Here is the unedited e-mail:
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Subject: FW: THIS IS SCARY
If you can look at this picture, read the sign and
NOT pass this on . . . SHAME ON YOU!
Take a good look at the sign he is holding!
Ok all you ' fighters for illegal immigrants' rights. Here is one of the reasons we have a problem with it. As the ones that have to pay for thewelfare of these immigrants, depriving the natural citizens . One of the several reasons the U . S . A . is falling apart.
"Getter Done Arizona " !
Enough said.
Boy-oh-Boy, this needs to travel around the U.S.A. Don't let it die folks.
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Needless to say, this e-mail landed in the hands of The Hispanic Sociologist.
It's time for...
The Sociologist's Perspective
Looking at the photo, you first notice the sign being held by the man in the black shirt. Note how the sign looks it was written by a child. The handwriting is not well and the grammar is not great either. Assuming the man made the sign, you can discern that he does not know proper English. And assuming he is from Mexico, he does not know what life Americans live. Perhaps he believes Americans have these benefits, but we don't. Assuming that he doesn't know, who is going to educate him if he does not know proper English.
"You owe us AMERICA". Why? Well let's look at the working condition of farm workers.
According the National Farm Worker Ministry, working conditions for farm workers are harsh since the workers are constantly exposed to harmful pesticides without protection, experience high heat temperatures while working for several hours under the sun, lack water supply, adequate toilets, soap, and other supplies which create a safe and healthy work environment. Plus they get paid low wages for a days work. (For more info on these conditions, check out the link to the National Farm Worker Ministry: Harsh Working Conditions)
Currently there is a story making headlines on Univison and in California about a immigrant farm worker who suffered from such harsh conditions. A 17 year old immigrant farm worker named Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez died of heat exhaustion while working in the field. You can read the full story here:Teen Farmworker's Heat Death Sparks Outcry
.
Even though her death happened in 2008, it is making current headlines because her family has taken the case to court citing the working conditions which led to Maria's death. The final punishment set by the judge onto Maria's former employers is "probation, community service, and a $1,000 fine". This judgement has started an outcry amongst farm workers and especially the United Farm Workers of America. (Read the story here: Plea deal in farm worker's death sparks protest
.)
Now knowing about these harsh working conditions and what they can lead to, it makes sense why this man in the photo believes "AMERICA" owes him. Perhaps he too worked in such conditions and wants some compensation. Perhaps he has family currently working in the fields and he is speaking out for them.
Now as for his statement of "We will shoot more police in Arizona until we get free" is way out of line. There is no reason to shoot people to get a point across. However, this statement shows the degree of frustration this man has experienced. When dealing with a great amount of frustration, logical reasoning can be clouded and misguided leading to such statements to be proclaimed. The statement also contains bad grammar which supports the theory that the man does not know proper English.
That's what I have to say about the photo. Now as for the e-mail itself... Any statement that is followed by "Getter done" cannot be taken seriously. The photograph is a serious matter; however, the text in the e-mail is not.
According to Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development, there are 3 levels of moral development people posses which are Pre-Conventional, Conventional, and Post-Conventional.
Pre-Conventional people judge actions based on their direct consequences. For example, a boy eats a cookie because it tastes good or a boy does not write on the walls because he will get placed in time out.
Conventional people judge actions based on society's view on those said actions. An example of this is a teenager not stealing a skateboard from Wal-Mart because he knows the act of stealing is against the law and frowned upon by society. These people also view people who break the law are guilty for breaking it despite what reasons led the individual to break said law.
Post-Conventional people are aware that everyone is different and social views are abstract. In other words, a poor man steals expensive medicine from a pharmacy that will save his child from dying. He knows he can't afford it and knows it's wrong to steal, but he does so anyways because he wants to preserve the life of his dying daughter. The poor man is considered to be at a Post-Coventional level.
The person who wrote this e-mail clearly is a Conventional moral reasoner because he or she just looked at the photo and literally judged the book by it's cover. This same person would believe the father in my example is guilty and must pay the penalty for stealing medicine for his dying daughter. This person clearly does not analyze a situation and cannot understand why it's occurring.
This photo and e-mail is a prime example of jumping to conclusions and not analyzing a situation. Look at the photo and think about what social problems that led up to it. Sometimes you have to see each piece of the puzzle before you know what the finished product is.
Seriously. Look at the photo and ask yourself what elements or situations could have culminated that would lead this man to carry such a sign. Go on now. "Getter done!"
