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Old 07-16-2004, 05:56 PM
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Default Orphans and the elderly in Mexico

I just found out that one of my nieces is on a two-week volunteer trip with this organization. Apparently there are a lot of orphans and elderly people living in abject poverty in the town of Agua Prieta, just south of the Arizona border. I guess it's common that Mexican men are persuaded to cross the border in search of better living in America, often leaving wives, children and elderly folks behind, so this Ranchofeliz group helps them help themselves. Follow the link for more info. :)
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Old 07-16-2004, 06:13 PM
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Default Re: Orphans and the elderly in Mexico

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I guess it's common that Mexican men are persuaded to cross the border in search of better living in America, often leaving wives, children and elderly folks behind
Sooo....a better life means leaving their wives, children and parents behind, never to return? How convenient for them!

(I am still reading the site)

-Scott
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Old 07-16-2004, 09:23 PM
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Default Re: Orphans and the elderly in Mexico

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Originally Posted by Scotty
Sooo....a better life means leaving their wives, children and parents behind, never to return? How convenient for them!
What, that doesn't sound better to you? :D

Seriously, though, I suspect many of them think they'll come to America and immediately start rolling in cash and then be able to come back to help their families, but then find that money doesn't actually grow on trees here. Then again I'm sure some are just "Deadbeat Dad" types. :(
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Old 07-16-2004, 09:36 PM
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Default Re: Orphans and the elderly in Mexico

You know, the whole situation sucks.
I sometimes can't understand why anybody in the world has to suffer like that when it is possible to help. Just because it wouldn't gain any money to do so, keeps it from happening.

We (in the USA) get paid so much money and expect the cheapest prices, that companies need to find less expensive labor to supply it. Whether coming over the border or sending it overseas. We want a rich lifestyle, we get into debt (because the banks are more then happy to lend the money) but want everything handed to us for pennies.

I wish I had a solution.

-Scott
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Old 07-23-2004, 02:20 AM
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Default Re: Orphans and the elderly in Mexico

My niece came back alive. Seems like she had a good time. :)
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Old 07-23-2004, 03:33 AM
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Default Re: Orphans and the elderly in Mexico

My mother's father left his wife (my mother's mother) and 2 kids back in Mexico to come to Los Angeles to make a better life (that, plus, if I understand it correctly, he was on some politico's shit list). He sent money back to the family for several years as he built up several small businesses and finally a restaurant, at which time he sent for his wife and two kids to move here.

In the meantime, he had a kid by another woman here in Los Angeles.

He lived with my mother's mother and kids after that, but continued to support the second woman and kid. My mother and her brother were born here in Los Angeles after their mother moved to join her husband.

(No real point to that story except as anecdotal evidence that such things do happen.)
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Old 07-23-2004, 03:39 AM
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Default Re: Orphans and the elderly in Mexico

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Originally Posted by pescifish
(No real point to that story except as anecdotal evidence that such things do happen.)
Seems like a good enough point to me. :)
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Old 07-23-2004, 04:01 AM
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Default Re: Orphans and the elderly in Mexico

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Originally Posted by Scotty
We (in the USA) get paid so much money and expect the cheapest prices, that companies need to find less expensive labor to supply it. Whether coming over the border or sending it overseas. We want a rich lifestyle, we get into debt (because the banks are more then happy to lend the money) but want everything handed to us for pennies.

I wish I had a solution.

-Scott
What solution is needed? What's wrong with wanting the world for pennies? It's basic human greed and I don't see that changing. Immigrants aren't coming here because they have issues with how we in the US operate, they are coming here because they want to operate the same way.

I think lots of Americans have guilt complexes over living in a nation where we have things figured out economically speaking so we hate ourselves.

Seriously, we look at fucked up nations with corrupt governments where everyone is poor and we blast ourselves because we aren't doing enough to help them.

We look at problems in the world and lament not doing enough to resolve those problems.

In the mean time we enjoy a high standard of living and generally have cushy lives. Why feel guilty about it? Enjoy it and try to be good and generous with others.
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Old 07-25-2004, 08:58 AM
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Default Re: Orphans and the elderly in Mexico

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Originally Posted by dantonac
I think lots of Americans have guilt complexes over living in a nation where we have things figured out economically speaking so we hate ourselves.
I wouldn't say we have it figured out. If we had it all figured out I'd think we'd be working 20 hour weeks (or less) and everyone in the country would have food, shelter, clothes, healthcare, etc.

Quote:
Seriously, we look at fucked up nations with corrupt governments where everyone is poor and we blast ourselves because we aren't doing enough to help them.

We look at problems in the world and lament not doing enough to resolve those problems.
It's not that I don't think we do enough to help other countries, it's that we seem to do a fair amount to hurt them for our own convenience. For example, I remember reading somewhere once that it's a common practice for landowners in South America to raise cattle to sell to American fast food companies. This makes the landowner wealthy, but it does nothing for his community. And it works only because we can (and will) pay him more for the cows than the people in his community can. Obviously I'm no economist and I'm using an example of something I have no research to back up, but I suspect this sort of thing is widespread. It seems to be common sense.

Quote:
In the mean time we enjoy a high standard of living and generally have cushy lives. Why feel guilty about it? Enjoy it and try to be good and generous with others.
Again, I don't feel as guilty about leading a cushy life as I do about depriving others of basic survival in order to do so. I definitely agree, though, that we should try to enjoy life and be good and generous with others.
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