Illegal Immigration: Worse Than 9/11
There's a nasty racist undertone to much of America's response to the problems caused by illegal immigration; in many ways it's even worse than how we reacted after 9/11. I compare the two in more detail (and also discuss yesterday's decision by voters in Fremont, Nebraska to require licenses for anyone wishing to rent an apartment, similar to Hazleton, Pennsylvania's proposal in 2006) over at the Guardian.
posted by Jennifer Abel at 1:50 PM
16 Comments:
As usual, the comments hurt my brain. I expected a "What part of 'illegal' don't you understand" comment, but not as the very first one. Kudos.
It's depressing how many people point out that we check citizenship for employees so therefore it's okay to do it for renters. They've successfully defined freedom down.
P.S. Special note to StoryBud: Stop inhaling.
I love the ones who castigate me for being a snooty tea-guzzling Brit, though.
It's convenient that some of the commenters kept their argument in talking-point format for easy future deployment once they win you over.
It's okay, Jennifer. I suspect my current sparring partner thinks I'm an anti-American Brit as well.
Crap but there are some odious little toads strutting around in that thread.
The view of illegal immigration is different if you live where it's a spectacular problem.
As opposed to being a theoretical topic.
Side effects come out.
It's side effects that gives us libertarianism. Government is the greatest producer of uncorrectable side effects.
In theory that ought not to be, but only in theory.
Likewise a few million extra unassimilating citizens in your town produces some non-theoretical difficulties.
Stream John and Ken on KFI (Los Angeles) sometime, when they're back from vacation. Or their vast podcast page.
PS I'm in Ohio, and illegals are no problem to me. The point is that here is not where the problem is.
Ron, illegal immigrants are like illegal drugs, or illegal alcohol during Prohibition -- the overwhelming majority of those problems stem from their illegal status.
Um, no. The non-assimilation to the existing culture is the problem, it being a problem, and possible in the first place, because of the huge numbers involved.
Making it legal makes the numbers bigger, and more non-assimilative.
Mexico being a failed state is the problem.
You can well argue, though, that drugs being illegal is at the root of that, anyway of Mexico's most pressing problem, drug gangs running everything.
Without illegality of drugs, no profits, and no gangs.
Then Mexico's problem becomes just the siesta culture that it used to be.
he non-assimilation to the existing culture is the problem, it being a problem, and possible in the first place, because of the huge numbers involved.
Of course. It's not like they might have problems assimilating because they need to hide in the shadows lest they be deported?
Mexico being a failed state is the problem.
Like how Ireland was a failed state in the 1800s -- couldn't even keep its own people from starving, or British occupation troops out -- and those fucking filthy shanty Irish emigrated here in droves and threatened to destroy America, remember? Fuckers infiltrated and took over all our police forces too. Goddamn Paddies and their goddamned paddy wagons. Un-american. Let's join a Know-Nothing party to keep them out!
(The only good Irish immigrant, of course, was my own dear great- or great-great-grandmama. Sure'n'begorrah, she was a fine lass.)
You can well argue, though, that drugs being illegal is at the root of that,
Agreed.
Then Mexico's problem becomes just the siesta culture that it used to be.
Yeah, lazy siesta Mexicans in the desert sleeping during the hottest part of the day. God help us if they ever get technology like refrigerators or air conditioning which make it possible to work in the afternoon without keeling over from heatstroke, as people from righteous Northern climes do. If that ever happened, those lazy Mexicans might start working hard enough to compete with Americans for jobs. Right, Ron?
The siesta culture comes from Mexican tax laws, not laziness, which would continue to be Mexico's problem.
All America's immigrants assimilated until now.
This is where you need to hear from the residents of, say, Los Angeles; as suggested.
The illegals aren't in the shadows. They're right out there and not being sought at all.
Even the slightest indication of raids sends the community into a panic, and the political reaction to that stops the raid possibility very fast.
The career of whoever took it on himself to start enforcement ends.
John and Ken (link above) specialize in illegals, corrupt dysfunctional California politicians and pedophiles; all rage all the time having better ratings than what they're actually best at, which is whimsical comments on the passing scene.
But it's a much difference scene out there than it is where you are, illegal-wise.
John and Ken aren't strong on economics so think illegals take American jobs away.
Just factor that away.
I despise these people who think Latinos aren't assimilating. They base that on seeing an immigrant who hasn't yet learned English. The fact is, the first generation born here is bilingual, and each successive generation loses a bit of the old language.
I went to college in Bakersfield, CA, with lots of Latinos/Latinas. All quite well assimilated. That's not to say they were exactly like me. They tended to listen to ranchera, while I listened to punk. They ate more burritos than I did. But I happily ate burritos with them, and they ate pizza with me, and we all drank beer together at the campus pub.
Those who think immigrants today aren't assimilating, assuming they're not just racists, have an inaccurate belief that once upon a time assimilation happened almost instantaneously, instead of always taking a couple of generations. Hell, my mom was second and third generation born in the U.S., but lived in a Swiss-German town and learned to speak Swiss-German as her first language--and she was born 80 years ago. Nothing has changed, folks.
But maybe they're right, James. Remember reading of when Italians were the immigrants threatening the American way of life? If we don't kick those dagos out, we might see a future America where even the smallest towns have pizza joints selling cholesterol-ridden Eyetalian foods to upstanding Americans. And if the Irish are allowed to keep coming here, they might get their Popish holidays accepted by the majority, and upstanding Americans would get drunk off green beer on a chilly say in March.
AAAAAA!
The dagos weren't illegals; their numbers were limited.
That's what produces assimilation.
Big numbers is the problem; meaning huge numbers. Assimilation is not happening.
Which is why it's not prejudice or racism. It's difference taking over.
Post a Comment
<< Home