Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Black Unemployment and the Trauma of Joblesss
Last night, I find myself in a strange place that I had once vowed to never visit. Sometime between dinner and nightmare, I was strolling through Genesee Valley Mall and I ran into an old college buddy. I'll call her Carol (she's black) for her anonymity. She surprised me by informing me of her husband of two small children. I never thought she would ever go Leave-it-to-Beaver, but I was glad for her. After five minutes of the tradition five-years-after-college banter, she mentioned that her husband had been laid off from and had been out of work for over 7 months. Carol mentioned something that I had almost completely ignored this year. She told me that half of the people in her family was either underemployed or unemployed.
Unemployment in America is affecting all races and economic classes, but blacks seem to be getting hit hard than any group. Why is unemployment higher among blacks?
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North Carolina has about 22% "blacks" or about 2 million. NC also (at least until the recession) had an estimated 600,000 illegal "hispanics."
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think there are so many illegals here? They don't all work in "agriculture," though they are definitely the key farm labor in our farm counties. In Raleigh here we see them doing landscaping, construction, road repair. Today I saw sidewalks being laid and trawled. All "hispanic," no blacks. Routine to see 95% "hispanic" crew doing Interstate highway contruction with a few "whites" sprinkled in.
Now take note of this article (google the phrase since your blog won't allow URL pasting):
'Snapshot of Black population in North Carolina'
Looks like it was posted in 13 Nov 2007 out of the News and Observer newspaper here in Raleigh (very very LIBERAL and politically correct rag).
Look at what the claim is that "blacks cost" the state. Those were the "good times" of 3.5 - 4% unemployment!
How can "hispanics" from all over Latin America, lucky to on-average have a 5th grade education, can't speak English when they get off the bus, gain such a foothold?
I drive down the street today to the MacDonalds and there are two black "supervisors" and the rest are "hispanics." I drive over to the Wendy's on Western Blvd or out in RTP and the store crew including supervisors is 100% "hispanic." And the service is FAST!
I can easily find "hispanic" tiendas (grocery store) and Indian stores and restaurants, even in "white" parts of Raleigh.
But I can't find "black" equivalent businesses.
I remember when I came to Raleigh in 1985 and there were NO HISPANICS.
What happened, Reggie?
I go to the laudromat and the "hispanics" are EITHER riding bicycles or driving 4x4 TRUCKS. I can tell who has been here a couple years and who just got off the bus from Mexico.
No papers, no welfare, no english, but ALL of the stores, auto-dealers, restaurants, make it absolutely clear that "hispanic" dollars are welcome in their stores: they all have prominent employees to help out if all you speak is Spanish, whether it is the autoparts store or buying floor coverings or insurance or BestBuy!
"Why is unemployment higher among blacks?"
You think "whites" love "hispanics? Or because they can "exploit" the "hispanics?"
I've heard people call into the local News&Talk program on from 3-6 p.m. (1) Happy to employ "hispanics" because they show up for work everyday and WORK! (2) Happy to pay them 2x-3x the Minimum Wage because ... they show up for work and they GET THE JOB DONE!
BTW those same contractors don't want "white" North Carolinians: they say so directly. Never even mention what they think of "black" North Carolinians.
You tell me, Reggie, what is going on?
Two weeks back a "hispanic" guy at the launromat asked me a couple of questions in Spanish. I just nodded: I don't speak it.
Then he said in English: Why can't you speak Spanish when it is such an important language in the Americas?
I said: when I worked illegally in Mexico, my colleagues SpanGlais was good enough for me to communicate. And practising Hebrew is more improtant to me.
So Reggie? Why is unemployment among "blacks" so high, higher than it used to be after slavery, after Reconstruction, after the Great Migration North in the 40s, 50s and 60s (which I witnessed-the 60s).
What is being sifted out?