Odessa College Wk3 Migrant Issues and Discrimination Discussion 1. Perla Martinez The Milagro Beanfield War Nichols brings so much light to current migra

Odessa College Wk3 Migrant Issues and Discrimination Discussion 1. Perla Martinez

The Milagro Beanfield War

Nichols brings so much light to current migrant issues/discrimination with this piece of literature. Every story behind each character presented in this story makes the reading much more intriguing and understandable. The figurative language presented by the author allowed me to better depict a picture of the story he was telling.

Joe Madragon was tired, tired like most of Milagro’s residents as a result of the inequality and unfair treatment by the government. “He was tired, like most of his neighbor’s were tired, from trying to earn a living of the land in a country where the country systematically gathered up the soles of little ranchers and used them to light its cigars”. (Nichols, 1974). After the 1848 war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo were to ensure the Spanish southwestern people rights to proprietary to their grazing lands however, this law was to be continuously broken or simply not enforced by everyone. Permit fees were constantly increasing in price and many were paying for land that essentially belonged to the family but due to location, were now property of the state. This led the people of Milagro into despair, crisis and heavily in debt-essentially making it difficult to afford to continue working their lands. Sheepmen that once were their own boss, were now forced to work for the Ladd Devine Company, due to necessity willing to work for almost nothing.

Present day speaking, not much has changed. Most if not all migrant workers are being underpaid, acquire no type of health benefits and many times exploited. “…the guy was doing gardening jobs. Luis chimed in: “He charges 250 dollars and then pays you 50- he makes 200 dollars without working, that’s wrong.” (Ordonez, 2015). Many field workers or “jornaleros” put their lives at risk by working long hours in extreme heat or working for corrupt/dangerous employers. Many of which are immigrants, but many are also U.S. citizens that are entitled to labor rights. These issues are often overlooked in favor of the dominant, in this case landowners. How must the migrant worker attain a healthy and successful life when he is given conditions that inhibit success and instead merely surviving?

Ordonez, Juan Thomas. Jornalero: Being a Day Laborer in the USA. University of California Press, 2015.

https://books.google.com/books?id=QogkDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA244&lpg=PA244&dq=jornalero+in+the+united+states+scholarly+articles&source=bl&ots=bV5VGd48X0&sig=ACfU3U2M-P_Rp7GGDG0fXuctO00WNDuYSA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiqrpfJ6d7oAhUQUa0KHW7wD6UQ6AEwBXoECAsQKw#v=onepage&q=jornalero%20in%20the%20united%20states%20scholarly%20articles&f=false

Nichols, John Treadwell. The Milagro Beanfield War. Ballantine Books, 1974.

https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Milagro_Beanfield_War.html?id=WbN_AQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false

2. Athaliah Pate

In the small town of Milagro, New Mexico, water was very scarce, and the oppressed citizens of the town struggled with many forms of discrimination economically, exploited and used to the advantage of the dominant white man. It shows the differences in Mexican and American cultures. From the religious practices and beliefs to the political aspect (1998). The land developer Ladd Devine, exploited the Latino Sheriff, including other officers to his own business advantage to gain control of the citizens, using the towns own water supply as a means to stop Joe Mondragon, who owned the beanfield land, and control the town (Parden, 1989). Ruby Archuleta was trying to help the people in Milagro by publishing a newspaper article, that would help the citizens to stick together not giving into the bribery of the land developer, Ladd Devine. Ruby Archuleta was discriminated against when she published her article that would help the people of Milagro to keep what belongs to them. Ladd Devine had his people purchase and try and destroy every newspaper that had the article Ruby had published. The discrimination against Ruby was many, she is, being a Latina, being a woman, and being the front face to stopping the land developer, Ladd. Ruby’s passion in getting that article published is what led the citizens of Milagro to gather and get informed of what was to happen in the small town. If her piece had not been published the towns people would not have gathered and been informed of what was to come to their town. “What good is a hometown if everyone you know is gone?” (Nichols, J.) That quote from Ruby played a key factor with her determination and passion in stopping Ladd Devine.

Ruby Archuleta, Joe Mondragon, and the citizens stopped the land development business owner, Ladd Devine. Their passion and determination with what they call home helped save the town of Milagro. Discrimination pushed them to not give up, keep fighting no matter the bribery and save their hometown of Milagro.

References

Nichols, John. “‘The Milagro Beanfield War’ Quotes.” The Milagro Beanfield War Quotes, Movie quotes – Movie Quotes .com. An Owl Book Henry Hold and Company, n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2020.

The Milagro Beanfield War. 1998. Film.