New Haven Independent

‘Crabs In A Basket’? Group Says No

by Thomas MacMillan | March 25, 2009 8:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (25)

A crowd gathered in a leading black church to dispel a social doctrine: that the immigration issue must divide the Latino and African-American communities.

The 40 people in the Beulah Heights Church on Orchard Street on Tuesday night participated in an interactive lecture by Dr. Kenneth Brown (pictured), a diversity training consultant based in Maryland. The event, entitled “Crabs In A Basket,” was designed to question the commonly held notion that immigrants are taking jobs away from Americans, particularly black Americans.

The issue has had partiular resonance in New Haven, where immigrant-friendly policies over the past two years have led a small group of local African-Americans to advance that notion in the black community with the help of a white suburban group called the Community Watchdog Project.

The thesis of Brown’s presentation was that the concept of race has been used throughout American history by those in power to pit immigrants against each other and against blacks, for the purposes of continued economic exploitation.

Murmurs of agreement and calls of “Amen” arose from the audience as Brown unpacked his topic, drawing those in attendance into an animated and wide-ranging discussion that lasted over two hours.

The halleleujah chorus wasn’t unanimous. Alan Felder, a local anti-illegal-immigrant activist and member of the Community Watchdog Project, acted as a foil for the discussion. He argued that undocumented immigrants are contributing to the marginalization of African-Americans by illegally taking jobs and working for low wages. He failed to win many converts at the event. But he did offer a vocal counterpoint to the main speakers, and added an element of debate to the evening.

Brown’s speaking engagement was arranged by his son Kenneth Brown Jr., a Chicago- based activist who has been in New Haven since last fall working on the issue of immigration and anti-immigration “nativism.” Brown Jr. said that he was drawn to New Haven because of the city’s bold ID card plan and because of the work of the Community Watchdog Project. New Haven is only one of a few cities with a standing order forbidding police from inquiring into people’s immigration status in most instances.

Fighting Over Crumbs

Every successive immigrant group coming to America has faced racism and exploitation, Dr. Brown said. Irish, Italian, and Jewish immigrants were not initially considered to be “white” when they arrived in the U.S. These groups faced harassment and discrimination for sometimes several generations before they were accepted and “became” white and join those in power, Brown said. This fact, Brown argued, shows just how fluid the notion of race is.

Except, that is, when it comes to African-Americans.

Because of the color of their skin and the legacy of slavery, blacks in America have remained at the most disenfranchised end of the racial spectrum in the United States. American capitalists, said Brown, have exploited this situation to pit immigrants against blacks in the contest for jobs, respect, and power. Among many examples, Brown mentioned Henry Ford, who he said brought blacks from the South to work in his auto plants when his Irish workers went on strike, thus maintaining low wages for all his workers.

The way to counteract this mutual exploitation, Brown explained, is for oppressed groups to work together. For instance, under Henry Ford, “the strength of the United Auto Workers was inversely proportional to its own racist attitudes.” That is, as soon as the union let black workers in, “Henry Ford lost his juice.”

Too often, Brown said, instead of joining with immigrants to fight for their common interests, disadvantaged groups point fingers, accusing immigrants of taking all the jobs. When this happens, the root causes of the problem are left unexplored.

“Instead of asking why they’re coming here, or asking why Latin America is in the economic condition it’s in… instead of having those conversations, we’re talking about undocumented immigrants taking our jobs.” Brown said.

“Are immigrants really taking your jobs in New Haven?” Brown asked the audience.

“I say yes,” said Alan Felder (pictured), a plumber. Asked to give an example, Felder mentioned the construction of the Wintergreen apartments in Westville. “No one from the community was working on that project,” he said, explaining that it was all Latino immigrant workers.

“And prior to that, it was all blacks?” Brown asked.

“No that never happens,” Felder said.

“You saw mostly Latinos but you couldn’t tell me what it’d look like if those Latinos weren’t there?” Brown asked.

“They dominate every trade but the licensed trades,” Felder said.

“Who dominated before the immigrants did?” Brown asked.

“Before it was Canadians, doing all the sheetrocking,” Felder said.

“And before that?” Brown asked.

“I was too young,” Felder said, explaining that he couldn’t remember.

“Whites were there before,” said a woman.

“What kind of whites?” Felder asked.

“Italians…. Irish,” the group responded.

“The point is this,” Brown said, “it’s cyclical, everybody gets to be exploited, but everybody pays their dues and gets to be white, except blacks.”

Paying dues means being exploited, Brown explained. For immigrants, it means working long hours in low-paying jobs, or paying into social security without receiving the benefits of the system.

Bishop Theodore Brooks, the pastor of Beulah Heights church, recalled hiring a building contractor who employed a crew of Brazilian immigrants who worked around the clock. “They were being exploited,” Brooks said.

This exploitation of immigrants will continue as long as African-Americans don’t work with immigrants to secure better working conditions for both groups, Brown argued. “As long as you don’t do that [they] can exploit all of you,” Brown said.

“It’s a crumbs-on-a-table kind of thing,” he went on. “There ought to be enough jobs for everyone.”

Who’s Not Hardworking?

Bringing the issue to a global level, Brown engaged in a dialogue with Mexican activist Marco Antonio Castillo (at left in photo). From central Mexico, Castillo is an organizer with Mexican immigrants in the U.S. and their families in south of the border.

“The roots of immigration are in the exploitation in my country,” Castillo said.

“Many of the [Mexican-American] people here in New Haven were harvesting their own corn 20 years ago,” Castillo continued. He said a post-NAFTA “invasion of American corn” into Mexico flooded the market and put Mexican farmers out of work, forcing them to emigrate to the U.S. to find work. As a result, Castillo said, many communities in Mexico are almost entirely without men of working age.

“These are men that left their families and came thousands of miles to work and send money home so their families can have a better life,” Brown said, praising such immigrants as “exceptional” and “hardworking” people.

“Can we have an honest dialogue?” asked Felder, who interpreted Brown’s remarks as comparative. “Are you saying that I’m not hardworking? That’s what it sounds like.”

“No, no, no,” Brown said. Studies have found that African-Americans have historically worked more for less pay than other groups, he said. “Nobody has worked harder than black people.” Immigrants work hard in the U.S. because their economic conditions force them to, Brown contended.

Come Together?

“New Haven, you have to come together. Black, white and brown.” Brown said in closing. “Work out an agenda and a set of priorities…. When the so-called powers that be see that you’re doing that, things will change.”

Brown’s sentiments were echoed by many at the meeting. Members of the audience spoke about misplaced blame put on the “exploited rather than on the exploiters,” creating a “race to the bottom” as different groups undercut other’s wages.

Alan Felder didn’t join the emerging consensus.

“I understand the point of coalition, but I don’t see blacks coming together,” he told the group. He said African-Americans needed to have solidarity within themselves before they could join with other groups.

After the lecture, Felder said that the discussion hadn’t changed his mind: “It will never change my thinking in terms of illegal immigration.” Where others at the meeting called for the reform of immigration laws, Felder advocated simply enforcing existing laws.

“I’m an advocate for blacks in New Haven,” Felder said. “We haven’t come together yet in the city of New Haven. So how is it possible” to join with immigrants?

Castillo said after the meeting that his organization has already begun to create connections with African-American activists, like Barbara Fair, who was also at the lecture.

Share this story

Share |

Comments

Posted by: Bill | March 25, 2009 9:50 AM

Were Brown and Castillo paid to attend this to share their agenda?

Posted by: True New Havener | March 25, 2009 10:44 AM

What an interesting dialogue and quite informative. Sorry I had to miss it.

Great to have real issues discussed intelligently without people yelling at each other or throwing up fake arguments and facts.

Congratulations to Bishop Brooks for hosting this event and to Mr. Brown for such a valuable way of looking at the issue.

Posted by: lance | March 25, 2009 11:00 AM

if you're black or latino an you bust your ass to make a better life for yourself in the U.S. you're going to get ahead. And by get ahead I mean either put more coin in your own pocket or make a better life for your kids, or both. this race/ethnic race card crap is so played out it's ridiculous. Look at Cisco Ortiz, Mel Wearing, the president of BET, John Leguizamo...they just went about their business and did great for themselves, and in all honesty probably ascended to the levels they did in part because of their race, not in spite of it. Cities give contracts to minority businesses all the time.

Stop blaming "the man" and take responsibility for your own destiny. If you're a minority and have equal talent as a white person you have a better shot than the whites do these days. But minority kids aren't going to have equal talent (most of the time) if their father is in jail, the mother is on welfare and neither pays any attention to how their kids are doing in school.

My honky Irish grandpa who raised me barely made it through high school. He took several low paying gigs and worked like 75 hrs a week every week as long as I can remember. And he came from a busted home. He did this so I wouldn't have to eat the sh*t sandwich like he did. So I busted my ass too because of the example he set, and retired before age 40, which frees my days up to bust liberals chops on the internet.

And if you took everything away from me right now, I'd go back to work for 5 years and be able to retire again. And FYI, because my grandparents saved every penny, they had too much in the bank for me to get any kind of tuition assistance. Go figure.

Posted by: Power to the People | March 25, 2009 11:00 AM

Bill, Dr. Brown may have been paid since this is his profession but if he was paid it wasn't your money so what's your point? Also to suggest that Dr. Brown has an 'agenda' and to use 'agenda' in the pejorative is to do a disservice to the message of unity he presented. So maybe there is an 'agenda' but so what? Who amongst us doesn't have one? Especially if the 'agenda' is to teach history, open eyes and make people aware of what is really going on around them/to them. He presented facts from a particular point of view and suggested that we think about them... something that Mr. Felder is apparently unwilling to do since his mind will NEVER be changed.

All I see Alan Felder doing is being angry and it is true that he is directing his anger at the wrong folks. By his own admission kicking Latinos off the jobs (no proof given that they are undocumented) does not mean that black folks will get them.

How many black contractors are there? Why aren't they getting the jobs and hiring their own? Get mad at them. If there aren't enough, get mad at that. I was once told by someone from Bridgeport who gave out city construction contracts that even when he tried to help black contractors get the contracts most of them wouldn't do the paperwork. They complain of no opportunities but then refuse to take advantage of the ones that are there.

I also don't know how Mr. Felder can claim to represent black folks when I don't see any black folks following him and don't recall when we asked him to represent us. So where does he get his backup? From a group with clear ties to folks who not long ago where saying the same thing about black folks (from which they've never backed away) that he's saying about immigrants.

THAT was the 'agenda' of Dr. Brown's lecture. Wake up people, we're ALL being exploited and I for one am not about to fight over the crumbs on the table. Give me a full share of the meal or I'll build my own damn table!!!

Posted by: lance | March 25, 2009 11:06 AM

BTW I did see this announced on the independent calendar yesterday afternoon and wanted to go but I had tickets to the uconn ladies hoop game. From the looks of it, I would had much better seats for crabs in a basket than I did for the game.

For those interested, there is a tea party rally april 15 from 11-2 on long wharf, with many more taking place also.

http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/connecticut

Fight the power!

Posted by: mike | March 25, 2009 12:42 PM

Once again the left fails to distinguish between
the historical legal immigrants and todays cross
the border illegally "immigrants." Alson if you
do not between Americans have not lost jobs or
lost out on opportunities, I have have a bridge
in Brooklyn I would like to talk to you about.
I am not advocating deporting all illegal aliens
but they must come and be registered so they can
be taxed and required to comply the law of the land. This would be a good start and we could work it out from there. But we have to stop the
race baiting which will cause more harm.

Posted by: Morris Cove | March 25, 2009 1:31 PM

Lance , your examples are as ignorant and insulting as your blog. Cisco Ortiz is a second generation Puerto Rican, he grew up in the Hill, and John Leguizamo???, he's from Queens, are these the best examples of sucess you could come up with...pathetic. The report is mostly about undocumented immigrants taking jobs for licensed Americans. The example that Mr. Felder gave was the Wintergreen project, and he's right if you check any major construction site, there filled with Latinos, I'm in the industry and I am Latino and have seen it for myself. I don't begrudge a man from making an honest living but mr. Felder has a valid point, the workers are great and good honest men but a large majority are undocumented and it is not fair. The reason there there is becuase they work hard, and are non union so it becomes a cost effective factor, and that's the reality of saving money on a construction project.

Posted by: N'Zinga Shani | March 25, 2009 2:10 PM

Kudos to the NHI and Thomas MacMillan for clean and objective reporting. It is refreshing these days to attend an event such as this, and to see it documented as it happened and with adequate space devoted to presenting the salient facts.

Hats off to Bishop Brooks for providing the Beulah Heights facility to host this event, and for contributing first-hand information that enhanced an understanding of how exploitation works. Given the number of churches in NH more should be made available for informed and productive discussions such as this one.

While it is often easier for many to just fight the present battles in ignorance, activist and historian Dr. Kenneth Brown demonstrated the enormous benefits of knowing the history of the American Immigration Policy & Labor Market Practices. Unless we know and understand these we are certain to repeat the errors of the past. It is this lack of knowledge that the forces of division are relying on heavily.

Yes, reading, doing good research, talking to our elders-- who can share historic experiences-- and learning about the foundations of what we have inherited might be time-consuming; however, we have absolutely nothing to lose by becoming better informed. Knowledge is indeed Power. And yes, there is enormous STRENGTH and POWER in UNITY. This is an important fact that Dr. Brown encouraged us to keep in mind.

As a child my cousins and I were often told the biblically-related folklore of Jacob's 12 quarelling sons and the bundle of sticks. No one son could break the bundle when all the sticks were tied together; however, each could break all 12 pieces of sticks when taken single.
Yes, there is real Power in UNITY.

Posted by: lance | March 25, 2009 7:18 PM

morris cove, then you need take it up with McMillan, because he referred to the situation as pitting the black community against latinos, and latinos include Puerto Ricans. We're on the same side of this issue in some respects, but we are misunerstanding each other, due in part to McMillan's use of the word "latino".

To be honest I see this little summit as an attempt to unite ALL non-whites against the whites, as evidenced by the inciteful phrase, "fighting over crumbs".

blacks have been refusing others crumbs at least as far back as twenty years ago

(originally released in 1989)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccUmge41RVI
at the 1:15 mark

Posted by: bri1222 | March 25, 2009 8:17 PM

now we're blaming NAFTA for illegal immigration?? Funny. Please keep in mind that past waves of immigration have come here legally and were subjected to humiliating entrace procedures at Ellis Island. 2nd Puerto Ricans were forced into citizenship in 1917. no vote, no referendum, nothing.Please read an article in the NYTIMES about TB and immigration in Queens. If immigrants followed the path here legally there would be health screenings by USCIS.

Posted by: bri1222 | March 25, 2009 8:20 PM

also, john leguizamo is half puerto rican half colombian where his puerto rican side legalizes his US citizenship........And if you ask the majority of Puerto RIcans side with African Americans in issues. It bothers me that everytime a politician wants to get elected and seeking the Hispanic vote they talk about immigration. and you can also ask any south american or central american and they have very negative stereotypes of puerto ricans. just ask !!!

Posted by: robn | March 26, 2009 10:55 AM

"Irish, Italian, and Jewish immigrants were not initially considered to be "white" when they arrived in the U.S." DrBrown

This is true but most third and fourth generation Irish and Italians just don't get it. Wake up (white) man! To know your future, you must know your past.

Posted by: Stop It Bri | March 26, 2009 11:34 AM

Hey BRI1222,

How about you stop pretending you speak for any Latinos whatsoever -- you don't. The idea that you have some expertise on Puerto Ricans "siding" with African-Americans is laughable. My guess is that you lump all people of color into your warped mindset. If I ask the Mexicans and Central Americans in my family, as opposed to the made up ones in your head, they don't have "very negative stereotypes of puerto ricans." Probably why everyone seems more than happy to welcome them all into our large family (as well as whites and blacks). Smell the coffee . . . your warped world view stopped being meaningful on November 4, 2008.

This was an interesting presentation by someone who has studied the relevant issues. I for one am glad it happened.

As to your ignorance of history . . . it is widely agreed that a large wave of Mexican immigration was caused by NAFTA. Pay attention because you might learn something. NAFTA allowed for low cost (actually subsidized) American corn grown in large factory farms to flood Mexico. Farmers and farm workers in southern Mexico operating small farms could not compete and were wiped out financially by the millions, as were the various industries that supported them (seed suppliers, general stores, grain storage, etc.). This directly led to these people (particularly men) coming north to make a living to provide for their families.

So not only was NAFTA apparently pretty bad for the US, it helped destroy large sectors of the Mexican economy.

Welcome to facts, history and economics -- better for your health than the stuff you make up or read from ignorant sites on the Internet.

Posted by: Ilovethiscountry | March 26, 2009 11:43 AM

This is when Puerto Ricans were being attacked for migrating to the main land after 50 years of exploitation on the Island by Wall Street.
Vito Marcantonio U.S. Congressmen an Italian Man represented Puerto Ricans in Congress.

December 18, 1947
[In the fall of 1947 several newspapers and magazines published articles "about the alleged problem of Puerto Rican migration." The following radio speech, which Congressman Marcantonio gave over WJZ, was one of many talks he made in reply to such articles. He introduced it into the Congressional Record of December 18, 1947.]

The newspapers and magazines of Nationwide circulation have printed a great deal about the alleged problem of Puerto Rican migration. Instead of giving you the facts you have been given a distorted picture. The truth has been concealed and a certain section of the responsible press has joined with the irresponsible press in a campaign of vilification.

The stories on Puerto Rican migration is some more evidence that the press of our nation is as free as its few owners permit it to be. Our much vaunted freedom of the press is in reality freedom for those who own the press to do and say what they please, and to refuse to permit the same space to those whom they unjustly attack. The recent attacks on the Puerto Rican people once again proves that there is no freedom of the press for the people. Freedom of the press exists only for the owners, and hence freedom so restricted becomes a ruthless tyranny. Now I know that people of Puerto Rican origin have attempted to tell their side. Have you seen their side printed anywhere? I haven't -- and 1 have followed the subject very closely. Consequently, being unable to have the truth presented to the American people through the press, I have had to resort to these few minutes on the radio to tell you what the press has not told you.

The press has not told you that Puerto Ricans are American citizens by an Act of Congress adopted in 1917; and that they have a perfect right to come to New York City to live, to work and to be treated with absolute equality. They have as much right to come to New York as a citizen of New Jersey has the right to come to New York.

The press has not told you that the island of Puerto Rico, consisting of 3500 square miles, is a colony, and that the two million people who live on that island have been treated as colonials since the United States took possession of Puerto Rico in 1898.

The press has not told you that Puerto Rico in 1898 had an agriculture of its own that afforded its people a fairly decent standard of living. Today 70 percent of the good land in Puerto Rico is owned by 4 large sugar corporations whose headquarters are in the City of New York. In 1898 there were over 60,000 land owners in Puerto Rico. Today there are not quite 5,000 land owners in Puerto Rico. The owners of the 70 percent of the good land are absentee corporations, who have been taking out of Puerto Rico millions and millions of dollars annually in profit. Worse than that, they have turned Puerto Rico into a one crop, cash crop, diabetic economy. Because of their ownership of the land, Puerto Rico cannot have a diversified crop and raise food for its people. The result is that the entire economy of Puerto Rico is based on the production of sugar. This means that the people are employed only during 3 months of the year, the harvest season on the sugar plantations. The pay during these 3 months amounts to $18 a week. When the harvest season is over there is nothing to do, so that the Puerto Rican is forced to live on an income of about $300 a year.

Now, you may say, why doesn't the Puerto Rican get a job in industry after and before the harvest period. Again, the press has not told you that Puerto Rico has been unable to develop any industries. Why? Again, the press has not told you that whenever attempts to build an industry are made by the Puerto Ricans, industries up here go down there and dump at cut-throat prices. For example, some time ago the Puerto Ricans attempted to establish a soap factory. One of our soap concerns brought soap down to Puerto Rico and sold it at four cents a cake. The Puerto Ricans could not stand this competition. The factory closed down and its workers became unemployed. Now that same U.S. soap concern sells the same bar of soap at ten cents a cake. This has happened time and time again. Is it any wonder that the Puerto Rican cannot find work in his native land? Is it any wonder that he and his children are underfed, and that their main diet is dried codfish, beans and rice? Not even half the families use milk, and those that do get less than a half pint per person. The life of most Puerto Ricans is that of a marginal existence for 3 months of the year, and unemployment for the balance of the year. All this, the press, of course, has never told you.

Vito Marcantoino U.S. Congressman.

Posted by: Ilovethiscountry | March 26, 2009 12:24 PM

Alen Felder,is the only plumber that doesn't know how things go down!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | March 26, 2009 12:52 PM

Vito Marcantoino
You forgot the press have never told you about these Puerto Ricans, Pedro Albizo Campos,LoLita Lebron.Jose Colly Cuch.

Posted by: Ilovethiscountry | March 26, 2009 4:03 PM

3/5 here is the missing 2/5.

I read thats old news. Did you know that
Don Pedro Albizo Compos was war a WWI veteran who served in an all Black Company,a West Point Trained Officer, a Harvard graduate in law? a consultant to the Constitution of Ireland, and an advocate for all opressed people. When he refused to represent the USA in a conference in Spain because he could not condone how the US was treating the island and the people of PR, the NY Times - the press did say that- Don Pedro Albizu Campos was discronted because his mother was black.

Posted by: Ilovethiscountry | March 26, 2009 4:31 PM

Bri1222, Are you a Public Health Official? Please lets not blame disease on immigrants. You can't say that to the indigenous people of this of this hemisphere. Read The History of Disease in the U.S. stop blaming the victems. Since when is the NY Times right.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | March 26, 2009 6:04 PM

Ilovethiscountry
You may call it old news,I call it History.Correct me if I am wroug,But if Don Pedro Albizo Compos Mother was Black Than that would make him a person of African Descent Or Like the Puerto Ricans I know who call themselves Afro-Borcua.So That is why he was in a Black Regiment.Also how about the 65th Infantry Regiment in Korea, Who Also are Puerto Ricans Of African Descent.Must Not Forget Arturo Schomburg
And Carlos Cooks The Afro-Dominican.Did you read that Congressman Charley Rangel Is a Afro-Borcua,Because of his father.

Posted by: Ilovethiscounrty | March 27, 2009 9:02 AM

to the person missing 2/5

what is your point. I am all of that? Only i don't think iam incomplete.

Posted by: Ilovethiscountry | March 27, 2009 9:11 AM

2/5 when i mentioned him I recongnize that he Compos was a black man thats why i mentioned it.
I also mentioned that he was a consultant to the writing of the constitution of Irland my point was that we all have more in common then we think we do. PR are make up of many different peoples.
remember race is just a construct. there is what happen then there is your story of what happen.

Posted by: Whatsername | March 27, 2009 10:52 AM

Um, not to be a pain in the butt, but I'm pretty sure Puerto Ricans are a mix of mostly African slaves brought by Spanish conquerors and the Spanish conquerors themselves, with some native Taino thrown in.

In fact, I'm very sure, being an island Puerto Rican myself.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | March 27, 2009 5:37 PM

Ilovethiscountry
You said what is my point,I am all of that?OnlyI don't think I am.So if you are all of that do you follow Santeria and yourba,Do you follow

Eleggua
Obatala
Yemaya
Oya
Oshun
Chango
Ogun
Babaluaya
How about the Orishas.Most Afro-Borcuas are Know do.I agree with Whatsername about the Taino,In fact It was a man by the name of Bartolome De Las Casas,Who acompanied Ponce De Leon.

Posted by: Edward_H | March 28, 2009 12:14 PM

Lance

For those interested, there is a tea party rally april 15 from 11-2 on long wharf, with many more taking place also.

http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/connecticut

Thanks for the info. I am going to order a new shirt just for this event

http://www.thoseshirts.com/hhf.html

Posted by: Ilovethiscountry | March 30, 2009 12:13 PM

3/5 I love you too.

Sections

Neighborhood News

Special Sections

Legal Notices

Some Favorite Sites

Government/ Community Links

Flyerboard

[ Flyers by PaperG ]

N.H.I. Site Design & Development

NHI Store

Buy New Haven Independent Stuff