countries, having an education doesn't automaically land a good job. most of the taxi drivers i've met in bangladesh have a higher education than the average american.
- Y0tsuya, on 04/23/2008, -0/+3What you said has more to do with class, not race.
- GoingPostal, on 04/23/2008, -1/+4I have had to deal with Doug Bruce on occasion and he has to be the biggest jerk I have ever met. He is a slum lord. The military troops at the local bases are prohibited from renting from him. He is even an embarrassment to the Republicans that put him in that office. I do like that he tries to keep taxes in line, but that doesn't negate the fact that he is just a giant *****.
- pintomp3, on 04/23/2008, -4/+7most american workers are the same way..
- GoKings, on 04/23/2008, -14/+17Quick! Somebody call the PC police...
- jhdteacher, on 04/23/2008, -5/+8i work with many spanish-speaking families in south-central los angeles, and the majority of them ARE both illiterate and peasants (and an astonishing percentage don't speak english years later, even though classes are regularly held—for free—at their children's schools)
how dare he? - Nintendesert, on 04/23/2008, -2/+5When I move my ass to Mexico, I'll learn Spanish. When they come here to America, they'll learn English.
- khedoros, on 07/31/2009, -1/+4"Just little judgments like thinking that Mexican busboys should learn to speak goddamn English!"
(Everyone's a little bit racist!) - khedoros, on 07/31/2009, -1/+4And attitudes like yours are part of what gives Mexicans a bad name. The best way to quiet the bigots is to get into the country (legally), and pull yourself up, acting as part of American society.
- vinnyvenus, on 04/23/2008, -9/+12How about some truthful headline for a change "Colorado State Representative Douglas Bruce calls Seasonal Mexican workers illiterate peasants?"
Even though I disagree with his comments will have to bury this story as inaccurate - nonrate, on 04/23/2008, -0/+3Damn goobacks, come in our country and take errr jeeeeebs
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