Posted by
Doctor Bart on Friday, May 18, 2007 6:05:20 PM
Most Americans are not stupid. We understand that there is no feasable way to immediately deport 12 million people. We also understand that many of these people are "productive" members of society. When we are told that many of these illegal immigrants pay taxes, we know that this is true.
We also understand that there are a number of low-paying jobs that would not be filled without this work force. (But we are also pretty certain that there aren't nearly as many such jobs as we are being told, just ask those who now work in the infamous meat-packing plant.)
We are also aware that our country as had a de facto open arms policy toward immigrants, a sort of "don't ask, don't tell" system of immigration enforcement. We get it that it is hard to fault someone who, wanting to provide for their family in Mexico, comes across a porous border to the job that is waiting for them. But these aren't the only people who are coming.
If the only people coming were honest, hard working individuals accepting the jobs no one else wants, or for whom no suitable applicant was available, no one would be complaining. We resent being accused of bigotry and intolerance, and being told we have no feelings for these honest, hard working people. It's not them we are most worried about.
What we are asking for is simple; We want a way to only allow honest, hard working people in, to make sure that they are such people before they come, that they are needed, and then to keep everyone else out. The post 9/11 world in which we live demands no less. How hard can this be? Build a fence, enforce the borders, track individuals on temporary visas. Keep us safe.
When that is done, we can begin talking about what to do with those already here. Once we are secure, our leaders will find the public more than willing to accept a reasonable solution to this second part of the problem.