Borders and Immigrants: Addendum
Guy T. Sturino
April 01, 2006
This morning I received a very honest and passionate email in response to my article, Borders and Immigrants: Whatever shall we do?. Here is the text of that email from Mr. Thomas Gisler:
I think the borders/ illegal immigrant issue is a symptom of our current political / social conditions. Our elected representatives for decades have put politics over duty and doing what is in the best interest of this nation and it's citizens. For too long we've been cleaning up messes rather than preventing them. I put this issue back onto our elected officials. I'm struggling to make ends meet, and to ensure I have a decent retirement WITH OUT depending on my fellow Americans. Anyone who is here illegally directly or indirectly ( children of illegal immigrants) have broken the law and have stole from every legal citizen in this nation. We cannot take care of the world. I'm tired of having someone else tell me where my hard earned money should go. Maybe if this was a nation run by accountable, responsible representatives and legislators, we would have the ability to fund our compassionate natures. But since taxes, spending, and poilitical self-interests have run wild, our nation has left almost no choice but to say "the hell with everyone else, I've got to watch our for MY best interests". If we let these illeagal immigrants have amnesty, this will be a final blow to many lawful citizens who will say, only the FOOLs follow the law. We are a nation of laws. Justice is blind. If laws only apply to some people and not others we are no longer America. Maybe we can not round up everyone and send them back, but we sure as hell can enforce the laws for those hiring illeagal immigrants. We can tighten the borders and their patrol. We can send a very strong message that those who are here illeagally are not wanted or welcome here : PERIOD! Only leagal citizens of this country have rights. Look at the protests. These are not people who want to be citizens, they want to take "their" land back. What more do you need to see? How many of these illeagals are criminals or gang members? This is a problem that is out of control and the line needs to be drawn.?
Mr. Gisler's comments are obviously heartfelt, and undoubtedly reflect the feelings of many others. I also feel that the problem was created by the greed of corporations who refused to pay hardworking Americans a living wage to do the work available, and instead hired agents to recruit illegal immigrants who would do the job for next to nothing. As for the illegals, having families to support, and no work in Mexico, it's not hard to understand how they might break a law and risk their lives to feed their children. I think that Mr. Gisler or I might very well do the same under those circumstances.
In terms of justice and laws, I am reminded of an old quote about equal justice to the effect that, "The rich, as well as the poor, are forbidden to steal bread and sleep under bridges." Sometimes, equality isn't really equal. Sometimes, rules of conduct have to be viewed from the standpoint of an individual?s ability to comply, and the price of transgression adjusted accordingly. I think that's what we mean by mercy and compassion.
I share Mr. Gisler's outrage at the level of some of the protests centered around this issue. The picture of the Mexican flag being flown above an upside-down American flag was outrageous. Unfortunately, every protest movement - whether it?s about war or abortion or immigration, has its radical fringe. Often, the fringe gets more coverage than the core group simply because what the core group has to say is not as controversial as some might like us to think. These protests were brought about by those members of the House of Representatives who decided to highlight the illegal immigrant and ignore the illegal actions of the companies who enticed these people into breaking our law in the first place.
As for correcting the problem with law breaking companies and government agencies derelict in the performance of their duties, I couldn't agree more. But, until the American public begins to elect representative who will support a strong middle class, and who will support the old adage of an honest days work for an honest days pay, nothing will change. The problem lies with the greedy, but the fault lies with voters. As long as enough people are more concerned about how others view abortion and gun control than they seem to care about their own ability to provide food, clothing, shelter and health care to their own families, nothing will change.
When things go wrong in a country which is governed by the people, it is the people who must change. The only thing the people have the power to change today is who they choose as representatives in Congress. Until the predominant attitude and values of Congress changes, nothing will change. Until these changes are made, Americans who refuse to work for less than an honest day?s pay will always be passed over for those who can be enticed to violate the law to work for subsistence wages.
Our future is in the hands of those who vote.
I think the borders/ illegal immigrant issue is a symptom of our current political / social conditions. Our elected representatives for decades have put politics over duty and doing what is in the best interest of this nation and it's citizens. For too long we've been cleaning up messes rather than preventing them. I put this issue back onto our elected officials. I'm struggling to make ends meet, and to ensure I have a decent retirement WITH OUT depending on my fellow Americans. Anyone who is here illegally directly or indirectly ( children of illegal immigrants) have broken the law and have stole from every legal citizen in this nation. We cannot take care of the world. I'm tired of having someone else tell me where my hard earned money should go. Maybe if this was a nation run by accountable, responsible representatives and legislators, we would have the ability to fund our compassionate natures. But since taxes, spending, and poilitical self-interests have run wild, our nation has left almost no choice but to say "the hell with everyone else, I've got to watch our for MY best interests". If we let these illeagal immigrants have amnesty, this will be a final blow to many lawful citizens who will say, only the FOOLs follow the law. We are a nation of laws. Justice is blind. If laws only apply to some people and not others we are no longer America. Maybe we can not round up everyone and send them back, but we sure as hell can enforce the laws for those hiring illeagal immigrants. We can tighten the borders and their patrol. We can send a very strong message that those who are here illeagally are not wanted or welcome here : PERIOD! Only leagal citizens of this country have rights. Look at the protests. These are not people who want to be citizens, they want to take "their" land back. What more do you need to see? How many of these illeagals are criminals or gang members? This is a problem that is out of control and the line needs to be drawn.?
Mr. Gisler's comments are obviously heartfelt, and undoubtedly reflect the feelings of many others. I also feel that the problem was created by the greed of corporations who refused to pay hardworking Americans a living wage to do the work available, and instead hired agents to recruit illegal immigrants who would do the job for next to nothing. As for the illegals, having families to support, and no work in Mexico, it's not hard to understand how they might break a law and risk their lives to feed their children. I think that Mr. Gisler or I might very well do the same under those circumstances.
In terms of justice and laws, I am reminded of an old quote about equal justice to the effect that, "The rich, as well as the poor, are forbidden to steal bread and sleep under bridges." Sometimes, equality isn't really equal. Sometimes, rules of conduct have to be viewed from the standpoint of an individual?s ability to comply, and the price of transgression adjusted accordingly. I think that's what we mean by mercy and compassion.
I share Mr. Gisler's outrage at the level of some of the protests centered around this issue. The picture of the Mexican flag being flown above an upside-down American flag was outrageous. Unfortunately, every protest movement - whether it?s about war or abortion or immigration, has its radical fringe. Often, the fringe gets more coverage than the core group simply because what the core group has to say is not as controversial as some might like us to think. These protests were brought about by those members of the House of Representatives who decided to highlight the illegal immigrant and ignore the illegal actions of the companies who enticed these people into breaking our law in the first place.
As for correcting the problem with law breaking companies and government agencies derelict in the performance of their duties, I couldn't agree more. But, until the American public begins to elect representative who will support a strong middle class, and who will support the old adage of an honest days work for an honest days pay, nothing will change. The problem lies with the greedy, but the fault lies with voters. As long as enough people are more concerned about how others view abortion and gun control than they seem to care about their own ability to provide food, clothing, shelter and health care to their own families, nothing will change.
When things go wrong in a country which is governed by the people, it is the people who must change. The only thing the people have the power to change today is who they choose as representatives in Congress. Until the predominant attitude and values of Congress changes, nothing will change. Until these changes are made, Americans who refuse to work for less than an honest day?s pay will always be passed over for those who can be enticed to violate the law to work for subsistence wages.
Our future is in the hands of those who vote.
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