Immigration starting to make waves

The Mississippi Press ^ | June 17, 2005 | Gaylon Parker

[Founding Father]

My yard looks like garbage.

I mean it. My lawn looks like I haven't lived in the house for a few weeks. It's overgrown on the side that soaks up the most water and there are little sprouts in the cracks of the driveway.

I haven't put a lot of work into the lawn because it's pretty well been a disaster since I moved into the house. So I ignored it, hoping the forces of nature would infuse some new grass in the back yard and make it more even in the front.

My little plan has not worked.

In much the same way, politicians are hoping the illegal immigration issue will just go away and it hasn't. After all, we are a nation of immigrants so it is difficult for some of our leaders to take the necessary steps to address the out-of-control illegal immigration that is killing this country.

There is a significant difference between yesterday's immigrants and today's.

First, the immigrants that included my Scottish and French grandparents were seeking all the same things that today's illegal immigrants are: better money, freedom, etc. But immigrants of the 1800s and early 1900s absorbed American history and culture and in most cases learned the language to give them a better shot at success.

Most of today's illegal immigrants couldn't care less about this country and look at it as a meal ticket or a way to get over. They haven't followed the rules in the first place -- sneaking across the border -- and they oppose the market forces that make the country work once they're here.

The immigrants of yesterday also loved America and ended up fighting for her in huge numbers. For example, the Japanese unit that fought in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion in World War II ended up as two of the most decorated units in the war. Germans and Italians were also a significant part of the war effort and helped as translators and soldiers throughout Europe as they helped conquer the continent.

The immigrants of today won't even root for our nation at a home soccer match. Everywhere the U.S. team travels in this country it is opposed by its own residents, who would rather root for Mexico -- if they're playing in California -- or England -- if they're playing in the northeast. The only place Team USA got a break and some home support was in Salt Lake City, for crying out loud.

Despite the rhetoric of Mexico's President Vicente Fox and other world leaders, this issue is not a racial one. More than anything it's financial, as America's workers cannot support the overwhelming societal needs of people who do not contribute tax dollars.

Even if they did, so many of the jobs held by illegal immigrants are minimum wage, low-skilled labor and would provide little tax infusion to the treasury, even if the workers were documented.

But there is also a security issue at work because we don't know how many terrorists have already traipsed across our borders. Also, the southern border of America is so porous that a nuclear weapon could get through with little difficulty.

It's not only in the southern states we are seeing this negative trend. On Thursday, 200 illegals were arrested in New England in a police sweep that rounded up people who had already served time for attempted murder, rape, child molestation and arson.

At what point can we start to recognize the remarkable number of thugs and potential terrorists in our midst? What has to happen before American politicians take drastic precautions to save our country from this ugly flood?

Rep. Tim Tancredo, a New Hampshire congressman, is considering a presidential run to shed some light on the issue and every other potential presidential candidate from Newt Gingrich to Hillary Clinton is making hay over Americans' dissatisfaction with George W. Bush's foot-dragging on illegal immigration and border security.

But the fight is multi-pronged, as the pro-illegal forces claim racism against anybody who talks about the swelling tide of economy-crippling law-breakers. One high-school student in Corvallis, Ore., Trent Demarest, was recently targeted because he wrote a piece about illegals in his school newspaper.

His column was met by two days of protests and two-thirds of the protesters hadn't read the article. The Hispanic group's response was to March around the school carrying a Mexican flag.

This war will be waged on a variety of fronts, people, you need to picks sides now. Weeds are infesting our country and if we don't uproot them we will all pay the price. The problem will not take care of itself.

Oh, and I have a mea culpa from last week's column. A gentleman from Canada pointed out that John Kerry never mentioned impeachment hearings in relation to the "Downing Street Memo" and I implied that he had. I was wrong, but give Sen. Kerry and his cohorts some time and I'm certain that he and some others will try and impeach George W. Bush for SOMETHING.

Gaylon Parker can be reached at gparker-@themississippipress.com or (228) 934-1416.

[devane617]

"...their country club brethren from the majority side of the aisle should be held accountable too..."

Both sides of the isle have become elitists, and as such are completely out of touch with the rest of us who love this country. AS sad as it is to me, most of this attitude has happened under the Republican watch.

[Ranger Drew]

If President Bush continues his pathetic ignorance of this mushrooming problem.

GWB is pathetic, I agree, but he is certainly not ignorant of the situation. The bottom line is this is intentional. He's a one-world government stooge, same as 90% of Republicans and Democrats.

[FastCoyote]

"Prejudicial UberKonservatives (and other liberals) laud tribal justice, and judge people as members of some large group rather than as individuals."

repeat that line the next time you are in the barrios having your car chopped.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, there are two sets of rules Liz. One set covers the sovereignty of Mexico. The other set covers how Mexican citiens can take a dump on our rules.

[AIC]

From what I understand, individual states in these United States have to make state laws pertaining to illegal immigrants that come into this country. Some states now are writing laws to be passed where that the states can arrest and put the illegals in jail for criminal trespass and being in the state illegally. This has to be done because Federal law doesn't have any type of law other than catch and release for illegals.

[lainde]

bttt