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Mississippi State Hispanic Opinion Survey
By Charles Martin | March 3, 2009
I just got a call from a nice lady in Starkville, MS. She was at the University of Mississippi. They are doing a survey that asks questions about Americans and their love of (or not of) Hispanics. The survey lasted 15 minutes. A lot longer than you would have held on. I was about to quit a few times. I’m glad I stayed.
After the survey, which was full of what the interviewer and I deemed “racist sounding” questions (“Do you denote Hispanics by their facial features, their clothing, their cars or…”) but actually GOOD questions, I asked her details about what she was hearing. She said the survey was sponsored by Mississippi State and The University of Mexico City. She also said they had 1500 calls to make and that 600 had answered. I was expecting (coming from my stereotype of what a Southerner might answer… see we all have them) that she’d say it was OK that most Americans are racist but she said they weren’t. She said the numerous questions that ask if you’ve been displaced by a Hispanic worker or if the government was doing enough on these “bad guys” were answered in better than higher moral terms. That pleased me greatly.
I told her that my “employees” like Santiago the garden expert were probably some of the finest human beings I’ve encountered in my 43 years. Finer than dignitaries in big cities. Finer than a few priests I’ve met. I don’t usually use the Hothead pulpit for politics but I hope our country can figure out how to finally handle the workers that really do want to do a better job. Santiago loves my place. I see it in his eyes and how he sees the same tiny blade of grass out of place like I do. He’s always early to work. He stays outside without lunch or water (which I offer a lot) and he can’t stand sitting at home when his wife is at work on the weekend. He wants to work. Period. I’m certain that his beginning place is not as “neat” as my place, but I bet you’d feel as if it was if you went there.
Oh… and by the way, no Caucasian workers laid off from local jobs have asked Santiago to take over the gritty job he does out in the heat every day for a big landscape firm. I doubt they ever will.
Topics: Greats in business, New S*it | No Comments »