Exactly what kind of jobs do Blacks not want?

“There is no doubt that Mexicans, filled with dignity, willingness and ability to work, are doing jobs that not even Blacks want to do there in the United States.”

So said Mexican President Vicente Fox recently, speaking before a group of businessmen promoting their continued use of illegal alien labor.

Rather than state the reasons why what he said was a lie, racist, downright insulting and proof positive he has no knowledge of the history of Blacks in this country, I’ll let you make up your own mind based on some actual laws that once applied to Blacks.

Maryland Segregation Policy, 1619 ?”Recommended that Blacks be socially excluded.

Carolina Trade Law, 1688?”Barred Blacks from all trades.

Virginia Public Office Law, 1705 ?”Prohibited Blacks from holding or assuming public office.

Virginia Anti-Assembly Law, 1723?”Impeded Blacks from meeting or having a sense of community.

Virginia Weapons Law, 1723?”Forbade Blacks from keeping weapons.

South Carolina Consolidated Slave Act, 1740?”Forbade Blacks from raising or owning farm animals.

First Naturalization Law, 1790?”Congress declared the United States a white nation.

Maryland Agricultural Law, 1800?”Prohibited Blacks from raising and selling agricultural products.

Ohio Anti Mobility Law, 1804?”Enacted “Black Laws” that restricted Black movement.

Louisiana Jury Law, 1816?”Provided that no Black slave could testify against a white person.

Florida Voting Law, 1827?”Restricted voting to whites.

Kentucky Property Tax Law, 1830?”Taxed Blacks and forbade their voting.

South Carolina Licensing Prohibition, 1830?”Denied free Blacks any kind of business license.

Mississippi Preaching Law, 1831?”Forbade free Blacks from preaching without permission.

Georgia Employment Law, 1833?”Prohibited Blacks from working in jobs requiring reading or writing.

I won’t even speak of the 100 years of Jim Crow laws that followed the end of the Civil War in 1865.

So in this country, Black people have had just the last 40 years to begin to make progress since the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

I am really interested in the jobs that “not even Blacks want to do”. Travel up and down Lake Street and many other factory areas and there are factories operating that do not hire a single Black person from this community. I guess those are the jobs we don’t want.

I attended a banquet lunch at the Sheridan hotel, Saturday before last, and was sickened to see that, out of 75 waiters, only one was Black. I guess those are jobs we don’t want.

I went to the new Rock n’ Roll McDonalds and again there were only two Blacks out of about a hundred workers I could see. I guess those are jobs we don’t want.

Upon leaving the McDonalds the first thing I encountered was four young Black people selling M & Ms. Is that a job Black people want?

When I walked pass the Merchandise Mart there was the “guitar man” begging for change. Is that a job that Black people want? I drove down Grand Avenue and when I got to Division Street, there was a squeegee guy washing car windows. Is that a job Black people want?

Drive up and down many of the streets here in Austin and we have the corner drug boys. Is that a job Black people want? Visit our business districts that have been turned into store-front church rows. Is that the only job Black people want?

Since I began writing this column, Vicente Fox continued to refuse to apologize for his remarks, so we get to hear what he meant via the Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. I wish they would have just stood by and let Fox speak for himself, instead of positioning themselves as the messengers.

Now that is one job I’m sure most Black folks would want them to do!

P.S. While writing this column, an explosion occurred in the 100 block of south Lotus. Most commendable was the report that by the time the fire department got there, Blacks from the neighborhood had already climbed into the building and rescued everyone?”yet we cannot get on the Fire Department. So be careful in agreeing that there are jobs Blacks don’t want, as the predominately white unions will say that is why they don’t have Blacks as well!