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Immigration and Security
Submitted by Dan Henry on Tue, 04/25/2006 - 11:59am.
People who dislike immigrants are just weird. You know? I wish that the world were twice as big as it is, so that we could get immigrants from twice as many places. I have a long wish list of immigrants who the United States could use more of: Hungarians, Uighurs, Tuvans, Tswana, Cariocas, Spaniards, and so forth. And all the Tibetan monks living in camps in India, and all of the traditional craftspeople in Japan, and all of the electric guitar players in Zaire. I want Nigerian restaurants to become as common in American cities as Indian and Chinese restaurants are now. We should *pay* these people to come here.
Phil Agre
There's been some talk that the GOP has been trying to position the immigration issue as the next big wedge issue in this year's upcoming election. They realize that "boys kissing" is so 2004. And, although they seem to be botching it so far, Frist and company seem to be trying to find the right formulation to get their base motivated.
I think it can turn into a positive issue for Democrats. We just need to figure out a consistent message (I know, I know: cats, herding, etc.). The first thing that needs to be loudly rejected is any notion that the immigration issue has anything to do with security. That's a lie so willingly swallowed by our mainstream press that nobody even questions it.
Think about it. If you were a terrorist plotting an attack in the U.S. - would you risk your life crossing a desert border in 120° heat, or would you buy some forged papers and fly in? Would you risk giving away your plot by getting caught by U.S. border patrol agents or crazy vigilantes, or would you rent a car in Canada and drive in?
We have real data points on this: real experience with real terrorists. They didn't walk in through Mexico. They drove in air-conditioned comfort. They racked up frequent flyer miles. They had papers.
The next time you hear somebody talk about "securing our borders," notice how the discussion will be entirely focused on Mexican illegal immigration. No talk of port security. No talk of building a wall the length of the 49th parallel. No talk of Saudis arriving in private jets. Nope. It's all about those damned Mexicans. That should give us a hint about the real driving force behind the anti-immigration movement.
It has as much to do with security as Bush's War has to do with terrorism.
Hi, all. I'd like to
Hi, all. I'd like to recommend some informative films that give a very different view from the Washington line. The "Film for Thought" group has viewed several films dealing with the subject. I would strongly recommend that anyone interested in the immigration issue view "Farmingville" (a PBS Point of View documentary), "Wetback" an independent documentary, and "Wall" a French documentary filmed in Israel about the security wall being built between the Israeli and Palistinian populations.
In view of the upcoming Latino work boycot, "A Day Without A Mexican" (a satiric fiction by an Hispanic California film maker) will be shown at 7PM this Monday night, May, 1st, instead of "Salt of the Earth". Movies are free. First comers get chairs, overflow sits on the floor, and late comers get to stand in the back. You are all invited!
Film for Thought: 7 PM 1st, 3rd, and 5th Monday nights at my home. 3031 S. Boulevard, IF 83404 (between Tautphaus Park and Sunnyside).
Thanks, Tammy. I can
Thanks, Tammy. I can empathize with you, too. I have two adopted kids who are black, and one who is racially mixed. I haven't seen any discrimination or racism directed towards them - they're still young, and Idaho Falls is about as racially tolerant as anyplace I've ever been - but heaven help the first person who does it. I don't think I will be able to control my rage, if it ever happens in front of me.
It's just like Bush's War, too. There are all kinds of reasons why Bush and the neocons wanted war in Iraq: influence over Middle East oil, revving up the industrial military complex, U.S. bases in the area, etc. All of them make some sense. But the reasons Bush gave made no sense whatsoever.
The reasons behind the anti-immigration movement make sense: xenophobia, racism, maintenance of a permanent underclass, etc. All of which make some sense. The reason they promote - security - makes no sense.
Way to go brother thats what
Way to go brother thats what I have ben saying all along. Besides my children who are all adults now are all half Mexican. Their fahter is legal and they are all citizens yet they have already had to deal with the hatred and false assumptions in this race war. They have been mistaken for illegals and heaven forbid if there were to be any casualties, because I would sue with civil rights attorneys for all that I could get for impinging on their civil rights as US citizens.