tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10991135.post114503983684426786..comments2024-03-24T05:42:24.847-05:00Comments on Taking Wing: ImmigrationSam Weigelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06332414897030323612noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10991135.post-1145554442674956462006-04-20T12:34:00.000-05:002006-04-20T12:34:00.000-05:00Hold on there everyman, this isn't a "dump on Mexi...Hold on there everyman, this isn't a "dump on Mexico" forum. While your comments contain a germ of truth, you made them in an inflammitory and, to my mind, ignorant way. <BR/><BR/>First, your characterization of Mexico as a "RATHOLE" is insulting. I've spent some time doing humanitarian work in poor parts of Mexico, both urban and rural. It's a beautiful country with friendly, outgoing people. Many of them live in poverty, but it's not more prevelant than most third world countries. It is the stark contrast to their northern neighbor that provides the impetus for immigration. <BR/><BR/>Does Mexico need to change? Yes, it does. The corruption of it's political system has done a lot to keep investors at bay, keeping it's economy stagnant and poverty widespread. It's institutions are weak and crumbling. The country needs strong leadership that spreads reform. Right now, they don't have it. <BR/><BR/>The US is not blameless in this, however. Our illegal drug trade has fueled much of the corruption and political instability in Mexico. The "War on Drugs" seems to have done little to help; if anything, scarcity has driven the prices up and made the drug lords and smugglers that much more powerful. I don't think that legalization is the answer, but we need to look at alternate options because the current system isn't working.<BR/><BR/>And, like I said, we need to use economic sticks and carrots to help pursuade the Mexican government of the need for change.Sam Weigelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06332414897030323612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10991135.post-1145260633517841552006-04-17T02:57:00.000-05:002006-04-17T02:57:00.000-05:00Hey Sam, I really enjoyed your post; and it is the...Hey Sam, I really enjoyed your post; and it is the antithesis of the Rules For Blog Posting that Dennis the Peasant sardonically wrote about a couple weeks back. You actually commit to rational analysis, make a clear effort to avoid partisan rhetoric, and make some very compelling points.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for the excellent post.<BR/><BR/>I'm personally against "stronger borders" because of personal biases resulting from seeing the less-than-stellar economic and security results that have come from the "stronger borders" that have been increasingly "enforced" at the US/Canada border in recent years. There are communities on both sides of that border that are suffering immensely due to sheer incompetence and irrational action by the powers that be. In many instances the "increased security" has involved reducing entry points and making the reamining ones more secure. This obviously does nothing useful when someone decides to just walk/boat into the country at the now defunct entry point. It makes upstanding people that do enter at the old entry points for a soda and some gasoline felons.<BR/><BR/>Mind you, I'm not actually opposed to reasonable, intelligent border security. I'm opposed to powerful political carrots being dangled in order to generate even more funding for questionable programs.<BR/><BR/>US Customs and Border Patrol managed to kill numerous people in my home state with a interior checkpoint they purposely operated in a manner inconsistent with the agreement they had with the state DOT as far as signage/safety went. Local complaints fell on deaf ears. People had to die and Senators had to get involved before things changed. No one was ultimately held accountable for Border Patrol's capricious actions. I suppose it is not politically correct to suggest such a group should be held accountable for its actions.<BR/><BR/>Using this relevant, important issue of immigration to justify large scale increases in the size of agencies with incredibly broad powers is something that must be carefully approached in my opinion. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to consider whether the large scale expenditures in US/Canada border security have had a worthwhile ROI, and perhaps we should consider redirecting some of this money towards the border the current issue seems more focused on.<BR/><BR/>This is a brilliant election year issue for the GOP. As per usual, I don't see how the Democrats can possibly win goodwill with voters on this issue in a resounding way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10991135.post-1145171115301557722006-04-16T02:05:00.000-05:002006-04-16T02:05:00.000-05:00For what it's worth, I can't honestly blame some o...For what it's worth, I can't honestly blame some of the people who come here looking for jobs. Face it, the Mexican economy is only moving due to money sent back from El Norte. And the Mexican government has been oblivious to the growing needs of their population. The fact is that without the safety valve of the United States there would have already been a government or two overthrown there. But there is also a real threat, one that can be felt in the reconquista rhetoric. There are those who lay claim to the southwest, and really, even the Aztecs were part of the Bering land migration so truly they are immigrants here as well as shown through history. I don't think most people mind someone who genuinely wants to come and be a part of the American experience, but when we are all working the most hours of any civilized nation, it's hard to see someone come here illegally and demand the rights that our parents and grandparents slaved for their entire lives. And what then of those who are patiently waiting and following the laws to come here legally? Is it right for people to march in the streets and demand repayment for breaking our laws? And as for the whole job issue, there is a stagnation of wages when employers can readily find people who will work for subsistance wages. And there are Americans who do those jobs-my kids for three-who work full time to go to college. Fast food, service and hotel, all the areas that supposedly "Americans won't do". My question would be is how many employers are pocketing the excess but charging the same price while paying illegal immigrants under the table? I have heard that many of the contractors in New Orleans are getting federal funds and then cutting deals with illegal immigrants. The feds based the payments on union levels...who do YOU think is skimming from the top? We have to make it important for employers to hire documented workers first. We have to make it difficult for money to be sent out of the country. And we need to somehow maintain our sovreignty. It may seem cruel, but there are limits. And many of the Mexicans that come here have no intention of becoming part of the US. I teach a number of kids from that area, and many of them are not only lacking English, but are illiterate in Spanish as well. How can we teach them when they don't even read their own language? And how can they succeed when there is no effort towards that goal. My Korean, Vietnamese and Pakistani kids work hard to learn English and move out of the ESL programs. Too many of our Hispanic kids linger from Kindergarten through high school because there's no desire to move beyond what they already know. It's a huge issue and one that the Hispanic community doesn't want to recognize. Not everything can be blamed on racism-at some point Mexico has to answer for their lack of attention.Ellen Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02845981491726296767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10991135.post-1145143960123968472006-04-15T18:32:00.000-05:002006-04-15T18:32:00.000-05:00In America both the government and society as a wh...In America both the government and society as a whole have historically treated immigration as "the process of becoming American." In parts of Europe it wasn't this way at all. The populations treated immigrants, particularly from their former African colonies, as little more than temporary help. The governments built mass housing for them to live in, resulting in the neatly segregated ghettos we see today. As always, the individual bears some responsibility, but the various governments and societies <I>did not expect</I> assimilation and <I>did not</I> promote it. <BR/><BR/>Now you mention the militant Islamism seen among second and third generation muslim immigrants in France. It's worth noting that you didn't see this among the original immigrants. It wasn't until later that radical imams took advantage of the imigrant populations' lack of integration to radicalize them.<BR/><BR/>In America, I think society is more accepting of immigrants and attitudes generally mirror yours, favoring assimilation. However, several things are working against assimilation. Illegal immigration results in a large "underground" population, cut off from American society and retaining it's own culture. Of course, there are those within the US that think this is a good thing. The multiculturalist left sees assimilation as a racist concept that strips the immigrant's identity. The radical left sees potential allies in unassimilated immigrants. This is why, at rallies such as those organized by the Marxist International ANSWER, <I>reconquistadora</I> ideology is prominent, as is the flying of the Mexican flag and sometimes even desecration of the American flag. International ANSWER director Brian Becker has publicly spoken about his hope that the immigration movement can become "the catalyst for a broader class struggle, even possibly a revolutionary struggle." This isn't much different from radical muslim imams spreading their militant dogma among immigrants in Europe. All the more reason, then, to make sure any immigration reforms contain strong programs promoting assimilation of new Americans.<BR/><BR/>One other note on Mexican flags. Not everyone who waves a Mexican flag at an immigrant rally is espousing reconquistadora ideology or is promoting Mexican nationalism. For many, it's simply a symbol of their hispanic identity. What they fail to realize is the rest of us don't see it that way. For many of us, flying the Mexican flag is a symbol of loyalty to Mexico and disrespect to America.Sam Weigelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06332414897030323612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10991135.post-1145128099430924762006-04-15T14:08:00.000-05:002006-04-15T14:08:00.000-05:00"The failure of the various countries to integrate...<I>"The failure of the various countries to integrate new immigrants into their society was the problem."</I><BR/><BR/>Are you sure it was the failure of the country and not a failure of the immigrant?<BR/><BR/>My feeling is, immigration (legal or otherwise) is always initiated by the immigrator, the one who is voluntarily leaving his or her country to seek out membership in a different nation. Since that's the case, don't they bear a large part of the responsibility for integrating into that society?<BR/><BR/>It saddens me to see immigrants come to the U.S. and refuse to integrate into our society. It keeps them seperate. They don't feel like part of our country, and they don't get treated that way.<BR/><BR/>It's not nearly as bad here as in places like France, where immigrants are trying to overturn the millenia-old culture of that country. But still, at many of the immigration marches here, you'll see a sea of Mexican flags. I don't get it. If they really want to be here, and really want to stay, aren't they flying the wrong flag?<BR/><BR/>I, too, <A HREF="http://www.rapp.org/archives/2006/03/immigration/" REL="nofollow">wrote about this issue</A> on my site.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com