The march and rally will take place today just around the time I leave work which is why I brought my camera today. I hope to catch some of the action and I hope it's a massive turnout. Perhaps it's because I grew up in a multicultural society and live in a fairly multicultural city (and am, of course, multiracial), but I just don't understand the mentality of rounding the illegal immigrants up and sending them back, then building a wall to keep them out (as if it were even feasible to do this).
Who do those people think is going to build that wall if you do that?
Seriously, I know it's fear that drives people to practice their ignorance but please remember this: the people who make up the nations of the USA and Canada (and even much of Mexico) were "illegal" immigrants once upon a time and Native Americans/First Nations/Inuit/Aztecs/etc. did not throw them out (let's not get into the whole numbers/weapons/disease reasons why right now). Get over your bad selves and accept that your world is going to change. Sometimes you won't be happy, either (but I didn't vote for him). Alright, back to being serious. I know that's a simplistic view to have but to me, there is no reason for reacting like idiotic xenophobes. The genetic makeup of people is changing so deal with it, learn from it, make the nation stronger. Yes, I advocate laws and control for many many many things -- and certainly better civil rights for all -- but sending people back because you're afraid that your world is being taken over by "them" isn't the answer. Do you think acting like France and Australia will help? Yes, yes, you see it sure worked for them. I may have no background or even interest in law and politics but I recognize idiocy when I see it.
I think my favorite quote so far is this one:
But some organizations, such as the Minuteman Project, a national anti-illegal immigration group, oppose the demonstrations. Stephen Schreiman, director of the Maryland chapter, said only U.S. citizens should have the right to protest on U.S. land."Unfortunately, American laws do not ban foreigners from protesting on our soil," he said. "They've got the legal right to go out there and protest." Full article @ washingtonpost.com
Damn skippy. How many of the rally-attenders will be illegal immigrants and how many will be US citizens? I'm curious about the figures because if the Minuteman* Project folks think that the only people attending the rally today are illegal immigrants, well...I'm sure they realize that the attendees are not all going to be non-US citizens. At least I hope they do.
On a side note, I know that the majority of the illegal immigrants affected are Latinos but I'm hoping for a good representation from all other immigrants.
On another side note, if people who illegally enter a nation can be sent back years after they came into the country, can we evict the haoles from Hawaii? After all, the Hawaiian Nation was taken over by illegal immigrants. Doesn't it work both ways? Yeah, as if that would work. The sovereignty movement may have good points but economically, Hawaii would suffer miserably if all foreigners were removed. And economically, the US would suffer if all illegal immigrants were removed.
So I am kinda excited to see the activity and quite interested in the turnout, certainly. But sadly, I am mostly excited about this because I want to take photographs.
*an idiotic (my favorite word in this case) use of the word Minuteman, imo. This is not a "defense" of anything but your narrow mindset.
( 10:12 FH | news. )I agree that sending back any illegal imigrant is wrong...it will not take care of the issue at all...We are all sprouted from imigrants arent we? What I take to task here is why is it so hard to become a legal citizen? Also isnt it insulting to legal citizens when illegal ones want the same rights as legal ones?
Posted by: josechung at 10.04.06 16:14I'm not sure if it's insulting, but illegal aliens have certain human rights and should be able to count on the U.S. Gov't to uphold those rights. Honestly, I am in agreement with you. If immigrants want to be citizens, make it simple and straightforward so that we can collect their taxes! lol. Then use taxes to educate them in the cultural differences between their old country and their new and ease the transition. It's the failure to understand and culture clash that fuels a lot of the racism, I think. None of that solves the harder problems, though.
If they don't want to be citizens yet live here and be a part of our society, I do have my questions. Same goes for legal aliens, too, but I know that there are legitimate reasons for many.
So far, I'm not sure I've heard any kind of legislation that makes sense for most. It won't work for all, obviously.
Posted by: bunny at 11.04.06 08:43Making it easier to become citizens and educating people about the US to make a healthy transition means that they will organize and fight for better pay and then who will do the backbreaking and dangerous work for pennies that the Minutemen and other vitriol-spewing Americans rely on yet don't want to do? What will the Minutemen and Ahnold do when strawberries are $10 a pound? What will we do when we have no one to blame for stealing the jobs we don't want? What will we do when we're so isolationist and anti-immigrant that the world despises us (whoops...)? The thought!
Have you seen A Day Without a Mexican?
I agree, there should be an easy, cheap, and preferably non-government run, monitored worker visa program for folks who don't want to be citizens, as well as easier and more supportive ways for people who want to be citizens, pay taxes, and be part of this society to do so. But that costs money and riles the political knee-jerk monkeys, so I am not confident.
College should also be free, and people should have to spend one year riding a bicycle to work and working a service job to make this country a better place. But we just keep putting band-aids on everything and hoping no one sees our society arterially hemorrhaging.
Damn I'm grumpy and negative, and ranting on your blog. Apologies.
Posted by: saudade at 11.04.06 12:46No need to apologize. It's a topic that seems to affect everyone fairly deeply.
Re: A Day w/o a Mexican: No, I haven't seen it, but I have read about it.
Honestly, the problem with Immigration/illegal immigrants is that it's really a thousand completely different issues under the same banner. I can't even pretend to understand half of the problems. I get the problems that new immigrant communities (legal or illegal) seem to bring out: crime, racism, poverty (all seem to be fairly well linked). But when it comes to labor, I can barely scratch the surface. When it comes to economy, I give up. I understand there are problems with corporations luring illegals into the US and taking advantage of them, I understand there are problems with illegal immigrants taking more benefits than they pay in taxes. I know that nothing is simple.
However, anyone who thinks we can just send tens of thousands if not millions back to countries that we may or may not have had a hand in "helping," is an idiot.
I don't really see a problem with guest worker, only isn't that really kind of outsourcing our labor? lol.
Does riding a bike to public transportation for a few years count? :)
Posted by: bunny at 11.04.06 19:15