Jackson Free Press logo

This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

Nurse Tootie McBride speaks to immigrant workers during a special missionary trip at the United States/Mexican border.

Nurse Tootie McBride: โ€œHola, Buenos Dias, and Rico Suave!

โ€œMi familia and I made a run for the border to provide you with some legal, medical and psychological assistance before you cross over to the land of the โ€˜Opportunists.โ€™

โ€œPlease remember that these folk will pay you a low wage to do the job that the so-called poor, lazy American will not.

โ€œJust like African slaves picked cotton from canโ€™t see-en-la maรฑana to canโ€™t see a-la noche, you will labor long hours to harvest fruit, vegetable and tobacco crops; sew fabrics in sweatshops; and pluck chickens at a meat factory.

โ€œThe slave got nothing. But you will get paid $2.50 an hour, while Mr. Cholly saves mucho dinero.

โ€œEschuchan, por favor! Ten years ago, despite your not being a true citizen of this republic, you were corporate Americaโ€™s favorite employee.

โ€œBut today, when you cross the border, youโ€™ll be an illegal alien.

โ€œAnd you might ask: โ€˜What should we do, Senorita Nurse Tootie?โ€™

โ€œWell, all I have to say is: โ€˜Donโ€™t get mad, get legal, contact mi hermano, attorney Cootie McBride, become U.S. citizens and register to vote.โ€™

โ€œRemember: Nosotros somos en el barco mismo. English translation: Weโ€™re all in the same boatโ€”if you know what I mean.

โ€œComprende usted? Gracias!โ€

Ken Stiggers is a local TV producer and filmmaker in Jackson.

Previous Comments

Ken knows history, foreign language, the inner-working of American democracy and capitalism, and satire. “land of Opportunists”, Tom Delay would whup yo butt for saying this. You might want to read the Patriot Act, too, before further commentary along this line. You still the bomb, though. Only joking about that Patriot Act thing.


Ken, I saw you Saturday at Free2Flow. I thought you looked familiar, and I didn’t know who you were until after you left and they told me. Didn’t get to shake your hand…rats!


Thank you, bruh Ray Carter. And Sis L.W., I came to the event to support my good bruh Cyrus Webb. Unfortunately, I had to report to work at noon. I guess you were with the other ladies, and you all seemed to be in a deep discussion. Maybe next time we’ll oficially meet.


A total scream.