Immigrants Up in Arms About Immigration Reform

Actually they're not, as they held several peaceful rallies this weekend, but I figured I should use a sensationalistic headline. Nobody pays attention to headlines like "More peace this weekend; peace expected to continue."

As I'm sure everyone is aware, the Senate's compromise bill on immigration reform failed last Friday. The bill may or may not be dead; we'll just have to wait and see when the Senate comes back from a two-week break.

The bill failed essentially because the right wing of the Republican party was trying to make amendments to the compromise bill, and the Democrats wouldn't let them. Of course, since the bill they would have agreed to was already a compromise! And of course the moderate Repubs couldn't possibly tell the hard-right idiots to shut up and agree. Once again, the Republicans have shown that they cannot think as individuals. If we wanted a government consisting solely of people who all thought alike, we would have a king, because kings usually don't disagree with themselves.

This issue is most certainly not dead though. Not when nearly 500,000 people march in Dallas alone to show that they want something done on the issue. I can tell you, that's 500,000 people who won't give money to the campaigns for Republicans who want to make them felons. Other marches took place around the country.

I just want to point out some quotes I thought were worth noting. From the article I just linked:

Voter registration and citizenship education initiatives are set to begin in several states after a "Day Without An Immigrant" campaign planned for May 1, an event that asks immigrants nationwide to stay home from work and school, and refrain from buying U.S. products.

I just want to say those people will have trouble finding anything not to buy. Practically the only thing made in America these days is food. That and cardboard boxes to ship foreign goods in. Maybe they'll just buy their groceries the day before so they can skirt that part of it.

Anyway, I found some quotes that I really liked and which demonstrate (at least to me) why immigrants are good.

My father was born in Mexico," said protestor Mary Gonzales. "He came here. He became a citizen and joined the army. He fought in the war. And I am proud to have become an American citizen and I want everyone to be able to have the right to do that."

Why not? Why should we deny people that opportunity? We have enough room, so what's the problem with them coming over here and being productive US citizens?

"This flag was flown in Iraq while my husband was there on his second tour," said a protestor caring an American flag. "His family came here as illegal immigrants and he fights for our country and fights for his parents also."

If we passed the laws some Republicans want passed, that man would have been sent back with his family to Mexico. But he's fighting for us in Iraq now, which according to all those damn Bush lovers makes him a hero. An illegal hero?

Is the reason we restricted immigration because we can't support that influx of immigrants, or because we look down on the poor people who come over here? Given how America has always acted as if there's always more land and how we've always treated immigrants, I find that last reason more compelling. And to me, that's no reason at all.