Democrats must treat Latino immigrants as more than cheap labor
A resurfaced video shows Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett saying the U.S. needs immigrants to “pick cotton,” a remark that has prompted backlash.
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett is celebrated among Democratic voters for her straightforward communication style and her inability to hold back punches. While Democrats could benefit from a fighter like her in Congress, Crockett has at times been undermined by avoidable missteps.
An older video of the congresswoman re-appeared on social media this week and prompted backlash from voters. In the video, Crockett is defending the concept of immigration. I want to stop here to give her credit for taking the correct position on this issue. The problem, however, lies with the comments she made after supporting immigration. Speaking to a church crowd, Crockett asked the audience to raise their hands if they want to pick cotton. After nobody raised their hands, Crockett responded by saying “you not, we done picking cotton.” She went on to say, “you can’t pay us enough to find a plantation.”
As a Latino who grew up in South Texas, I find her closing comments to be quite offensive. This is the same justification for immigration that we hear from the far-right Koch brothers, who see immigrants as nothing more than subhuman laborers. Latinos and Latino immigrants can and do offer more to this country than just cheap and expendable labor.
Congresswoman Crockett is absolutely right to say that Black Americans are done picking cotton, because we should never again return to a period in time where a minority group was subjected to the horrendous and inhumane treatment of Chattel Slavery and indentured servitude. Why then, would Crockett want another ethnic or religious group to serve as that same cheap labor?
Congresswoman Crockett is witty, incredibly intelligent, and accomplished in her professional career, which makes her comments all-the-more disappointing to me and many other Latinos after they resurfaced. That being said, I personally do not find Crockett’s comments disqualifying, but I do hope she understands why this rhetoric is unacceptable and look forward to seeing her meet with Latino groups in the future.