Searching for a Political Voice

ON FEBRUARY 25 the General Accounting Office (GAO) released a report on the health and safety of hired farm workers. The report stated that federal laws and programs do not adequately protect the predominantly Hispanic farm workers and their children.

Despite the federal government's report, nothing will probably happen to help these farm workers. Hispanic interests are not on the forefront of the American agenda, and their plight often get neglected. The government may recognize the issue, but if the Hispanic community doesn't voice its concern and pressure them into action, there will be no timely and adequate solution.

According to the GAO, migrant workers' problems included wages below minimum wage, work in pesticide covered fields and a lack of adequate drinking water and toilets on the job. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that farm workers suffer nearly 300,000 "acute illnesses" per year due to these sub-standard working conditions.

The GAO reports went on to say that these conditions effect entire families since most migrant farm workers are heads of a household and do not receive the Social Security and medical benefits to which they are entitled. Also, many children begin working in the same conditions, foregoing educational opportunities, in order to help support their families. The children work in the same miserable conditions as their parents.

There is little doubt that this type of exploitative treatment is wrong. At the very least these farm workers are entitled to safe working conditions and their legally mandated benefits. This simple principle of fairness was established around the turn of the century. Unfortunately, the solution to the problem is more complicated then simply forcing employers to fork over another dollar per hour in wages.

THE ARTICLE announcing the GAO report appeared on page 15 of the New York Times below a larger article on the preservation of sea turtles. While not to demean the plight of the sea turtle, the prioritization in this case is reflective of a national problem.

Most American don't care about Hispanic problems. By the year 2000, Hispanics will pass African-Americans as the largest minority group in the United States. Despite this statistic, relatively little media coverage is given to Hispanic issues.

In an ideal society, the GAO report would raise awareness and justice would be carried out. But we don't live in an ideal society. For Hispanics to have a stronger voice in his country two things must happen. First, Hispanics need a national leader. Second, as an ethnic group it must exercise its voting rights.

The first problem has always plagued Hispanic causes. African-Americans have always had strong leaders with a national presence from W.E.B. Du Bois to Martin Luther King Jr. to Jesse Jackson and a long string of local and Congressional leaders.

In the past 30 years, the only Hispanic leader of national prominence has been United Farm Worker activist Cesar Chavez. But he never achieved, or attempted to achieve, a cross-issue national appeal.

Recently, former San Antonio mayor Henry Cisneros appeared to be the "rising star" that Hispanics needed. Unfortunately, a marital infidelity scandal crushed his political aspirations. As well all know from the last few presidential elections, the media thrives on sound bites. Therefore, it is necessary for a well-spoken national leader to emerge who can attract the attention of the network news media.

THE SECOND, and more important, problem is that Hispanics don't vote. The GAO report cited a lack of federal protection as a major cause of the problems. Consequently, increased participation in government would "inspire" the government to act on behalf of the victims.

In 1990, 63 percent of eligible whites registered to vote and 59 percent of eligible African-Americans registered to vote, but only 32 percent of eligible Hispanics registered. This allows national candidates to ignore Hispanic issues. In the 1988 presidential election only 3 percent of those who voted were of Hispanic decent. With these types of statistics it is no wonder that candidates for national office ignore Hispanic concerns.

Unfortunately, Hispanics have difficulties voting. Some, having migrated from repressive regimes, fear that participating in government will result in some form of persecution. More importantly, by definition the migrant farm worker migrates and consequently voting, or more specifically, registering to vote, becomes increasingly difficult.

The short-term future is dark. Voting is a habit that needs to be formed and until Hispanics establish the habit they will not have a national voice. The Hispanic community and this year's political candidates should start to work together to get more of the Hispanic population registered to vote. A public service campaign in the Spanish media, as well as information in the schools, would help to instruct and inform this constituency about the benefits of having people that understand their problems in public office. Without this voice politicians will not address their concerns and the New York Times will continue to put their stories on page 15.

The long-term is far more optimistic. Every year more African-Americans vote. The last gubernatorial race in Louisiana saw an extremely high participation of African-Americans in the race, without whom David Duke might have been elected. Twenty years ago African-Americans would not have participated in such a crucial election. Hispanics can look to this progress as a model for their own future progress.

The fact that the GAO issued a study is another reason for optimism. The last time the GAO studied the problem was in 1973; the report signifies that the government is, at least, taking a look at the problem.

But it will only be after Hispanics begin to raise their voice as a political entity that they will be free from more miserable news from the GAO.