Talk of the Town: "Compassion for day laborers has its limits"
Dan Pederson makes some good points about what it's like for the business neighbors, and writes with some intelligence and sensitivity. Overall I think he's got the wrong end of the stick, though. Do the would-be workers deserve the blame, or should we be looking more closely at ourselves for creating the conditions that force them into an underground economy? Are we looking at causes here, or consequences?
There's another response to Dennis Duvall in the letters section, too.
3 comments:
steven ,this guy aint holding the wrong end of a stick ,he's stuck holding the bag. The societal self examination is a good big picture suggestion but whats this guy supposed to do in the meantime?
what would you do in his shoes?
=> what would you do in his shoes?
I'd start by seeing which individuals are bugging me and which are not, rather than broad-brushing everyone, and deal with them in a normal manner. There's no special protection for a drunk singing on my porch just because he's illegal or looking for day work. Next I'd look for a way to resolve my needs for an orderly neighborhood with the needs of the would-be workers, rather than write the Courier complaining that no one's made them disappear for me. Practical questions have to be asked. Why is this happening on this spot and not somewhere else? Why is the nearby center not working? What better options are available? How could the rest of the neighborhood be usefully involved? etc. i don't know the answer, but I know that the process of finding it has to be a lot smarter.
great, so give Dan Pederson these potentialy usefull suggestions via the same medium that he used ( the courier).
and lets see if a solution can be reached useing your methods.
what do we have to lose?
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