In case you missed it... Here's video footage of Congress Ted W. Lieu, who represents California's 33rd district, dropping the hammer and righteously laying some smack down during a congressional hearing on Oversight and Government Reform. Rep. Lieu, taking issue with the tone of a witness who criticized immigrants and alleged that they do not contribute to society, used the balance of his time to school a fool.
He tells the story of Maria Isabel Jiminez, "who has given more to America than you or I ever will." Rep. Lieu starts schoolin' at around the 1:57 mark.
The video, which was posted back in March, has since gone viral. Between Facebook and YouTube, Rep Lieu's remarks on the matter have viewed over a million times. It's apparently the most watched video ever posted to Facebook by a House member.
"I think it's easy for people like you and me, who wear suits and ties and work in offices, to cast aspersions on those with 10th grade educations. And I certainly hope you're not saying that only those with college degrees or high school degrees should be eligible for federal benefits.
But let's talk about some of these folks with the 10th grade educations, such as Maria Isabel Jimenez. She was a farm worker, 17 years old. She worked for nine hours one day on a farm near Stockton in brutal heat, without shade or water, and then she collapsed. She was taken to the hospital. Her body temperature was 108.4 degrees. She died two days later.
When I was in the California state legislature, I had the opportunity to meet — over many years — many farm workers who've had families die in brutal conditions in the heat, so that you and I can have less expensive orange juice, cheaper artichokes, less expensive garlic.
And I just want to suggest that people like Maria Isabel Jimenez... that her net contribution in dying so that you and I can have cheaper grocery bills so that we can spend less, she's given far more to American society than you or I ever will."
What is the measure of a productive member of society?
More here: A congressman eloquently schools someone who insulted people with 10th-grade educations.