Replies

The most obvious way that Mexico is different, is that they share a border with us. This makes it far easier to emmigrate. When it is easy to do something, the motivation required to accomplish that thing is not very profound. Hence, most Mexican immigrants come here to work. They want to make more money. I'm not saying there is any thing wrong with that, per se. If the motivation was more noble, there would be far less dollars flowing out of the U.S. and into Mexico via western Union. And there would be a lot more assimilation.

The second way that Mexico is different is that we have defeated them in war, and now possess what they used to possess, by purchase, treaty, and other legal means. The reason that fact is important to this discussion, is that if Mexican education and political propaganda teaches that the southwest rightfully belongs to Mexico, then that is what the immigrant believes in his heart. From there springs the animus and eventual disrespect for our immigration laws, and by extension, our culture and our country.

It only makes it easier for the illegals. Given the way we do the paperwork now anybody that shows up on America's doorstep hoping to handle it all on sight (like the old Ellis Island days) is in for a big disappointment. As for the illegals, having actually walked part of the rural border (ie, not the part with cities) and lived in this terrain for a couple of decades I honestly don't think it's possible to secure the border. It's too long, the terrain is too rugged, visibility isn't as good as you'd think, and during the summer months only the most seasoned veterans of the desert are even willing to be outside. I think it would take a force at least as large as the entire US Army to secure that border, and even then it'll spring a few leaks.

As for Mexicans' belief that this territory is "rightfully their", again not any of the ones I've talked to. I haven't met a single Mexican that can say with a straight face that this chunk should still be Mexico, they understand that land changes hands. I don't think they have a disrespect for our immigration laws, I think when you see your family starving you don't much care about anybody's laws. The illegals by and large just come up here to earn some money and send most of it back home, given that their average wage pays less in one day than our minimum pays in an hour it makes perfectly good sense to me.

Again, I've lived here for 25 years, I've known Mexican immigrants in some form or another the whole time. I've never had any trouble with them I've never seen any ofthis animus and disrespect people are accusing them of. That's why I'm so vehement against this stupidity. To me you guys are calling good friends of mine enemies of the nation. You're trying to tell me the guy that was instrumental in getting me back into school to earn a decent life is trying to destroy this country. You're saying the guy that hired me to create the QA department in his start-up software company hates America. You're saying the guy that feeds me at least once a week is only here to help reconquer this territory. I used to live near the railroad tracks where the illegals hopped off to get into the city, I've even talked to them. I'm telling you that's 100% BS. I know these people, I've talked to these people, spent long hours with them lubricated and dry (you want to have a real conversation with a Mexican get 2 six-packs of Negro Modelo and a bottle of Patrons, good times), some of it spent discussing this very topic. It's a non-starter, if they wanted to live in Mexico they'd live in Mexico. They don't want to live there, they want to live here. They like it in America, they've earned livings they never could have earned in Mexico, they've experienced things they could never have experienced down there. They appreciate the gift America has given them and they love this country as much if not more than most of the people on this board.

If they're a threat to this country then there must be something terribly wrong with America because the problem sure as hell doesn't lie with them. These are people that came to this country with little if anything and they got jobs and got an education and started business and a couple I've known were even paratroopers (why are so many paratroopers short?) one in Viet Nam era (though he never rotated over), and they built a life and they're shining examples of everything that's supposed to make this country great. And if they are no longer welcome then clearly we are no longer great.

Which puts the ball back in your court. Which is it? Are we still the greatest nation this planet has ever seen? Or should we kick all the Mexicans out? It is an either or question.