A few thoughts on the immigration debate

I've been wanting to weigh in on the issue of illegal immigration, seeing as how it's supposed to be this major issue in the upcoming presidential election.

First, I want to show you a few little tidbits:

Here are some t-shirt designs from a Cafe Press site called "Track 'Em Down":

Invasion? That's a little strong, no? Note that the only border being reddened/secured is the one between the US and Mexico.

Really? I heard a couple speaking French in the mall yesterday, right here in Amurka! Probably "illegals"!

This one really makes me laugh. I've never heard of any illegal immigrants even giving a shit about the flag, much less being "offended" by it; mostly, the ones I've met are concerned with feeding themselves and their families, finding shelter, and just trying to survive.

Some poll results have revealed some interesting viewpoints:
Nineteen percent of blacks said they thought all illegal immigrants should be removed from the country; 35 percent of whites said that. . . .
The races differed more on whether state and local police should turn over illegal immigrants they encounter, even if the immigrants have broken no state or local laws. In such cases, 45 percent of blacks and 61 percent of whites said they believe police should turn over illegal immigrants.
Asked whether people who cannot read or write English should be allowed to vote, 54 percent of blacks said they should, versus 43 percent of whites.

Wow. Who's for bringing back the Jim Crow laws?

Finally, here's some "information" from a web site called Free Republic which purports to tell the whole truth about "illegals":

HALF TRUTH: illegals eventually become assimilated Americans.

TRUTH: Many do. But Most third world illegals come to the U.S. for personal economic reasons. Most do not come to cherish our democratic system. Many so called "immigration rights" groups "fan the fire" with their rhetoric which encourages immigrants to preserve their culture and language at tax payers expense. Among some of these groups, the word "assimilation" is considered xenophobic. When ultimately illegal immigrants and/or their children do become voting citizens, many vote in blocks (Mexican-American, El Salvadoran-American, Guatemalan-American, etc.), not for the good of America, but for personal economic gain usually at the expense of another group.

I don't even know many Americans who would say they "cherish our democratic system." What does that even mean? Do we even have a "democratic system" anymore, when the rigged Supreme Court is deciding election outcomes and Diebold voting machines are changing Kerry votes to Bush votes? And god forbid you should try to retain your own identity and culture. Strange, I don't see anyone trying to get the Amish around here to come into the 21st century. And who knew there was such a conspiracy brewing among these radical immigrant groups? Not just voting, but voting en masse! Against "the good of America"! The web site had no documentation of just how they found out these "facts," but I'm sure they "just know." Of course, there are also plenty of people (including me) who "just know" that radical right republicans often vote in blocs, "not for the good of America, but for personal economic gain" and definitely at the expense of most Americans who don't support the Iraq war, the theocracy, and the ridiculous spending and social policies of this administration. No one seems to mind this, however.

I sometimes worry about the ever-growing population in this country, no matter where the growth is coming from. I think that people who come here should probably do it legally and try to become citizens, unless they're planning to go back to their home countries. However, the obvious fact is that these anti-immigration zealots aren't so much against illegal immigrants in general as they are against illegal immigrants from Mexico.

Why doesn’t anyone seem to be freaking out about our porous Canadian borders? That story came and went in one news cycle. And what about Europeans who come here illegally? Somehow, these immigrants don’t merit the scorn that those from Mexico do. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the Western European/Arian features many of these Canadians and Europeans have. And I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Mexicans are viewed by many people I’ve met as dirty; uneducated; and worthy only of housekeeping, ditch-digging, and farm work.

What I wish is that these people for "building the wall" and "booting 'em out" would just admit that they're racist, that they hate Mexicans and hispanics in general. Admit that they don't want my dark-skinned, dark-eyed, dark-haired, Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters here (unless of course they need a housekeeper). Admit that anyone from Western Europe or Canada or Russia can come here, and they can bring their blonde hair, blue eyes, and sexily-accented English right along with them. Admit that while they love those Tostitos chips and Pace picante sauce and Taco Bell, they really DON'T want those greasy, sombrero-wearing kids in public schools and on any kind of public assistance--because all Mexicans and by extension all hispanics are pretty much lazy, sleeping-under-a-cactus losers who just want to sponge off the precious American way of life, right?

I have some questions for these anti-immigration, “track ’em down” zealots:
Why is it that people knowingly and willingly hire illegal immigrants to care for their children and homes, their gardens, their farm crops, and their gardens, yet those same employers will vote for tougher immigration laws? If these Americans don’t believe these immigrants should be here illegally, why do they so often hire them, thus enabling them to stay?

Most importantly, why are these people wasting time and energy, distracting this nation from the truly important issues we face--the Middle East situation, our out-of-control military spending, the spoiling of our environment, our continued reliance on oil, our dangerously theocratic government?

UPDATE--I just had to add this little gem of an article. Highlight: some NH idiot saying aloud at a McInsane town hall meeting: "I don't know how we're going to export 11 million people, but maybe if we made them all talk English, we might get somewhere." YEAH--GREAT IDEA! Man, I just love it when these bigots show their ignorance.