Wedge Issue 2007: Immigration

In 2004, the Iraq War was the wedge issue used to scare voters into re-electing president Bush--if you aren't supporting the war, you are helping the terrorists was the battle sound bite (and may the deity or non-deity of your choice help you, if you "flip-flopped").

Fast forward to 2007 and it is those darn illegal immigrants that we have to watch out for. First of all, they are all terrorists--otherwise why else would they sneak in to our country? We must erect a wall to keep them out--it worked in Berlin didn't it?

If you are in the labor movement, they are taking your high paying American jobs (particularly the one's where you shoot nails into the heads of cattle to kill them and/or clean their guts off the rendering floor). Worse than that, they are keeping you from unionizing more folks--what with their willingness to work for less than you--and off the books too!

If you are a conservative, well of course "those people" are wasting your tax money which the government ought not have in the first place, screwing up the schools for your kids--so much so, that you are homeschooling them or sending them to St. Somebody for a decent education, and making your health care costs sky-rocket, what with all the free medical care they are scarfing down.

Add to that they don't all speak, read, or write in English! As a person whose relatives came to the US speaking Russian, Slavic tongues, and German, I know that language acquisition takes time, but people do learn the language (free market economics tells you why--to better yourself and have more options). Yes it is scary when people speak a different language (particularly when you are sure they talking about you)

Supposedly there are over 12 million of those rascals running around our fair nation-- that's 4.1% of the population (using 2005 census figures), roughly the same as the number of people in the US over the age of 83 (and don't get me started on those freeloading octogenarians).

Think of all the damage those people are doing to our country. They are artificially keeping the price of our food supply down by working for lower wages than 99% of Americans are willing to work for. They are doing the kinds of work that are considered highly dangerous by OSHA, the kinds of work that a considered menial by us long-timers, and the kinds of work which allow the rest of us to go to work while our children, parents, mentally ill and physically sick are cared for. They are overpaying for poor quality housing, medical, and basic services, not able to report abuses by those who profiteer from their presence.

So it makes all the sense in the world to round them up and, at the very least, make them pay our government for the privilege of serving us, allow them to work here without hope for citizenship or rights (except if they are willing to serve in our military), and send them packing at the whim of our corporations or political breeze.

This is where I get on my high horse...give me a second. Okay, there.

We love to forget that we are an immigrant nation. We love to forget that many of the comforts we enjoy today were due to the industriousness of those who came here seeking the freedoms we enjoy. We love to forget we displaced a native population to have what we have. What we don't love to admit is that "different" scares many of us. We hate to admit we are enamored with "cheap" over "fair"--we love a bargain and illegal immigrants are a price we willingly pay.

Because we also love the ideals of our democracy, these workers serve to remind us that we aren't living up to them. As a result of our tortured national psyche, most of us can't decide what to do and so we either turn a blind eye or act with vigilante justice.

So as both sides exploit our fears and hopes, let it be you that decides if immigration policy is a your issue.

As for me, I say "bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." If the free market economy does anything, it will tell folks when it is not worth their effort to come. And, not for nothing, I actually like what our Senator Tom Harkin says on dealing with the realities of this subject.