It's been amazing the last few days. People in an uproar over the proposed U. S. House of Representatives immigration reform bill (H. R. 4437), students taking to the streets in protest. For me it has been such a horrorshow in the true sense of the word. I almost don't know where to begin!
First, I am very, very, very disappointed in our press on how it covers what is going on. It's amazing how supporters of H. R. 4437 are called "anti-immigrant" (see for example this story in the leftist (in a bad way) OC Weekly). A political rally was called "anti-immigrant" when it was anything but. For those of us who listened to what was being said, the sentiment was that yes, America is a nation owing much to immigrants, but not ILLEGAL ALIENS (*whew*, almost wrote "immigrants"). Yet they get a pass. In today's Union Tribune there is a cartoon in the editorial section showing an American flag with a magnifying glass help up to one of the stripes. There you see small stick figures spelling out "immigrants". Again, I don't hear anyone on my side of the fence (and what a strange side I have, which you would know if you have been keeping up with all my posts) say "We hate immigrants. Kick them all out!" Shame, shame, shame on you self-righteous media folks. Neutral? Just reporting the facts? Bah! I read three newspapers each day and about a dozen magazines each week (not counting what I scan on the Web) and you all sounds like you are simply taking each others' copy, shifting around a few words, slapping on a slightly different title and congratulating yourselves on how you are "informing" the masses. Please, we're not all that stupid. I have yet to read anywhere a thoughtful explanation of your arguments, only how "mean" those of us who think our country is worth protecting are and that if we someone DID remove the illegal aliens nothing in this country would get done. Boloney (or is it bologna?). Here I place as much blame on President Bush as I do the L. A. Times. The constant repetitions of "They are doing jobs that American's won't do" is a crock. Who did that work BEFORE the problem became such a large one? Those expelling that line should at least finish it with an honest appraisal such as "They are doing jobs that Americans won't do for below living wage." At least THAT statement would refect reality and not just be political spin. But then they say "Why, it would drive up prices. Lettuce would cost $5 a head" (I heard this from an illegal alien advocate on the radio). Actually, labor costs are only a tiny fraction of the total cost of food production. As for overall cost to the federal government (and a comparison of how much taxes illegal aliens pay verses how much they take out of the system) can be found here. Just to give you a sampling, here in California the state spends over $8000 per child in school. Now ask yourself this question: With a marginal state tax of 9.3% on every dollar you make over $32,000, how much do you have to pay in state taxes to support one child with the taxes you pay? And that is ignoring all of the other things the state has to try to do with the money it takes in. And as for what it does to wages, well, the impact on the market for wage earners will remain depressed. It's sad that many blue-collar jobs today are no longer sufficient to place those workers in the middle class. The affect on the low end is similar to what is happening to the upper end of salaried workers due to the effects of off-shoring.
Okay, enough on illegal immigrants. I mentioned a confluence and here it is. My other pain lately has been over education. It's amazing what has been happening with the student walkouts supposedly in opposition to H. R. 4437. I've been listening to interviews of the students who have participated in the demonstrations on several different stations and here are some observations and questions I have for you folks:
First, many students interviewed said they teachers told them to join the protest against the House resolution. Second, when asked what they were protesting, in over 30 interviews not one student could accurately say what it was in the resolution they were protesting. One particularly painful exchange was as followings:
Q: Why are you here instead of in school?
A: Because I don't want my family to get deported.
Q: When did your parents come to the United States?
A: I think it was 1975 or 1976.
Q: So you were born here?
A: Yeah.
Q: Were your brothers and sisters born here?
A: Yeah.
Q: [I thought this was quite slick] So when did your parents become U. S. citizens?
A: 1985
Geeze. Other commonly hear statements were "We have a right to be here" and "We pay taxes, we should get to stay and vote".
Okay, this is for you who claim to be teachers... if you ARE telling kids to protest, for heaven's sake at least tell them some FACTS so they don't come across as idiots when asked. Not one interviewed could tell the questioners what the H. R. meant nor how laws get made in this country. These are high school students and college students, haven't they learned anything (or, given the state of education these days, I might rightfully ask if they have been taught anything)? Of course, this makes the assumption they really are they to protest something. From the description of the atmosphere it sounded as if the vast majority were simply there to skip school. Let's not forget the exchange between L. A. Mayor Villaraigosa and the protesting students where after explaining how he supported them said that their voices had been heard, he stands with them, and now it was time to return to school the students chanted "Hell no, we won't go!"
Really? I wonder if they will at least get to claim their part in the protect under "Civic Participation" in their applications to Harvard. But of course, this just might get them in...
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