Coronavirus Politics Pt. 3 — The Rabbit Hole of Conspiracies — Don’t forget the Farmworkers
It seems to be that one of the groups of people continuously forgotten about are the hardworking immigrants of the country. It is clear that the majority of immigrants are essential workers and working the frontlines. They are your health care workers, grocery store clerks, cleaning staff, farmworkers, etc. They all came here for a better life. Yet here they are, risking their lives every day during this pandemic and rarely, if ever being supplied any protective equipment or PPE. Never before were they truly ever thanked or looked up to. Now they are seen as our saviors. In reality they are still living paycheck to paycheck. They do not have the luxury or privilege to work from home. Not only are they seen as essential workers but they also need to keep their careers to pay their bills and possibly receive the small healthcare package they qualify for.
Something else that has caught my eye is that we continue to praise ourselves for doing the bare minimum. The state of California is attempting to pass a bill which will provide $500 in place of the stimulus package for undocumented people since they did not qualify for the $1200 federal aid. I understand, well, at least they are getting something right? But, they are working just as hard if not harder than you, paying the same taxes as you, and probably escaped something tougher than you did only to be seen as lesser of a person. In my opinion, the $500 is just something to make a politician look good but nothing more than that. Other countries have decided to grant people seeking asylum and citizenship their status at least on a temporary basis, because it is seen as safer for everyone in the population. However, here in the United States, we are deporting more people, continuing to put more lives at risk, and ICE is continuing to do raids. Why do we continue to scare people seeking a better life in such an already anxiety striking time? This could also cause greater issues considering the US is being much more lenient in regards to lock downs than other countries and they are deporting people who are infected with the virus. This is unsafe for all people involved. This also defeats the whole purpose. Why have so many “shelter in place” orders and yet you are continuing to move people involuntarily? This is so contradictory and you have to wonder how the virus spreads so fast.
Consider this the next time you eat that avocado, who harvested that for you? I am sure it was that farmworker in California without protective gear fearing everyday they might contract Covid-19. They may have also stacked your shelves at your local grocery store. Yet here you are privileged, not even thinking about what lives the people who provide your food for you might be living. Next time, be thankful that they “stole our jobs” because last I checked I didn’t see anyone now on unemployment volunteering to go out to the farm fields.
