Cinco de Mayo

[Ted Samsel]

DDassinger sez:
> 
> Unlike California, there doesn't seem to be any organized movement in
> Texas to restrict immigration from the south. Texans just love those
> mes'cuns, as long as they are doing landscape work or roofing.

And many of us are related by marriage to at least several Mexican
families. Both of my brothers-in-law graduated from high schools
in San Antonio and didn't get citizenship until after they had
served a couple of tours in Nam.

> There was actually a tv news feature a while back where businessmen
> were stating that they valued the cheap (and illegal) labor source.
> Everywhere I have worked in Dallas has had management that refered
> to the mexican population as  folks that can be given shit jobs
> and who won't complain about being ripped off for over-time.

But they work much harder and are more skilled in construction than
your average bolillo (whiteboy) new hire. Try workin' on a roof in
August in Dallas sometime, hoss. And the Mexicans may not be "Mexicans".
A lot nowadays are Salvadorenos, Guates, etc.

> When discussions about staff happen, they are referred to as
> "the mexicans" as if they are a seperate unit from the rest.
> Also, alot of urban anglo texans are not from here (like myself,
> thank God).

Speak for yourself. Austin's been so Californicated that locals 
like myself have left for other parts of the country for jobs
that allow advancement and a modicum of pay raises.
> 
> Did you folks know that the Juneteenth celebration here commemerates
> the freeing of the slaves in Texas- 2 years after the rest of the
> country? Seems the folks in charge at the time managed to keep it
> a "secret" that long. 

No. This is wrong. Juneteenth is the anniversary of the freeing of the
slaves after the cessation of hostilities during the War of Northron
Aggro. They were freed in June of 1865. Appomattox (just an hour or so's
drive from here) occurred in April of the same year. Juneteenth was
the decision of the UNION commander in Reconstruction Era Texas. I
think that the same order freed the slaves in Louisiana several months
at the end of the war.

A former employer (anglo)couldn't understand why
> my entire staff (mostly anglo)refused to serve watermelon. 

To whom?

Ted Samsel....tejas at infi.net 
  "I want the frimfram sauce with the orson-fay
         and chifaffa on the side...."