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During a discussion about ongoing challenges to the economy Thursday, Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young referred to Hispanic workers as "wetbacks," an ethnic slur used to describe migrant workers.
“My father had a ranch; we used to have 50-60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes,” Young told Alaska public radio station KRBD. “It takes two people to pick the same tomatoes now. It’s all done by machine.”
The term "wetback" is a pejorative term that has been used to describe workers from Latin American countries who swim across the Rio Grande to reach the United States.
In a statement to the Anchorage Daily News, Young apologized for using the phrase to describe the workers, saying he meant "no disrespect."
"I used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in Central California," Young said in the statement. "I know that this term is not used in the same way nowadays and I meant no disrespect.".....snip~
GOP lawmaker calls Hispanic workers
We just got done saying how these fools that are in the GOP need to keep their Big Mouths shut. Right away with an apology and an excuse. I don't give a damn what they use to say back when he was growing up. He know they don't say the crap today and not in front of Cameras. Or in some Interview. Course he is up in Alaska where he wont have to worry about getting ran out of Office.....huh? What can he really say.....that he didn't get the message. BS!
“My father had a ranch; we used to have 50-60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes,” Young told Alaska public radio station KRBD. “It takes two people to pick the same tomatoes now. It’s all done by machine.”
The term "wetback" is a pejorative term that has been used to describe workers from Latin American countries who swim across the Rio Grande to reach the United States.
In a statement to the Anchorage Daily News, Young apologized for using the phrase to describe the workers, saying he meant "no disrespect."
"I used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in Central California," Young said in the statement. "I know that this term is not used in the same way nowadays and I meant no disrespect.".....snip~
GOP lawmaker calls Hispanic workers