I find that my opinion about illegal immigration hasn't changed much since last year (previous opinion), but I certainly agree with Jack Kelly, who writes (in a good column by the way)
A debate dominated on the Right by anger and on the Left by dishonesty is unlikely to produce a happy result. We need to take a deep breath, let passions cool, and face facts squarely
So in the interest of seeking good solutions, here are some links worth clicking through and some basic premises.
- It's not racist to want to control the borders, and we have a right to. Remember this about Iraqi terrorists crossing the border last year? Not to mention the free reign drug traffickers and MS-13 gang members have in some places (see also the Kelly column above).
- Mexico has a moral responsibility to its own citizens. The links are to B-16's remarks on the topic last year. His view is that charity towards the poor does not begin on our side of the border. Mexico's upper class might consider taxing itself to create some kind of safety net for the poor.
- Let's not pay attention to the arguments of Stalinists & California is Ours guys.
- But let's also not listen to silly stuff, like this column Limbaugh quoted that argues the massive demonstration in LA is a dangerous importation of Latin American culture to America, where we "write letters to the editor and vote and debate." Ah, so the problem with illegals is that they're tacky? Ever heard of the Suffragettes, the March on Washington, the Vietnam protests, the March for Life, the March for Women's Lives, the Million Man March? I'd say public demonstration was pretty dang American.
- Columns I like: VDH on the protest backlash; Fareed Zakaria on why citizens, not workers, must be the goal; Bill Murchison (all of these are variations on the theme of assimilation). And Tony Snow on some ways immigrants get a bad rap with Republicans;And here's the post with the Thom Sowell links on stuff Dems says that ain't true either.
To sum up: people are not the problem. Our multi-culti refusal to forge residents into citizens is the problem.
