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Thinking back I was always somewhat conservative but didn’t know it.

January 25th, 2011 Leave a comment Go to comments

Since I had no phone to listen to in my car today I had time to think (2 hrs) on the way to and from work. Thinking back I was always somewhat conservative but didn’t know it.  My experiences working a series of bad jobs helped me discover myself politically in an environment where my race blindly follows one viewpoint and doesn’t nurture or support the opposing views.

I worked at Wendy’s back when I was a teen. I used to hustle and modify how things work so I could leave work on time.  I never re-invented the wheel I just made the current one roll better. Our closing time was 2 am and I would be finished and ready to leave around 2:05 all the time.  Others would be there until 3 or 3:30. I used to hate when my boss made me stay and help them out. Not that I didn’t mind helping. There were people who worked hard and tried to keep up, that I’d stay til maybe 2:30 to help them, but mostly the 3:30 people were lazy and talkative. Whenever the line slowed down some of us would get prepared for closing and get cleaning done.  They would stand around and talk, knowing someone would help them out.  They were entitled to be helped.  I just liked helping those who helped themselves I guess.

Another job. Wal-mart. The same thing would happen, but the work was much much more physical. I’d finish on time or early everyday and the boss would want me to help the people who only sat around talking to customers and waiting on their bailout all night.  Never mind that it was physical work and I worked much faster than the average person and gave my 150% to get ahead.  Never mind that by the time our shift ended I was exhausted.  Again, I didn’t mind helping people.  There were some people who were just not built for that job and needed help and I didn’t mind bailing them out because they needed it.  It was the people who felt entitled and just took their time because they knew the government (the supervisors) would make us stay to help them out.

I really started to discover myself when I worked in a warehouse with Mexicans of questionable legality. I admired their work ethic and once they realized I wasn’t lazy they worked with me regardless of the language barrier.  They tought me some Spanish I taught them some English.  When they needed help I helped them, when I needed help, the whole army of them helped me (and the other Americans).  Alas, the company started screwing with the pay.  Under new management people weren’t getting as much money so the company could make more so the Mexicans all left.  Americans came in and took the same jobs and would take their time and milk the clock.  Then management would send them home and call the few hard working Americans in to finish their work.  I heard they lost the contract after I left.  This is why I admire Mexicans so much.  They hold the values that made America what it is.  They came here to be free and work hard and save to advance their families’ futures.  Americans work the same poor jobs and have no motivation to excel.  Mexicans worked so hard it was inspiring in a dead in job with no future and inconsistent pay.  As I used to tell them. “I’ll ride or die with you”.
Liberals joke on us for believing in things that other people believe in but it was not until later in life that I learned that others shared the values of individual rights, personal responsibility, hard work and helping those who aren’t able to help themselves (not to be confused with those who don’t try to help themselves).  Working these jobs later helped me realize what I valued, and helped me to go back to college to try to do better, and to understand that none of the rhetoric about black people being held down is true.  Anyone can do anything with enough effort and the right choices.
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