“They let me go pretty worthy everywhere,” is what photographer Gary Harwood said over and over again during his presentation. The amazing portion of his project is what he had to do to be able to enter these people’s lives without their feeling like he was an intruder. Together with David Hassler, they set together a very attractive book with stories about migrant workers in Hartville, Ohio. Most people do not know much about migrant workers and think that they are just people who cross the Mexican border to work for people in Texas, but those in the audience on September 22 found out that could not be further from the truth. Harwood’s presentation was very touching and informative as he described the actual lives of these people who travel to rural Ohio just for the growing season and then travel back to Texas (or elsewhere) in the off season. Although these people are not paid well, it does not matter to them and they seem to be better natured than most people who have a stable financial lifestyle. The community was very strong, and there was not anything that the entire community did not do together.
It was unbelievable to learn that all of this was happening right under my nose. Being from Akron, I never, in my wildest dreams, thought this was happening so close to my home. For some reason I was under the impression that this only happens in the movies and in really poor cities. The shots that Mr. Harwood took were very telling of the experiences these people go through on a daily basis. What are even more prolific are the stories that he has to go along with the pictures. Even though Mr. Hassler wrote the stories for the book, the ones that Harwood told were much more from the heart. Another thing that was surprising was how happy these people were. It seemed like they did not have a care in the world, even though they were living on a salary that is well below the poverty line. The entire community worked as a whole for everything that went on which goes against everything that the American culture seems to preach. If Americans had to go to someone’s birthday every week, they would go crazy and claim they needed some time for themselves, but in their culture, even if they are planning on doing something already, they will drop that and attend whatever the community event is that evening.
It is also incredible to me how much the parents make sure their children are peaceful getting an education even though they are constantly moving all over the country. Not only are they going to extra summer school, but they are getting the opportunity to go places, such as the museum and baseball games, that some kids from this station never do. What is even more amazing about this is that the children seem to have a good time no matter what they are doing. Most children get to a point when they throw a fit if they are not given what they want, but these children have been raised to a point where they are simply happy to be doing whatever it is they happen to be doing at any given moment. On a whole, Americans could learn a lot from these people in many different walks of life. This project not only illustrated how important migrant workers are to nearly everyone’s everyday life, it also showed the values that are dear to their heart are some that differ a lot from those taught in America.
When Harwood spoke, there was so great emotion in his voice that the audience was able to vow that he had a life changing experience. He obviously did not want to give a political talk, but it would be hard to argue that he did not try to convince the audience at times that these migrant workers are good for America. It would not be surprising if he took his time, now that the project is over, to continue to ogle and interact with these people. Even an outsider would have been able to tell that the experiences of these two men were much different simply because of the blueprint they spoke about their experience.
All of the information for this article was obtained during a talk that was given by David Hassler and Gary Harwood at Hiram College during the month of October, 2008 about their book entitled Growing Seasons: The Life of a Migrant Community. The book was published in 2006 by the Kent State University Press and can be viewed through this link: http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Season-Life-Migrant-Community/dp/0873388739/ref=sr_1_1? ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231986804&sr=8-1
This is a post I have ran often on World of Flying, but I update it every year about this time, squeezing a few more smiles out of it. So my new readers can indulge in this time-consuming game we pilots all play, here is the New Year’s 2008 version:
Every pilot is the same when it comes to these flying machines…we’ve never met one we didn’t like. But when we really stop and think about it, exactly which ones are more dear to us than all the others? If you are a true-blue aviator, it will be very, very hard to pick your personal “Top 10″ favorite aircraft of all time.
Compiling your own list of 10 favorite aircraft can be fun, and if you are like me, this will be a broad way to amuse yourself for hours. It should not be a list of what you can actually ever afford, but a “dream list” of what 10 airplanes would be in your hanger if money were an unlimited resource.
With that said, here my personal “Top 10″ list in descending order…enjoy:
10. LoPresti Fury: This huge modern airplane is the dream of notorious speed merchant Roy LoPresti, and it’s fast, sexy and did I mention swiftly? It jumps into my Top 10 because I contain it is one of the most exciting new projects about to come out way in years. It is designed for those who define “car” as anything built by Ferrari.
9. Beechcraft Starship: Because I’d want something designed by Burt Rutan in the dream hangar. This rare beauty was panned as having horrible fuel economy, but that is completely mitigated by its museum-quality sex appeal. Sure, they are all in scrap heaps now, but friends, this is fantasyland here, so anything is possible.
8. Terrafugia Transition: Speaking of exciting projects, this “roadable airplane” from the fertile minds at MIT should be a huge hit when if comes to market. As an airplane, it delivers LSA performance, so don’t expect this to be a serious cross-country vehicle. But when you factor in the capability to suck in your wings, switch power to the drive wheels, and waft out of the airport gate to your destination, there is nothing in the air that will even come close to this breathtaking and daring belief. I have flown the transition in X-plane, and it is smooth and stable. I want one…
7. The Situation Shuttle: Sure, you’ll need a set of big, honkin’ rockets to punch out through the stratosphere, and sure, it has the glide characteristics of a brick, but man, what a view after you collect it trimmed out at it’s usual cruising altitude of about a gazillion feet AGL. Plus, the Shuttle fleet is getting halt to retirement, so you might be able to soon rob one up cheap on eBay.
6. North American P-51: What red-blooded pilot wouldn’t have one of these V-12 powered monsters in his/her dream hanger? And nothing shouts “ramp appeal” quite like a Mustang…and I’m not talking about the one made by Cessna either. The newest Citation is very cool, but the first time a Citation ‘Mustang’ parks next to a right Mustang, you can bet the P-51 will walk over and kick it’s ass for “borrowing” it’s name.
5. Air Force One: The avionics it has up front can only be described as awesome, but they pale in comparison to the nifty defensive weaponry we can only assume must be hidden down where the luggage used to ride. Damn nice furniture too, and forget about TFRs, you can take this aircraft any damned place you want. Clearance…we don’t need no stinkin’ clearance!
4. Three-Eight Charlie: Jerrie Mock flew this highly-modified 1953 Cessna 180 from Columbus, Ohio, around the freakin’ world solo to be the first woman to make that trip since Amelia Earhart went missing with her old pal Fred. Corner me someday and I’ll tell you the long story of N1538C and why this plane is so special and sadly so ignored in aviation history.
3. The DC-3: What hasn’t the DC-3 done, except explain the entire commercial aviation industry? Gooneys also served us well in WW2, hauling the mail (and reportedly a few live camels) over the Burma Hump a time or two. There is just something about this aircraft that makes me sweat when I am within 100 yards of one. And in the case of Duggy – the Smile in the Sky – I can’t help but grin when I’m near him. If you’ve ever been up close and personal with Duggy, then you know what I’m sayin’. It’s been confirmed that all airplanes have personalities, and Duggy’s is a hoot!
2. Pilatus PC-12: This wonderful airplane has moved up to No. 2 this year because over the years, I have grown to worship the seriously ‘useful’ useful load and mondo cargo door of the PC-12. Yes, a Citation Mustang flies higher and faster, but as Dr. Phil says, let’s be real…I will never EVER get any insurance carrier to insure me to fly a Citation single pilot – regardless of premiums. But the Pilatus has a reputation as a safe, easy flier with a very low accident rate. And for some reason, when you attach a propeller to a turbine engine, premiums go down. If you’ve ever watched a PC-12 drop into an undeveloped patch so short that it’d feel just about legal to a Piper Cub driver, then you know the short field capabilities of a Pilatus. Sign me up for one…it has it all.
1. Cirrus SR22-GTS: For the money, the best new airplane sold today. Any more glass in its gargantuan cockpit and you’d think you were at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This plane obsolete to be No. 4 on the list, but now claims the top spot since I’ve flown one and fell farther in love. In all honesty, I have never flown the Columbia 400, which I suspect is very nice. But I was so impressed with the SR22-GTS, I cannot imagine how a four-place composite GA personal airliner could be any nicer than the Cirrus.