Do you think that we have a lousy entitlement attitude when it comes to
wanting a living wage from a hard, backbreaking job like construction?
Like wanting a workplace where the hazards are brought to a minimum, so
a worker doesn't have to risk life and limb for a minimum-wage job?
Like wanting a fair share of the profits from a job where you labored to
make a profit for the contractor?

Most of the workplace accidents and deaths in the US today are among the
hard-working Mexicans who either don't know or don't care about working
safe on the job, or from their bosses who either don't encourage them to
work safe or won't let them work safe (it impacts the bottom line too
much to work safe).

If you say that wanting to work safely and get a decent living wage is a
sign of a lousy entitlement attitude, what sort of attitude is it when
the bosses break the law every which way - inadequate health and
workplace safety training and precautions, hiring illegal workers, etc.?
Why do you stick up for the interests of the bosses against the
American worker each and every time?

Brad Fayette wrote:

Daniel B. Martin wrote:

USENET READER wrote:


I have seen the houses in my neighborhood these Mexicans build - they
do work like dogs, and about as smart as one too! They are only
there because they work cheap and not smart. They don't put
housewrap behind the siding, and they don't seal or flash the
windows, etc.



A friend bought a house in one of those large subdivisions where they
build not one house at a time but a whole street at a time. He
looked at a model house, liked it, and signed a contract. He and I
watched every step of the construction, starting with ground breaking.

I am not "in the biz" but have a lifelong interest in residential
construction and can tell good from bad. The framing crew was 100%
Mexican and I was worried about workmanship. However I was pleased
to see them do everything carefully and "right." These guys were
skilled. They worked quickly but there was no sloppiness, no
improper shortcuts taken.

Carpenters who omit housewrap or flashing are doing what the boss told
them to do. Mexican, Anglo, or other, you have to do what the boss
says. If the boss provides substandard materials, who is to blame?
Not the carpenter.

Daniel B. Martin


You are absolutly correct. The people who come here from Mexico are by
and large very hard working and industrious. More so than many
Americans with their lousy entitlement attitudes. Frank Zappa put it
pretty well:

"I'm a moron 'n' this is my wife
She's frosting a cake
With a paper knife
All what we got here's
American made
It's a little bit cheesey,
But it's nicely displayed
Well we don't get excited when it
Crumbles 'n' breaks
We just get on the phone
And call up some Flakes
They rush on over
'N' wreck it some more
'N' we are so dumb
They're linin' up at our door
Well, the toilet went crazy
Yesterday afternoon
The plumber he says
"Never flush a tampoon!"
This great information
Cost me half a week's pay
And the toilet blew up
Later on the next day"

and I don't think he was talking about Mexicans.