MexicanLabour Day

Today is Mexican Labour Day. It is a statutory holiday for all Mexicans. This year it is also being used to protest the US administration's policies and American attitudes towards the Mexican migrant workers. Recently the Bush administration announced the construction of a wall between the US and Mexico, to stop illegal migrant workers entering the country. Additionally, in the US there is a lot of prejudice against Hispanics, that they are shifty and lazy. Many Americans also feel threatened by Mexicans taking jobs from them, even though these are jobs that those Americans wouldn't take themselves. So today, to show how much Mexicans contribute to the American economy, no Mexicans in the US are working today, or buying anything. Also nobody is buying anything here that was made in the US, or produced by an American Company, such as, for example, Coca Cola. There are also demonstrations being held. Many Americans living here side with the Mexicans. We hear the stories of how the illegal migrant workers live. They pay taxes, but receive no benefits, and are eligible for no social programs. Many of them live in poverty, with very poor living conditions. Not to mention the fear of being caught and deported, and the stress of having to live underground. America, for many Mexicans represents opportunity, and a living wage that they can send home to support their families who have no other source of income, or opportunity here. However, often migrant workers end up staying in the States, and beginning new families there. They stop sending money home, and whole families here drop into such poverty that we can't even imagine it in Canada. There was supposed to be a demonstration this morning at 11, in the main Jardin, and a march to the American Consulate on Hernandez Macias Street, and I decided to go. At first, I thought, well, it's not my issue, it's between the US and Mexico. But then I decided that wherever there is injustice, it is everybody's business, and so off I went. Apparently, the demonstration was held somewhere else, or some other time, or, and this is unimaginable: it actually started on time, and I was a few moments late arriving (part of the cultural aclimation). Ah well. I went shopping for a pair of shoes instead. Mexican shoes of course! ;> Hasta la Vista, Jacquie