Poor people are like animals. If you feed them, they will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves. And if you believe that, you are either dumb or a conservative, likely both.
This nugget of wisdom came from the Facebook page of a Republican candidate for Congress in Arizona’s 3rd District, Gabriela Saucedo Mercer. She must have found this comparison to be of the quality one might describe as epiphanous.
Also this week Jay Nordlinger, of conservative magazine National Review, wrote that conservatives once lamented Ronald Reagan’s growth while in office, which included such things as supporting taxes and welcoming “wetbacks” into the country. Nordlinger was discussing the unfortunate contemporary embrace of Ronald Reagan by modern conservatives as a misplaced icon of true conservatism.
Modern conservatism is what stupid people mistake for deep philosophical thought. It’s thinking without the thinking, and today mostly consists of moral self-stroking through witty denigration of the poor.
In this circular world of conservative wittiness, the beauty in this way of thinking is that poor people deserve to be poor, which conveniently absolves us of our public obligation to them.
Whether it is health care, welfare or immigration, the conservative mantra is that pain is the pathway to righteousness. What incentive will sick people who failed to foresee their pre-existing condition have to get their own insurance if they don’t suffer? How will welfare recipients learn about the dignity of employment if they don’t first appreciate what true hunger is?
Mitt Romney has said as much in his approach to immigration. We need to “turn off the magnets” that attract immigrants to the country. Magnets like jobs, opportunity and hope for a better future. To conservatives, this translates to welfare, a free education and undeserved employment that steal jobs away from Americans.
Latinos have become conservatives’ newest generation of scapegoats to explain the shifting culture of the country, and even those not wrapped in anxiety over the largest demographic shift by Latinos are largely complicit, by accepting words like “wetbacks” to describe Latinos without much complaint.
The rise of Latinos’ youth and energy is the backbone of our economy, and those retiring baby boomers like Nordlinger will soon be dependent on the vitality of this demographic to provide the services and benefits our government has promised them. Yet, instead of investment by a Republican Party who gains 90% of its votes by whites, Latinos are largely seen as a pariah.
Insults easily roll off the tongue of today’s conservatives because if we saw the humanity in our poor and wretched, we’d also feel compelled to treat them as we would ourselves: with compassion.
But soon it will be Latinos, and minorities in general, who will be asked to treat our retiring American neighbors with compassion. Witty animal comparisons won’t be so funny then.
Stephen A. Nuño, Ph.D., NBCLatino contributor and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics and International Affairs at Northern Arizona University. He is currently writing a book on Republican outreach into the Latino Community.
Come to Texas and work with me at a local clinic and then think about what you wrote. Unfortunately we are giving too much to the undocumented and as M says it’s not just Latinos. Is all types of undocumented. Yes, our own citizens take advantage of the welfare system….it’s been an endless battle but I not only do I have to support the homeless, the troops, poor and now undocumented as well. Unfortunately they are not citizens and so they plan to come here and have their American babies on purpose. The problem is rooted in the loopholes of our own government and it bugs me to see a fellow Latino trying to cover the truth. Regardless of the hard work these people do (which is much appreciated) they need to come here legally and do things the right way that’s why WE are the new conservatives scapegoat. And please don’t start with the “this land used to be Mexico” garbage because that happened hundreds of years ago as so did the Englishmen genocide of American Indians which nobody seems to care for!!!
Well said. Everyone will take a handout or shortcut if it’s available and offered to them. We need to stop making welfare systems (which are intended to help those actually in need) so easy to take advantage of. Illegal immigration is but one variable in the equation. It absolutely needs to be addressed but we aslo need to stop the rampant abuse of the system. Stop allowing those who are underserving of such aid to qualify for said programs and it will ease the burden of the taxpayers who are supporting them.
“Latinos” have not become the conservatives’ whipping boy; the hordes of freeloading and criminal ILLEGAL ALIENS, particularly those from Mexico (and Central America) are the bane of contention in the great national debate.
Welfare, food-stamps, Section 8 housing, “free” healthcare and education, and an assortment of other social assistance programs are being ransacked by illegal aliens, and they serve as an incentive for illegal aliens to sneak in here, particularly from Mexico and Central America.
I live in Southern CA, and see countless Mexican women pushing baby carriages, oftentimes with other small children in-tow, all of which they clearly cannot afford and care for. These women are also delivering these ‘anchor-babies’ at no cost to them, and all the bills are being paid for by the taxpayers. Our generous entitlement system is a huge draw for these freeloaders, and it’s better than hitting the lottery for them, since they are assured an 18-year payout for each child they produce. And even worse, we reward them for having more children!
It’s quite common to see them using their EBT cards at grocery stores, and I’ve even seen some get into late model SUV’s sitting in the parking lot, as I did with the case of one young lady who was parked next to me. She was accompanied by what appeared to be her mother, had one small child in her basket, and was pregnant to boot! It’s time we cut off the “free” money and start demanding that the father’s be held responsible. And we certainly shouldn’t reward women for having more babies.
Section 1 of the 14th Amendment needs to be addressed, re-dressed, or repealed. We cannot afford to allow hordes of freeloading foreign nationals to waltz in here illegally, and automatically grant citizenship to babies born to them.
Enough is enough and we need to not only secure the border, but remove ALL incentives for hordes of ILLEGAL ALIENS from sneaking in here, and get those here to self-deport at no cost to the taxpayers. Again, it’s not Latino’s we’re having issues with, it’s ILLEGAL ALIENS, a vast majorithy of whom are here illegally from Mexico.
Greg, I am from Mexico, and I am certain I am contributing more than you are to the economy. I am educated, a business owner, and based on your ridiculous argument which usually comes from someone of little education and a lower class background I am probably contributing 10x what you are to the economy. Being that you are conservative you might appreciate that I, coming from a country that is of a more conservative government than you or your freeloading family can handle, think that only people who are composed of the top ten percent should be able to give an opinion. Maybe you should consider that your children go to school off of the money the government taxes me, and I have no children. Most Americans are techniquely “free loaders” if you really want to examine the situation, and Latinos are do not represent even their demographic in collecting social benefits. So why do not we solve both the problem by taking these away and seeing who thrives. I guarantee you it will not be people like you who blame others for their problems.
Dani, it’s dangerous to make assumptions; you should know that. I’m a COLLEGE educated, highly skilled PROFESSIONAL, working first for in aerospace (space programs), and now in the biotech industry (medical devices) that are essential to women’s health and the nation’s blodd supply. I also served a career in this great nation’s military (retired, with two tours to the combat zone), as did previous generations of my ancestors, most of whom came BEFORE the Revolutionary War, with the rest during the mid-19th century.
And speaking of that, I’m sure you’re intelligent enough to understand that the US and Mexico share similar history’s; we were both ‘discovered’ and settled by European’s (US-Britain, Mexico-Spanish) and our countries had indigenous people (Indians) who were affected. Yet, we can certainly see the vast differences in our two nations, can’t we? While we’ve put men on the moon and sent space vehicles to the furthest reaches of the solar system and even landing craft to the moons of other planets, Mexico is mired in disgusting, 3rd world status, that’s rife with rampant crime, corruption, chaos, murder, mayhem, kidnappings, rapes, extortion and disgusting cartel violence. Oh, and I’m sure you’re going to blame us, right? Pah-leeze!
So, please spare me and others with the assumptions and rhetoric. You’re here for a reason, and it doesn’t take a ‘rocket-scientist’ to understand Mexicans are bringing their unacceptable “cultural norms” including freeloading and criminal behaviors here. Plenty of us patriotic, hard-working American citizens are disgusted and fed up. And if you’re a citizen, you should be too, because our quality of life and national identity is being destroyed. No, we’re not against immigration; it’s the invasion of lawless, freeloading illegal aliens that refuse to assimilate that’s the most disturbing.
“The rise of Latino’s youth and energy is the backbone of our economy”… yeah right… if true then the USA is worse off then anyone imagined… and “We need to “turn off the magnets” that attract ILLEGAL immigrants to the country”…there, fixed it for you.
It is hardly that “pain is the pathway to righteousness” but all citizens, rich or poor, need to learn to be self sufficient and not wholly relient on Big Brother. And I don’t agree that we need to “turn off the magnets” that attract immigrants, as this country was, and is, built upon the labor of all classes of people. However, ILLEGAL immigration is a serious issue and is not limited to hispanics. People who immigrate here legally should be afforded all the same opportunities as other citizens. Illegal immigrants should not be rewarded for their efforts in crossing the border with healthcare, welfare, education, or any other type of aid and they ARE creating undue burdens for taxpaying Americans
Sh*t article with no substance.
Ironic that Saucedo Mercer is a first-generation American citizen from Mexico. I had the chance to interact with her via email about her posting, which she admitted to deleting after it went viral. She also sent us a statement that was published. She was quite professional in her interaction with me, but I was struck by the statement saying that is was “you people” who are the root of the cause.
Nice piece. Profesor Chingón.