Silent Screams | Teen Ink

Silent Screams

November 19, 2010
By KenLB PLATINUM, Hopewell Jct., New York
KenLB PLATINUM, Hopewell Jct., New York
49 articles 1 photo 3 comments

Imagine a few dozen people working in a field. They’re picking cotton. It’s over a hundred degrees out. They’re wearing loose-fitting clothes and straw hats. The state is Mississippi, and the year is 1810. Now imagine a few dozen people working in a similar field, picking beans. It’s about ninety degrees out. They too are wearing loose-fitting clothes and straw hats. This time the state is California, and the year is 2010. In the first image they are African-American slaves. In the second they are migrant farm-workers. In both images none of the people are citizens, and in both they are nearly entirely deprived of human rights.


Most migrant farm-workers are illegal immigrants, and therefore cannot speak up when their employers use and abuse them. This terrible breach of human rights has to stop. These immigrants, these people, these fellow human being of ours, are oppressed and put down daily. The Dream Act, a bill that would give illegal immigrants a path to permanent residency through military service or a college degree, is currently passing through Congress. If this bill passes, thousands of children who can’t hope for more than a minimum wage job and constant risk of deportation, will be given a path to become legal residents, and eventually citizens. These migrant workers that spend fourteen hour days doing slave-like labor, living in conditions worse than the way most of us give our pets, will be able to obtain the two things most dear to every human being—hope and freedom.


People say slavery no longer exists in this country. They are unable to hear the silent screams of the thousands of migrant workers that have been abused for so long. They do not see the evil, and so to them it does not exist. When people see their beans, they do not think of the oppressed people that picked the beans, they just think of how the beans are going to taste. How many years can this go on before it comes to an end? I feel it is my duty as a human being to bring this issue, this ugly, hated issue that most Americans would rather not think about, into the light.



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This article has 4 comments.


on Dec. 6 2010 at 7:45 am
LostInADreamofForever BRONZE, Whitmore Lake, Michigan
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
"those who mind dont matter, and those that matter dont mind" --Dr. Suess
"To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone."
--Reba McEntire

Well, i agree with you tottally, most of the migrant workers who come here are here to mak emoney to support their families, if you were in there place and your mom and dad and little brothers and sisters are starving wouldnt you do the same?? and to come here legally most are denied, so what are they supposed to do? i am an american, but i feel that we should let people come to our country no matter what because its supposed to be free, and just like us over 200 years ago are just trying to get a better life.

Lyvie SILVER said...
on Dec. 5 2010 at 8:16 pm
Lyvie SILVER, Knoxville, Tennessee
6 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

KLPutnam, yes, I would agree with you that the voice of many Americans is not being heard. In this respect, I would gladly join the cause of bringing their oppression to light.  According to the Declaration of Independence, all people are to be considered equals.  My argument, however, is simply that the illegal immigrants do come to the States in a legal manner. This would not only benefit themselves in the very fact that their voices would indeed be listened to, but it would also be best for America as a whole.

KenLB PLATINUM said...
on Dec. 4 2010 at 8:30 am
KenLB PLATINUM, Hopewell Jct., New York
49 articles 1 photo 3 comments
I am an American, I was born here and I intend to remain here. As an American I feel it is my duty to bring into the light the evil our country commits daily. The voice of many Americans is not being heard, some of those migrant workers came here illegaly when they were still infants, the only country they remember is this one. I'd treat them as good as I'd treat any citizen. If you too sympathize with their condition, would you be so kind as to join me in making it so they are here legally?

Lyvie SILVER said...
on Dec. 3 2010 at 11:18 pm
Lyvie SILVER, Knoxville, Tennessee
6 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

The voice of Americans will be heard. If you are not an American, your voice holds no value.  As you mentioned, many of the migrant workers are illegal immigrants. They came to America for a better life.  What they experience in the States is not going to be the full "shebang" because they are not here legally.  However, as human beings, we hold no right to EVER abuse another. Naturally, it is never acceptable to oppress people, but what is done cannot be legally helped, for many of the migrant workers are not here legally.