As thousands of protesters ascended on the Arizona state capital on Saturday, I was left with the thought: “If they care this much about the plight of the illegal immigrants from Mexico, why don’t they march on the steps of the Palacio Nacional (National Palace), the capital building in Mexico City?” That is where the real injustice exists.
In America, millions of Mexican illegals are the beneficiaries of jobs, free health care, public education and three square meals a day if they wind up in a U.S. prison. I think they have it pretty good. They are better off than we would be if we were living south of the border illegally.
Where is the gratitude for America’s hospitality? Where are the “thank you’s” for the three amnesty bills that have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to gain instant American citizenship?
Now, the ingrates are complaining because, God forbid, we as Arizonans want to do the job of the federal government by enforcing our national border. We want to do what federal law mandates by making it a crime to be here in the United States illegally.
God forbid if we want to put a stop to the financial hemorrhaging. Do any of these “human rights” activists care that illegal immigrants cost Arizona an estimated $1.3 billion per year? How dare Arizona police officers have the audacity to follow federal law and ask for proof of American citizenship! What’s this world coming to?
I still haven’t determined exactly what they are protesting. I know what they claim to be protesting (racial profiling), but I haven’t seen their particular concern included in the controversial bill. Anyway, shouldn’t they be marching on Mexico City, not Phoenix? Shouldn’t they be addressing their concerns of the unfair treatment of the Mexican immigrants to the corrupt Mexican government?
Adding insult to injury, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has the nerve to lecture America on our unfair treatment of illegal immigrants. El Presidente forgets that Mexico has tougher immigration laws than we do.
In America, being here illegally is an administrative matter. In Mexico, it is treated as a felony, punishable by imprisonment and huge fines. In Mexico, your first offense could be worth two years in jail, and we have all heard the nightmare tales of occupying a Mexican prison cell. The second offense will land you 10 years. Does Calderon’s hypocrisy know no bounds?
What about the fact that many immigrants in America, legal and illegal, seem to have no regard about the red, white and blue? They would rather speak their own language and send billions of dollars annually back to their home country. They would rather wave their own country’s colors.
As for the protestors, it was estimated that 50,000 were going to participate in the earth-shattering march. However, estimates put those numbers at 10,000 to 20,000.
Haven’t they learned yet that these protests prove impotent? Haven’t they figured out that the truth of the matter is that these marches anger Americans and impair their cause? Many nationally renowned pollsters, such as Rasmussen, show that approximately 70 percent of Americans support SB 1070, many being from the Hispanic community.
So, human rights activists take your 20,000 protestors and march on the capital in Mexico City. Protest the true culprits of human injustice. Protest the country that has the true “inhumane” immigration policies. But, make sure you have your documents proving you have the right to be in their country... or else!
—
Michael Weinstein is co-host of the “The Mike & Winey Show” heard at 7 a.m. Saturdays on KKNT (960 AM) or on the web at www.kknt960.com.
samkat posted at 5:15 pm on Fri, Jun 4, 2010.
Michael: thanks for addressing what a lot of us are thinking. The opposition would make everyone who is sick of the illegal immigration onslaught the bad guy with their slurs of racism. They should really look in the mirror every time they utter the word.
wdgnas posted at 5:26 am on Sat, Jun 5, 2010.
i wonder if the same people that estimate the cost of illegal immigration to arizona are the same ones that estimate the the benefits of the chicago cubs to mesa...
rotorhead1871 posted at 8:02 pm on Sat, Jun 5, 2010.
dude, its our idealistic living/lifestyle that has set us on this path!! we are to support people wanting to come here (thats what we tell people anyway!) and mexxico is to send all disenfranchised to the USA. the mexxicans coming here are the "tired, poor, huddled masses"..WE asked for them, BTW mexxico has no requirement to be humanitarians like we think they should be, they are NOT and never will be.. they are not idealistic--they are realists...get it!!!
AZMomma posted at 5:03 am on Sun, Jun 6, 2010.
The "Tired, poor..huddled masses.." comes from a very maudlin verse penned by Emma Lazarus and etched on the base of the Statue of Liberty. (BTW - only exists since 1876). It occurred during a time of awakening Social services within the slums of large American cities. It was at this time that the concept was broadcast by the print media. Sob-sister journalism.
Suggest that those who use this treacle-poem as their mantra: Study the actual RULES that applied to LEGAL immigration to the US over the years.
We did NOT welcome all with open arms. Quotas existed; we sent many back as 'unfit'.
Early comers to America also were very discriminating as to whom was allowed within their community.
Again, EDUCATE yourself.
allamer posted at 12:00 am on Mon, Jun 7, 2010.
Hillary Clinton is going to a conference of Latin American countries and immigration is one of the topics to be covered. It is reported that the Latin American nations are concerned about American immigration policy and especially since the new Arizona law was passed. To me, this is a great example of arrogant foreign officials and the American officials who betray We The People.
Masterrogue666 posted at 8:53 am on Wed, Jun 23, 2010.
To Michael Weinstein:
I couldn't agree more. However, logic isn't ILLEGAL ALIEN supporters strong suit....