Immigration - The Great Debacle
Perhaps I am missing something. It wouldn't be the first time (nor the last) for certain. But try as I might, I am having a great amount of difficulty understanding the "other side" of the immigration debate. I consider myself to be a moderate to liberal person on the political spectrum, and one who generally feels that we should help those who are less fortunate due to circumstances beyond their control. I also believe in protesting to change unjust laws. For example, I personally believe that laws against marijuana use are ridiculous. On the other hand, I know that if I'm caught with it I will likely go to jail.
So, I take this mixture of political, cultural, and experiences that make up my method of analyzing issues, and bring it to bear on the immigration debate. I still don't get it. How can President Fox of Mexico possibly stand there and tell the United States that we must take care of his citizens because he won't provide for them himself? How can he call our desire to control immigration into our country somehow anti human rights while he misuses his country's natural resources and creates a ridiculous situation where people wish to flee because they can't make a living?
I feel for those who have left their country for a better life. On the other hand, I don't believe that the solution is to bring them to the United States illegally. I don't believe that people marching in the streets waving foreign flags to demand "rights" that they are not entitled to is the way to ingratiate yourself to an American populace (made up of citizens, including legal immigrants, and other legal residents) who are struggling to make ends meet themselves. I don't believe that threats of boycotts targeting these same Americans is going to help matters any.
So, why do so many of our politicians believe that we, as a country, need to provide those who illegally enter our country with the same privileges as those who have gone through the process (onerous though it may be) to legally enter? At a time of budget deficits, Americans not having health insurance, Americans unable to afford housing, Americans on fixed incomes who are barely above water, why are our politicians voting to offer amnesty to those who have illegally snuck in? The refrain from George Bush is "it's not amnesty. It doesn't make any sense to deport millions of people." But allowing someone to stay in this country who is here illegally is promising them that they will not prosecuted under a current and enforceable law. That's at least immunity if not amnesty.
The money issue doesn't work out either. While May 1 was the day of boycotting American businesses, illegal aliens did not also boycott American schools or American emergency rooms. While it may indeed be true that America needs to hire guest workers for finite periods of time for certain jobs, I do not think it is true that there are widespread "jobs that Americans won't do." If that is indeed the case, then perhaps we are becoming too soft as a nation. While not wanting to sound like I "walked 3 miles through the snow and cold uphill both ways" to school (although sometimes I actually did :-)) I took jobs that today many wouldn't do including working in a tomato factory, pulling weeds, selling encyclopedias by phone, etc. Why? Because it was the only choice for a young person who had two functional arms, legs, and a brain. I often wonder about this when I hear about unemployed 25 year olds still living with mom and dad.
So what am I missing here? People have snuck into the United States illegally, and are availing themselves of most of what this country has to offer. Americans have become upset with this, and a bill was introduced to make sneaking in a felony. The proposal was met by massive demonstrations by criminals (yes, those here illegally are indeed criminals by definition), and our President has decided to push a bill to offer amnesty. Americans are upset about this, and have decided to force through better border security to secure our borders by building fences across the most travelled illegal crossings. The Mexican President has responded by calling this racist. Huh? Please provide me with a clue if I am indeed missing one.