Immigration Rallies

It all depends on how they asked the question (polls are like that).

 

I’ve avoided posting in this thread until now because I have so much to say about this issue. I didn’t want to bore you guys to death with my ramblings until it became obviously that I couldn’t sit on my behind any longer without writing something. I’ve tried to pare it down and be as brief as I can be.

Regarding the recent rallies in US cities: What would have happened to 500,000 Americans protesting in Mexico City, waving American flags, and demonstrating against the policies and proposed laws of the Mexican government? I shudder to think. I especially liked the quote attributed to the 15 year old Mexican boy in California. His remarks appeared in a Yahoo news story on 3/30/06. He said, “America would be nothing without Mexicans.”

Mexican workers only take the jobs that American workers don’t want? Hmmm….. Maybe if wages in the US had kept pace with inflation/cost of living increases it would have never become an issue in the first place. Too late now. Mexico’s second largest source of income (petroleum exports are first) is the cash funneled into its economy by Mexican citizens working in the USA. I see it literally every time I go to the post office: several Mexicans standing in line, waiting to purchase money orders to send home to their families in Tlaxcala. Think the Mexican government has any intention of helping the US shut off this spigot?

Ever notice how the Mexican government refers to the process of illegals crossing our border as, “migration,” almost as if they were talking about a flock of birds? A recent poll taken by Time-Warner found that 89% of respondents favored building a wall along the US/Mexican border. Think it will ever happen? I have my doubts.

I know a Mexican man who lives in my town. He was caught here illegally 3 times. He was sent back to Mexico 3 times, and he snuck back across the border 3 times. He now owns a construction business, a house, and a restaurant. I don’t know if he has bothered to resolve the question of his legal status, but I’ve got to admire his refusal to be denied. I wish all natural born Americans were so determined.

I dated a girl from Colombia for 3 years. She came into the US legally in 2000, and I got to know a lot about the Latino community in the time we were together. Are many Latinos honest and hard working? Yep, they are. They came to America for a chance at a better life. I can’t fault them for that. My ancestors did the same thing. But, I also got to see the other side of the issue.

I’ve watched illegals hold down legitimate jobs- ones paying over the table- by using phony SSNs and providing false identification- like it was nothing at all. It is almost a joke amongst them. The US government says we aren’t supposed to do this? We should pay our taxes? Bah! They could get away with it for up to 2 years at a pop because of the time it takes our government to finally act- after sending out several PC letters asking the illegal worker to please clear things up. The employer simply looked the other way until the employee quit. Problem solved. I guess, in this instance, two wrongs do make a right.

I’ve seen fake Social Security cards that looked as genuine as the one I was issued in the early 1970s. Similarly, I once met a guy who worked for a time in a doctor’s office. He was rumored to have stolen the SSN of a dead person (no kidding) and assumed at least a part of the deceased’s identity. He was supposedly telling his friends that now he could kick back in his old age because the US government would take care of him.

Need proof of residency to obtain a state-issued permit or document? No problem. I once met the father of a Mexican family in Utah that allowed those in need (usually, but not always living in another state) to provide his physical address as their place of residence. This can be used to get someone an ID card or a driver’s license. They’ll then take that ID or license and use it in another state with stricter requirements so they can drive legally. Don’t even start me on auto insurance, health care, public schooling, etc.

I once met an immigration attorney while trying to help my Colombian girlfriend’s sister come to the US for a visit. He told me that illegals can pretty much get away with anything they want in the US once they are here, until it involves some sort of direct and/or immediate run in with the law- speeding, fighting, robbery, drinking in public, whatever. It is the only real way they’ll get caught- according to him. By the way, my girlfriend’s sister was refused entry into our country because some pencil neck at the US embassy in Bogota decided she had no legitimate reason to be here. She followed the rules and was refused entry. Nice.

Both of the major political parties are partly to blame for fostering this problem along. They simply refuse to deal with it in anything other than a token, superficial, and feckless manner. Is there another concern, as important as this one, where our government simply refuses to insist that the current laws on the books be followed? It blows me away that our representatives at the state and federal level are so spineless, cowardly, and disinterested in the enforcement of our laws and the potential safety of our country.

I never try to paint with overly broad strokes, and I don’t believe in universals. However, Democrats typically bill themselves as the party/protector of the common man, the guys who care about the working poor and less affluent, the blue-collar worker’s friend- call it what you will. The Ted Kennedys of the world simply see illegal immigrants as a potential source (second generation?) of political support, and they sugarcoat their blatherings in the guise of selfless humanitarianism. The Republicans, on the other hand, are equally guilty. The minute some Liberal starts throwing around the words “racism” or “xenophobia” they’ll duck and run for cover faster than you can blink. And, rather than insist that the laws of the land be enforced, they’ll cower at the thought of antagonizing the Mexican government. As an American I am truly embarrassed by my government's lack of willingness to follow the wishes of the majority of the American people on this issue.

My biggest fear in all of this is that our refusal to take the hard and necessary steps to secure our southern border will ultimately facilitate another terrorist attack against this country. Our back door is wide open. A thief can walk right into our house.

So much for being brief.....

 

Bigswick,

Your last point is one that no politican dares discuss. The politicans can document, tax, train, run citizenship classes, offer amnesty, issue guest worker papers, fine employers, or do anything they want. But none of this will stop a terrorist from walking into the country with a suitcase nuclear, chemical or biological weapon and wipe out a town or city in the southwest.

First we should build the wall. Then we can discuss how many gates it needs and the requirements to go through them. I'd even be satisfied to know that the people coming in were, in fact Mexicans [not middle-eastern terrorists], had no communicable diseases, and no criminal record. Once that is established, everything else becomes manageable. I guess another few thousand Americans are going to have to die before anyone in Washington gets it.

Most likely, the outcome of this will be more lost liberty for American citizens, national ID cards, expensive new government agencies with near dictatorial powers, and all sorts of new government regulations that require compliance by US citizens, but can be safely ignored by everyone else.

 

Well thought out and respectfully stated.
Now if I heard a politican speak and act upon that speak, they would have my vote regardless of party.

 

This may be Pc, but I sure wouldn't want to be in the shoes of this High School Principal.

LONGMONT, Colo. (April 1) - Dozens of high school students protested a temporary school policy forbidding students from displaying the U.S. flag - amid racial tensions following immigration rallies.
Skyline High School Principal Tom Stumpf said American flags were brazenly waved in the faces of Hispanic students and in one case a Mexican flag was thrown into the face of another student. "When it involves the American flag and its abuse in vilifying other people, we simply will not tolerate it," Stumpf said. "They were using the symbol derisively as misguided patriotism."

Students were warned about the policy Friday and several were suspended, although Stumpf would not provide details. Then, about 100 students protested during lunch time.

Student Dustin Carlson told Denver station KCNC-TV that he was suspended for two days."I'm getting suspended for it and personally I think that's uncalled for," he said. "If this country means freedom, then why can't we fly our own flag? It's ridiculous."

Thousands of high school students Friday in California, Texas, Nevada and other states protested the tough immigration laws proposed in the House. Some waved Mexican flags and carried signs saying "We are not criminals."

On Monday, about 150 high school students, including some from Skyline, protested in Longmont.

"People are taking it to a whole other level," said Laura Avitia. "I don't think they know why we were protesting."

 

The last four posts were excellent.

This isn't a Republican or Democartic problem, it's a problem for all U.S. citizens.

The sad thing is that nothing really will be done. When we finally wake up, it may well be too late.

I recommend Lou Dobbs broadcasts on CNN weekdays at 4 p.m. MST. I think that's one of the few places where we can hear and see the truth.