Iraqi Gets Visa to US - Returns to Iraq because of Mexicans

[Infohawk]

Unknown Dangers Worse Than Bombs

Abu Haidar, 47, worked for several years as a driver for NPR in Baghdad. His trip to America was a shock.

"When I arrived in America, there was no work, especially for someone without a degree and with no English. Such people can't make it in America," he says.

Haidar's experience may be a worst-case example. The visa program settled him in Houston, and everything went wrong from the start. Food, lodging and transportation were too expensive, and his salary as a cleaner at a hotel was too low. And he had arrived in the U.S. with some pretty harsh stereotypes about some of the people living there.

"There are Mexicans living there. So I felt scared to go out. I worry about my son and daughter. My son almost went crazy — he's used to coming home at midnight, but there, he had to be in by 8 [p.m.], just like a prison," he says.

Somehow, the unknown dangers in America scared Haidar more than the car bombs still exploding back in Iraq. Besides the racial stereotypes, his son also protested that sweeping floors was a shameful job for a man of his age. After just two months, Haidar called it quits.

"I'm not going to tell anyone else what to do," he says, but for himself, he is happy to be back in Iraq.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122278853

A) What does it say for Houston that people prefer Iraq to it?
B) It's silly that the reporter says that the Iraqi CAME to US with racial stereotypes. How hard is it to believe that the guy had bad experiences with Mexicans in the US and formed impressions as a result? Mexico is a a war-zone right now. If people, including people from Iraq, form negative impressions about Mexicans is it his fault or Mexicans' fault?

 

[Turin39789]

So he really returns to Iraq because he couldn't make a living wage?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

He seems like your average person who is more afraid of the unknown than the dangers of his homeland. I would be willing to bet, he and his family, would have had a similar experience regardless of where he was relocated to.

The majority of people are unwilling to relocate to another country. Hell, in the U.S., most people are unwilling to relocate to another State!

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

So he really returns to Iraq because he couldn't make a living wage?

He couldn't take the culture shock. He had preconceived notions that turned out to be wrong, and the devil he knew won over the devil he couldn't understand.

 

[halik]

U.S. is not the country to go to with no education and no skills.

 

[TruePaige]

U.S. is not the country to go to with no education and no skills.

Unless you are a Mexican.

 

[theflyingpig]

Unless you are a Mexican.

Yup. Liberals will bend over backwards to help out Mexicans. Everyone knows this.

 

[Hacp]

U.S. is not the country to go to with no education and no skills.

And yet we have 15 million mexican citizens living within our borders.

 

[Infohawk]

Unless you are a Mexican.

Yup, preferably an illegal immigrant who drives down wages and makes legal visa recipients from Iraq feel physically unsafe.

 

[Bl0cks]

Wait. Texas is country.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

Wait. Texas is country.

Shhhh, don't tell them about the plan.

I'm not sure I understand what is going on- the Iraqi is too afraid to go outside because the big bad scary Mexicans will get him? Where would he even get that sort of idea from? I thought everyone was afraid of black people?

 

[Zebo]

Yeah USA cities are very unsafe compared to middle east. I was a year in Saudi (well before AQ) and could walk anytime of night in Riyadh, Jettah wherever unmolested. Now as a westerner I might get more attention but before it was safest place probably on the planet. Public executions have people thinking twice about committing crime.

PS they were also the most polite people I ever encountered. One time I was lost and this dude picked me up and spent 4 hours with me trying to find where I was staying. I tried to give him a C note and he took it as an insult.

Just FYI - with freedoms comes more risks. I'll take the risks as opposed to Sharia

 

[LunarRay]

Yup. Liberals will bend over backwards to help out Mexicans. Everyone knows this.

Is there a list of nationalities where it is ok to help them out? Or are you crediting the Liberals for their good Christian work?

 

[JTsyo]

Yeah USA cities are very unsafe compared to middle east. I was a year in Saudi (well before AQ) and could walk anytime of night in Riyadh, Jettah wherever unmolested. Now as a westerner I might get more attention but before it was safest place probably on the planet. Public executions have people thinking twice about committing crime.

PS they were also the most polite people I ever encountered. One time I was lost and this dude picked me up and spent 4 hours with me trying to find where I was staying. I tried to give him a C note and he took it as an insult.

Just FYI - with freedoms comes more risks. I'll take the risks as opposed to Sharia

I think part of the reason it that it's so hot during the day people wit for the night for outdoor activities. SO after the sun sets is probably a prime time in the ME for people to be outside.

 

[cubeless]

it says "here's another lame ass npr story"...

that npr (who must have helped him get a visa) stuck him (a minimum wage at best person with the wrong non-english language) in a town where there's already an overload of cheap labor means that they were setting him up to fail (maybe to get a story?)... they should have plonked him in dearborn, mi, where there's a large me population... he might have had a chance to be more successful there (but maybe not because with no skills it's pretty hard to get a job anywhere at this time)...

 

[feralkid]

Yup, preferably an illegal immigrant who drives down wages and makes legal visa recipients from Iraq feel physically unsafe.

I don't know why you even bothered with this lame story of some Iraqi twit scared of his own shadow.

Next time just post "I Hate Mexicans" and be done with it.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Shhhh, don't tell them about the plan.

I'm not sure I understand what is going on- the Iraqi is too afraid to go outside because the big bad scary Mexicans will get him? Where would he even get that sort of idea from? I thought everyone was afraid of black people?

You obviously never lived as a minority in a poor mexican or black neighborhood.

 

[Red Dawn]

You obviously never lived as a minority in a poor mexican or black neighborhood.

And you have?

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

And you have?

Yes.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

The problem isn't that he's an Iraqi living in America on low wages, the problem is Houston. Houston is a shit hole. It was bad before Katrina washed half the population of New Orleans into it, and most of those just stayed there making the city even worse.

 

[DesiPower]

Whats else can you expect from a "sanctuary city".

But its a sad truth... ppl all over the world who want to immigrate there should be first educated with the current condition. I am from India and everyone still wants to come to US, I try my best to explain that its not worth anymore... but its impossible to get through them, they think that I am lying and dont want to them come here for some jealousy reason... The job situation, salary, cost of living, illegal immigration and crime medical costs these things should be published and posted on all consulates and handed out with the visa applications IMO

 

[Genx87]

I had to chuckle at the topic title. I get a vision of something right out of Blazing Saddles.

 

[Jaskalas]

Shhhh, don't tell them about the plan.

I'm not sure I understand what is going on- the Iraqi is too afraid to go outside because the big bad scary Mexicans will get him? Where would he even get that sort of idea from? I thought everyone was afraid of black people?

You thought we were all our parents? New generation bub.

 

[Zebo]

Whats else can you expect from a "sanctuary city".

But its a sad truth... ppl all over the world who want to immigrate there should be first educated with the current condition. I am from India and everyone still wants to come to US, I try my best to explain that its not worth anymore... but its impossible to get through them, they think that I am lying and dont want to them come here for some jealousy reason... The job situation, salary, cost of living, illegal immigration and crime medical costs these things should be published and posted on all consulates and handed out with the visa applications IMO

LOL you sound like my parents who came in the early 1960's said it's not the America they came to - would not do it again today - place has gone down hill, etc. And they don't live in Houston but in nice house in Costa Mesa Ca.

 

[werepossum]

This is especially funny because the Mexicans were probably saying "Oh crap, an Arab moved in! They're terrorists you know."

I've known some nice Arabs, but none who could compete with Mexicans in work ethic. He's probably better off in Iraq - although that "shameful job" crack says a lot about Arab society and its problems. If you have no particular job skills and don't even speak the language, cleaning a hotel is a decent gig.