[Vision2020] Illegals
keely emerinemix
kjajmix1 at msn.com
Mon Mar 6 11:02:55 PST 2006
The Mexican government is, without question, utterly corrupt and so of
course shares the blame in making Mexico inhospitable to its own poor.
My point, though, is that the hue and cry over the high cost of illegal
immigration rarely comes from people who are equally vehement against the
outrageous cost of our "war" on terrorism and our "war" on drugs. It
appears to echo primarily from those whose sentiments are at least somewhat
in line with a nativist approach that suggests that our country is being
overrun by, well, you know -- "them." The symptom might be, to the
Buchananites, a burdened social service system (which they generally disdain
under any circumstance), but the disease is the evolution of the United
States from an Anglo-American bastion of Western culture, solid (and, I
believe, largely co-opted) Christianity, and the flavoring of the melting
pot with too damned much stuff that tastes funny at first bite. I would be
inclined to think that the high cost of providing services to undocumented
persons truly was the issue if I felt that other "high cost" endeavors of
dubious value and outcome were also targeted. And while Pat Buchanan has
railed against the war in Iraq, I think it's fair to conclude that it's for
reasons other than fiscal responsibility; either way, he is a minority
voice, perhaps, in his own nativistic clubhouse.
I believe, Kai, that you are truly concerned about the economic effect of
illegal immigration; I've never gleaned from you a hint of racism. And I
share many of your concerns -- I would not want to be a ranch owner in
Douglas or Naco these days. Not all immigrants are noble and sacrificially
so; some do cross with malicious intent. But I steadfastly deny that the
"malicious intent" is to work for less, suffer more, be separated from
family and live in fear for the privilege of draining away yours and my
benefits.
And to those who've written me off-list to express surprise that I have a
sister I've evidently never spoken of, let me reiterate that H. is "the
sister I never had." Meaning, mom and dad gave birth to me and my brother;
I was just blessed to find her in my 30s. Her parents are not my parents,
and we don't look at all alike. And she generally has shown a lot more
courage in life than I ever have, even though I do have better hair. . .
oops, that's an in joke between sisters.
keely
From: "Kai Eiselein, LatahEagle Editor" <editor at lataheagle.com>
To: "keely emerinemix" <kjajmix1 at msn.com>, <fotopro63 at hotmail.com>,
<vision2020 at moscow.com>
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Illegals
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 08:54:25 -0800
Keely,
I'm glad to know you have first hand experience, as do I.
There is no question many of these people are in desperate need, that fact
is not in dispute.
The problem is the strain such a large influx of indegents is putting on the
services, especially in borders states.
They may or may not being paying taxes, how many day laborers are paid cash,
"under the table"? How many other employers pay under the table, as well, in
order to circumvent the law? I would wager a fairly large number engage in
the practice.
And who pays if they are hurt on the job, in such cases? Joe and Jill
Taxpayer do, after all there is no "Workman's comp".
Why you've tied this to Iraq, I'm not sure, but to place the blame on one
person is rather naive.
There is plenty of blame to go around and the problem has been here longer
than Bush has been in office. Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton and Bush
II all did nothing about it. (Oh yeah, there was the clemency thing,
whoopee.)Too afraid to offend someone, I guess.
But not all the blame belongs on our officials, look south.
Look how corrupt the Mexican system is. (I'm sure you've paid your share of
bribes, too, since you've spent time further south than just the border
areas.)
Look at the vast natural wealth Mexico has, then look at the plight of a
large number of its people. Mexico has the resources to bring itself into
"first world" status, but the rampant corruption has essentialy cut the
acchilles tendon of progress.
Why doesn't anybody blame the Mexican government?
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of keely emerinemix
Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2006 10:39 PM
To: fotopro63 at hotmail.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Illegals
Kai, I was raised in Tucson, only an hour from the border. My mother and
her partner are active in Humane Borders, which provides water to immigrants
crossing the Sonoran desert. And I've seen tarpaper and corrugated plastic
shacks in Coahuila, Chihuahua, and Sonora that should hold tools and
machinery, but instead house families. Most of the people I worked with had
only a few years of schooling, if that, and have been working since they
were children.
I'm also aware that hospitals, schools and, much less often, jails and
prisons are suffering under the weight of illegal immigrants who require
services. I've seen the effects of compassion fatigue from providers as
well as the effects of underfunding in their agencies, and my tax dollars
pay for those services, just like yours, Kai. And, just like the tax
dollars paid by undocumented workers in the U.S. I'm not arguing for open
borders, but neither will I assume that legal immigration is accessible and
simple enough for anyone with a few months and a few bucks to avail
themselves of. The folks I worked with were sub-literate, undereducated,
desperately poor, and had almost no power, economic or political, in their
home country. (Not surprisingly, but tragically, lighter-skinned Jaliscans
scorned darker residents of the Districto Federal, who in turn loathed the
Oaxacans, who spoke about being glad they weren't some other,
darker-skinned, group. It seems that racism demands that its voice be
heard, even among those who suffer from its effects courtesy of the
majority). Legal immigration, while certainly preferable, is unattainable
for those who most need relief -- the poor. I've known a few people who've
immigrated legally, and I've known many more who arrived without papers,
were granted amnesty in the mid-80s, and now are citizens with a greater
respect for the duties thereof than most native-born Americans I know.
There is one woman in this world who I consider the sister I never have. H.
arrived here when she was 3; her family crossed over illegally and moved
from orchard to orchard, field to field, with the crops. She's 38 now, a
paraprofessional in the public school system, U.S. citizen, wife, and mother
of four beautiful daughters who, like their mom, are fully bilingual (OK,
one's only 6 mos. old, but she will be!). She and her husband are
soon-to-be homebuyers, attend a local church, pay their taxes and root for
their girls' soccer teams. She is a consummate citizen, neighbor, and
friend; again, if I have a sister in this world, it's her. But it wasn't
her green card or her U.S. citizenship that gave her such strength of
character and such a sense of responsibility; those things were bestowed
upon her because of them. Most of the people I know who began like Hilda
will end up much like her, to all of our benefit. Her family didn't start
out with anything, but her eldest daughter will begin college next year.
The presumption that somehow the totality of la familia Ramirez' life in the
United States boils down to a "soaking up" of native-born Americans'
pensions and VA benefits is more than a little offensive and entirely
inaccurate.
It's difficult for me to see how anyone can salute the $400 billion we've
spent in Iraq and yet feel justified in denying medical benefits and
education to immigrant children. Someone has reached his hands deep into
your pockets, Kai and Matt, but guess what? It's a white guy from Texas,
born in privilege and steeped in avarice and corruption, who's soaking up
your future and that of your children.
keely
From: "Kai Eiselein" <fotopro63 at hotmail.com>
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Illegals
Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2006 05:41:46 +0000
Keely,
I believe you are a bit misguided. The problem is not with "legal"
immigration, its with "illegal" immigration.
Having spent most of my youth living along the U.S. - Mexico border, I know
full well "why" people want to come here. From some of the windows in my
high school, one had full view of the slums of Nogales, Sonora. I've seen
the beggars on the streets, kids trying to sell trinkets or shine
shoes...missing school in order to help feed their families.
I know this will sound horrible, but it is the truth: A family of 5 in an 18
foot trailer? Believe me when I say it is a step up for some families, who
may have come from nothing more than a tin, cardboard and plywood shack with
a dirt floor.
The pressure that is being put on our border areas by illegal immigration is
horrendous, hospitals are failing because of the cost of indigent care,
local services are at the breaking point, crime from rampant unemployment is
outrageous. (I believe Santa Cruz County, Arizona averages somewhere around
24% unemployment) This situation HAS to be brought under control.
Have you thought that if there were fewer illegals, there would be fewer
employers using the threat of deportation to force workers into living and
working in the conditions you describe? Take away that fear and workers
might be more inclined to report such incidences. And employers would be
less inclined to use the tactic, knowing there would be legal penalties.
Secondly, why don't you ask some immigrants who arrived here legally about
how THEY feel about illegals? I think you'd be surprised about the anger
they have about those that didn't.
Those that are here legally, jumped through the hoops, did the paperwork
went through the waiting and the hassles, the rest just broke the law and
gave a slap in face to those that did it the right way.
My parents sponsored two people from Mexico to immigrate here and my
grandmother became a citizen when I was a teenager, I've seen what it takes
and I've seen the pride on thier faces when they've become citizens.
I've given water to illegals in the Sonoran Desert, while out hunting and
sent them on their way and at other times tracked them down and helped take
them into custody, because my hunting partner was a Border Patrolman or an
Immigration agent.
I've called it in when they'd come to our house asking for work, water or
food. (I did give them water and food.) Cruel you say? Not nearly as cruel
as the desert, when one doesn't know how to survive in it. The morgue in
Tucson is filled with the unidentified bodies of people that have died in
the desert. I wasn't being cruel, I may have saved a life.
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