An Ugly Reality (Thomas Sowell On The Real Meaning Of The Open Borders Lobby's Demands Alert)

Thank heaven for the massive marches across the country by those favoring illegal immigrants. These marches revealed the ugly truth behind the fog of pious words and clever political spin from the media and from both Democrats and Republicans in Washington. "Guest workers"? Did any of the strident speakers, with their in-your-face bombast in Spanish, sound like guests? Did they sound like people who wanted to become Americans?

Were they even asking for amnesty? They didn't sound like they were asking for anything. They sounded like they were telling. Demanding. Threatening.

Somebody must have told them that their Mexican flags that dominated the earlier marches were not making a good impression on television, so they started flying American flags. But such cosmetic changes did not keep the ugly reality from coming through in their hostile speeches.

These were not the speeches of people who wanted to join American society but people who wanted their own turf on American soil -- in disregard and defiance of what American citizens want.

Europe has already been through this "guest worker" policy that we are being urged to follow. They have learned the hard way what it means to have a growing foreign population in their midst -- a population that insists on remaining foreign and hostile to the culture, values and people around them.

Some European countries have learned this lesson at the cost of riots and bloodshed in the streets and lives lost in terrorist attacks. Others have only had to contend with national polarization -- thus far -- but polarization is not a small thing.

In this country, however, there are still people who refuse to learn any lesson at all. Some business interests see only an opportunity to get cheap labor. Some intellectuals see only abstract principles about abstract people crossing an abstract border.

Some tell us loftily that earlier generations of immigrants who were once thought to be unassimilable turned out over time to become as American as anyone else and patriotic citizens.

That might well be true of immigrants from Mexico, both legal and illegal, if the circumstances of today were the same as the circumstances during an earlier era of immigration from Europe. But circumstances are not the same -- and those circumstances are not going to become the same by pretending that they are.

The ugly display of grievance-mongering bombast at the illegal immigrant marches is just one of those circumstances that are not the same as in an earlier era.

When people came here from Europe, they came here to become Americans. There was no prouder title for them.

American generals of German ancestry led the fight against Germany in both World Wars. The Irish "Fighting 69th" earned its fame on the battlefields of the First World War and Japanese American fighting units were among the most highly decorated in World War II. They proved they were Americans.

The underlying tragedy of the present situation is that it is doubtful whether the activist loudmouths, who were too contemptuous of this country to even speak its language while demanding its benefits, represent most immigrants from Mexico.

Both legal and illegal immigrants have come here primarily to work and make a better life for themselves and their families. But a country requires more than workers. It requires people who are citizens not only in name but in commitment.

Americanization did not happen automatically in earlier times and it will not happen automatically today. Immigrants in an earlier era had leaders and organizations actively working to transform them into Americans -- the Catholic Church with the Irish and numerous organizations among the Jews, for example.

Today's immigrant activists and the politicians who kowtow to them have just the opposite agenda, to keep foreigners foreign and to make other Americans accept and adjust to that. It will be a national tragedy if they succeed.

Just what problem will amnesty solve? Illegal aliens will benefit and politicians will benefit by sweeping the illegality under the rug by making it legal. But how will American citizens benefit? America can lose big time.

Thomas Sowell is one of my favorites but his comments about how various groups of European immigrants fought bravely for Their American home implies that hispanics have not.

I remember that Douglas MacArthur was originally from New Mexico and that he once said something to the affect that if he had to go to war he would like it to be with the hispanic fighters.

While I was searching for this quote I found this article and I thought it was an appropriate response to Sowell's implication.

THE HISPANIC EXPERIENCE
Hispanics in Military Service
Houston Institute for Culture

MEMORIAL DAY SPECIAL FEATURE HISPANIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICA'S DEFENSE
By John P. Schmal

On Memorial Day, Americans will observe Memorial Day. At this time, we honor the men and women who have served in the American armed forces and paid the ultimate price for their loyalty and dedication. Each ethnic group that makes up this mosaic we call America has contributed its part over the last two centuries, and, according to the Defense Department publication, Hispanics in America's Defense, "when our country has been in need, Hispanic Americans have had more than their share of stouthearted, indomitable men. Their intrepid actions have been in the highest tradition - a credit to themselves, their ancestry, and our nation."

Until recent decades, the Hispanic population of the United States has been quite small. Nevertheless, from the American Revolution to Desert Storm, Hispanic Americans have risked their lives to defend the United States and the principles upon which it stands.

When the Civil War erupted in 1861, the allegiance of Mexican Americans, particularly those living in Texas, was deeply divided. Initially, some 2,500 Mexican Americans went to war for the Confederacy, while 950 volunteered for service in the Union Army.
By the end of this bloody struggle (1865), almost 10,000 Mexican Americans had served in regular army or volunteer units. Of the 40,000 books and pamphlets written about the Civil War, only one book, Vaqueros in Blue and Gray, has been printed about the role of the Mexican Americans.
In 1863, the U.S. Government had established four companies of Mexican-American Californians in order to utilize their "extraordinary horsemanship." At least 469 Mexican Americans served under Major Salvador Vallejo, helping to defeat a Confederate invasion of New Mexico.
Significant numbers of Hispanics also served in such Confederate units as the 10th Texas Cavalry, the 55th Alabama Infantry, and 6th Missouri Infantry. Colonel Santos Benavides, originally from Laredo, Texas, ultimately became the highest-ranking Mexican American in the Confederate Army. As the commander of the 33rd Cavalry, he drove Union forces back from Brownsville, Texas in March 1864.
But the Civil War's best-known Hispanic was the American naval officer, David G. Farragut (1801-1870), the son of a Spaniard. In 1862, Farragut successfully commanded Union forces at the capture of New Orleans. While commanding Federal naval forces during the Battle at Mobile Bay in Alabama, Farragut uttered the famous slogan: "Damn the torpedoes. Full steam ahead."

During the Civil War, President Lincoln established the Medal of Honor as the highest and most prestigious military award given for valor. The medal is presented to any soldier or sailor, who "distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." Two Hispanic Americans received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Civil War.

On April 11, 1898, at the start of the Spanish-American War, the United States army, according to the Defense Department, was "a small professional force" of 30,000 officers and men "scattered across small posts throughout the country." Among the 17,000 American soldiers who landed on the southeastern tip of Cuba in June 1898 were the 1,200 men of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt.
More commonly known as the "Rough Riders," this unit included several Hispanic Americans, including Captain Maximiliano Luna and George Armijo (who later became a member of Congress).

In World War I (1914-1918), the military was rife with discrimination against Hispanics. Soldiers with Spanish surnames or Spanish accents were sometimes the objects of ridicule and relegated to menial jobs. Latinos lacking English skills were sent to special training centers to improve their language proficiency so that they could be integrated into the mainstream army. But America's participation in the war lasted only from April 1917 to November 1918. As a result, many soldiers did not have the opportunity to go overseas and into combat. However, one Hispanic-American soldier received the Medal of Honor for his services in the war, while a Private Serna single-handedly captured 24 German soldiers in France. For his courageous efforts, Private Serna received the Distinguished Service Cross, the French Croix de Guerre, the Victory Medal with three bars, and two Purple Hearts.

In 1917, just before the United States entered the war, Puerto Ricans were granted American citizenship. Thanks to this new status, Puerto Rican men became liable for the military draft. Subsequently, 18,000 Puerto Ricans served as members of the American armed forces. Racially segregated, many of them were sent to the Panama Canal to guard against an enemy attack, while others were sent to Europe.

At the start of World War II (1939-1945), approximately 2,690,000 Americans of Mexican decent lived in the United States. Eighty-five percent of this population lived in the five southwestern states (California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado). In 1940, while America was still at peace, two National Guard units from New Mexico, the 200th and 515th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) battalions were activated and dispatched to the Philippine Islands.
Largely made up of Spanish-speaking personnel -- both officers and enlisted men from New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas -- the two units were stationed at Clark Field, 65 miles from Manila.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Navy launched a surprise attack on the American naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, forcing America into war.
Within days, Japanese forces attacked the American positions in the Philippines. Outnumbered and desperate, General Douglas MacArthur moved his forces, including the 200th and 515th, to the Bataan Peninsula west of Manila.

Here, fighting alongside their Filipino comrades, they made a heroic three-month stand against the large, well-equipped invading forces. As the weeks wore on, rations, medical supplies, and ammunition diminished and became scarce. On April 9, 1942, starving and greatly outnumbered, most of the surviving troops surrendered.

After their capture, the American and Filipino soldiers had to endure the 12-day, 85-mile "death march" from Bataan to the prison camps, followed by 34 months of captivity.
Three years later, General Jonathan Wainwright praised the men of the 200th and 515th units, saying that "they were the first to fire and the last to lay down their arms and only reluctantly doing so after being given a direct order."

In the Pacific theater, the 158th Regimental Combat Team, known as the Bushmasters, an Arizona National Guard unit comprised of many Hispanic soldiers, saw heavy combat. They earned the respect of General MacArthur who referred to them as "the greatest fighting combat team ever deployed for battle."

Company E of the 141st Regiment of the 36th Texas Infantry Division was made up entirely of Spanish-speaking Americans, the majority of them from Texas. After 361 days of combat in Italy and France, the 141st Infantry Regiment sustained 1,126 killed, 5,000 wounded, and over 500 missing in action. In recognition of their extended service and valor, the members of the 141st garnered 31 Distinguished Service Crosses, 12 Legion of Merits, 492 Silver Stars, 11 Soldier's Medals, 1,685 Bronze Stars, as well as numerous commendations and decorations.

In all, twelve Hispanic soldiers received the Medal of Honor for their services during World War II. From 1940 to 1946, more than 65,000 Puerto Ricans served in the American military, most of them going overseas. The 295th and 296th Infantry Regiments of the Puerto Rican National Guard participated in the Pacific theater, while other Puerto Rican soldiers served in Europe. In addition, some 200 Puerto Rican women served in the Women's Army Corps, where some were used as linguists in the field of cryptology, communication, and interpretation.

During the Korean War (1950-1953), the 43,434 Puerto Ricans serving in the 65th Infantry Regiment saw extensive service in nine major campaigns, losing 582 men in battlefield action. Because of their courageous efforts, the 65th Infantry received a Presidential Unit Citation, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, and two Republic of Korea Unit Citations.
Individual members of the unit received four Distinguished Service crosses and 124 Silver Stars.
Of his experience as commander of the 65th Infantry Regiment, General William W. Harris wrote: "No ethnic group has greater pride in itself and its heritage than the Puerto Rican people. Nor have I encountered any that can be more dedicated and zealous in support of the democratic principles for which the United States stands. Many Puerto Ricans have fought to the death to uphold them."

A total of nine Hispanic Americans, including one Puerto Rican, received the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism during the three-year war.

During the Vietnam Conflict (1963-1973), approximately 80,000 Hispanic Americans served in the American military. Although Latinos only made up about 4.5% of the total U.S. population at that time, they incurred more than 19% of the casualties.
In all, thirteen Hispanic soldiers, including three Puerto Ricans, won the Medal of Honor during this conflict.

Twenty thousand Hispanic servicemen and women participated in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm (1990-1991).

In March 1994, 28,067 Latinos comprising just over 5% of the Army, served in the army.
Writing in Hispanic Heritage Month 1996: Hispanics - Challenging the Future, Army Chaplain (Capt.) Carlos C. Huerta of the 1st Battalion, 79th Field Artillery stated that "Hispanics have always met the challenge of serving the nation with great fervor. In every war, in every battle, on every battlefield, Hispanics have put their lives on the line to protect freedom."

Copyright ©, by John P. Schmal.
Originally published by the Puerto Rico Herald, November 11, 1999. Read more articles by John Schmal.

Sources:
Department of Defense. "Hispanics in America's Defense." Washington, D.C.: U.S. Printing Office, 1990. Harris, William Warner. "Puerto Rico's Fighting 65th U.S. Infantry: From San Juan to Chorwau." San Rafael, Calif., 1980. Hide, Michele A. "On the Front Lines." Hispanic, Vol. 6, No. 7 (August 1993), p. 34. Morin, Raul. "Among the Valiant." Alhambra, Calif.: Borden Publishing Company, 1963. Romero, Judy Baca. "Hispanics in Americas Defense: Korean Conflict (1950-1953). 1996-1997. Online: Internet. 1 page. February 20, 1997. Romero, Judy Baca. "Hispanics in America's Defense: WWII - Europe & Mediterranean. 1996-1997." Online: Internet. 3 pp. February 20, 1997. Williams, Rudi. "Hispanic America USA: Hispanics Make Great Strides in Military." 1996-1997. Online: Internet. 1 page. March 26, 1997. John Schmal is an historian, genealogist, and lecturer. With his friend Donna Morales, he recently coauthored "Mexican-American Genealogical Research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico" (Heritage Books, 2002). He has degrees in History (Loyola-Marymount University) and Geography (St. Cloud State University) and is a board member of the Society of Hispanic Historical Ancestral Research (SHHAR). He is an associate editor of SHHAR's online monthly newsletter, www.somosprimos.com. John is presently collaborating with illustrator Eddie Martinez on a manuscript entitled "Indigenous Mexico: Past and Present." HOUSTON INSTITUTE FOR CULTURE THE HISPANIC EXPERIENCE SEARCH info@houstonculture.org

Apr 18, 6:08 PM EDT

Mexico Harsh to Undocumented Migrants

By MARK STEVENSON

Associated Press Writer

TULTITLAN, Mexico (AP) -- Considered felons by the government, these migrants fear detention, rape and robbery. Police and soldiers hunt them down at railroads, bus stations and fleabag hotels. Sometimes they are deported; more often officers simply take their money.

While migrants in the United States have held huge demonstrations in recent weeks, the hundreds of thousands of undocumented Central Americans in Mexico suffer mostly in silence.

And though Mexico demands humane treatment for its citizens who migrate to the U.S., regardless of their legal status, Mexico provides few protections for migrants on its own soil. The issue simply isn't on the country's political agenda, perhaps because migrants make up only 0.5 percent of the population, or about 500,000 people - compared with 12 percent in the United States.

The level of brutality Central American migrants face in Mexico was apparent Monday, when police conducting a raid for undocumented migrants near a rail yard outside Mexico City shot to death a local man, apparently because his dark skin and work clothes made officers think he was a migrant.

Virginia Sanchez, who lives near the railroad tracks that carry Central Americans north to the U.S. border, said such shootings in Tultitlan are common.

"At night, you hear the gunshots, and it's the judiciales (state police) chasing the migrants," she said. "It's not fair to kill these people. It's not fair in the United States and it's not fair here."

Undocumented Central American migrants complain much more about how they are treated by Mexican officials than about authorities on the U.S. side of the border, where migrants may resent being caught but often praise the professionalism of the agents scouring the desert for their trail.

"If you're carrying any money, they take it from you - federal, state, local police, all of them," said Carlos Lopez, a 28-year-old farmhand from Guatemala crouching in a field near the tracks in Tultitlan, waiting to climb onto a northbound freight train.

Lopez said he had been shaken down repeatedly in 15 days of traveling through Mexico.

"The soldiers were there as soon as we crossed the river," he said. "They said, 'You can't cross ... unless you leave something for us.'"

Jose Ramos, 18, of El Salvador, said the extortion occurs at every stop in Mexico, until migrants are left penniless and begging for food.

"If you're on a bus, they pull you off and search your pockets and if you have any money, they keep it and say, 'Get out of here,'" Ramos said.

Maria Elena Gonzalez, who lives near the tracks, said female migrants often complain about abusive police.

"They force them to strip, supposedly to search them, but the purpose is to sexually abuse them," she said.

Others said they had seen migrants beaten to death by police, their bodies left near the railway tracks to make it look as if they had fallen from a train.

The Mexican government acknowledges that many federal, state and local officials are on the take from the people-smugglers who move hundreds of thousands of Central Americans north, and that migrants are particularly vulnerable to abuse by corrupt police.

The National Human Rights Commission, a government-funded agency, documented the abuses south of the U.S. border in a December report.

"One of the saddest national failings on immigration issues is the contradiction in demanding that the North respect migrants' rights, which we are not capable of guaranteeing in the South," commission president Jose Luis Soberanes said.

In the United States, mostly Mexican immigrants have staged rallies pressuring Congress to grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants rather than making them felons and deputizing police to deport them. The Mexican government has spoken out in support of the immigrants' cause.

While Interior Secretary Carlos Abascal said Monday that "Mexico is a country with a clear, defined and generous policy toward migrants," the nation of 105 million has legalized only 15,000 immigrants in the past five years, and many undocumented migrants who are detained are deported.

Although Mexico objects to U.S. authorities detaining Mexican immigrants, police and soldiers usually cause the most trouble for migrants in Mexico, even though they aren't technically authorized to enforce immigration laws.

And while Mexicans denounce the criminalization of their citizens living without papers in the United States, Mexican law classifies undocumented immigration as a felony punishable by up to two years in prison, although deportation is more common.

The number of undocumented migrants detained in Mexico almost doubled from 138,061 in 2002 to 240,269 last year. Forty-two percent were Guatemalan, 33 percent Honduran and most of the rest Salvadoran.

Like the United States, Mexico is becoming reliant on immigrant labor. Last year, then-director of Mexico's immigration agency, Magdalena Carral, said an increasing number of Central Americans were staying in Mexico, rather than just passing through on their way to the U.S.

She said sectors of the Mexican economy facing labor shortages often use undocumented workers because the legal process for work visas is inefficient.

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