02 May 2008

May Day

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WARNING
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What you are about to read is a rant regarding illegal immigration and those same illegal immigrants who routinely demand immigrant rights.
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Let me preface this rant by stating that I think immigration is a WONDERFUL thing - legal immigration that is. The majority of us have immigrant roots. Our families came to this country from faraway lands, hoping to build a better life for themselves and for their future generations. My own family immigrated from Germany just four generations ago. Immigration has always been a cornerstone in the foundation of this country and continues to be one of the things that make it great. In no way do I support any movement to eliminate immigration to our country, however I fully support enforcing current immigration laws, enacting more stringent immigration laws and deporting known illegal immigrants.

This year was the third year immigrants (both legal and illegal) set out to organize marches across the country in support of immigrant and immigration "rights." I find it somewhat ironic that these individuals choose May Day, a day that celebrates a history of violence in the U.S., to support their cause. As Barry Chiswick, University of Illinois Chicago economics Professor said in an interview yesterday, "My advice to some of these organizers would be to pick a day other than May 1, which is associated with rebellion, leftist ideals and anarchy."

**NOTE
**: If you are not familiar with the history

of May Day (or International Workers' Day), you
might want to read up on its history at the
Industrial Worker's of the World web site. If
nothing else, you might find it interesting that
many of the concepts embraced by the IWW more
than 100 years ago are now being pedaled as
"change" in this election year.

I was appalled by some of the quotes I read from participants in the 2008 rallies, many echoing this Chicagoan's:

"We come here to fight for legalization. We're people. We have rights."

Yes, you do have rights ... in the country that you hold citizenship in. Just because you've managed to get yourself onto U.S. soil does not mean you are entitled to the same rights given to U.S. citizens.

Participation in this year's demonstrations was significantly lower than in previous years. In 2006, at least 400,000 people in Chicago alone, participated in the first nationwide rally. This year's Chicago attendance was estimated at only 15,000. Activists claim participation likely was lower because many immigrants increasingly fear deportation.

I've got news for you - you should fear deportation if you are not here legally. I find it impossible to support your claims that you are not criminals when you come to this country illegally. That, in itself, makes you a criminal. If you want me to respect your desire be in this country, at the very least show some respect for this country and its laws.

21 comments:

Ken said...

I'm 100% behind you on that.
I can't type and rant to well but I have a mouthful and I'm VERY LOUD on that subject!!!!
Good to here that maybe they are getting scared.

Real Live Lesbian said...

Amen, sister. We hire mostly Mexicans at my construction office. It's our family business. But frankly, no one else wants the hard work. It's rare that anyone else applies. Rare.

We have some really great guys working for us. But they all MUST have their paperwork. I cannot count the ones that come in without anything to prove who they are. It's astounding.

Oh...I think I'm raning too now!

Dana said...

Micky, it's a touchy subject, and although I understand the desire to be a part of this great country, I find it quite distasteful that there is an expectation that illegal immigrants are owed that desire.

RLL, I actually left a job in the landscape industry when I was asked to "overlook" the payroll practices of the company (using the same SSN to report more than one employees earnings, etc.).

Jay said...

"If nothing else, you might find it interesting that many of the concepts embraced by the IWW more than 100 years ago are now being pedaled as "change" in this election year."

And let's not forget that the immigration bill that was defeated that would have given amnesty to the 11 million or so illegals already in the country was originally sponsored by John McCain. ;-)

I don't get as worked up about illegal immigration as I probably should. I mean, I don't disagree with you, it's just not one of my hot-button issues.

Although I do really wish they would punish the companies that hire the illegals every once in a while. That kind of gets me fired up. You know, the way companies will hire all these illegals and then get caught and fined .000000000000000001 % of their profits. So like a week later all those illegals are back on the job and the fine didn't cost the company as much as hiring legal citizens at fair market wages would have been. Yeah, that pisses me off.

Of course, if we could keep the illegals out, the companies would have to go ahead and focus on hiring legal citizens.

And then raise their price of their products.

Or shut down and move operations overseas. Since they get a tax break for that, it makes it pretty easy to do that.

Oh and back when manufacturing companies were closing US plants where they paid decent wages and moving to Mexico so they could pay people .50 cents an hour we were told that it was still good for America cause if the jobs are there in Mexico, the incentive to sneak into the US would be less. The idea being that it was going to raise the standard of living in Mexico.

That didn't work either.

It's just not all that simple.

tt said...

amen sister!!!! You said it all very well and I agree 100%!
I have some friends who manage a restaurant and turn a deaf ear to this subject all b/c of the bottom line...their cost at the restaurant. They use the same reasoning others do and that is if they were to hire "legals" their costs would go up. My response is..so what?! Everything is going up...it's enevitable...but at least they may be within the laws of the land. Laws can't be brought out only when they're convenient. Grrrrrr....

Jay said...

Oh and one other thing ...

You can have my taco that I bought from the Taco Cart set up in a parking lot by an illegal when you pry it from my cold dead hands. ;-)

hahahaha

/Just giving you a hard time babe.
//Hehehee .. I said "hard" ;-)

Ken said...

I don't see anything touchy about the subject, your here legally, or your not.
Now if you happen to be here with a visa expired and your making a few bucks to get by, not sending money out of the country fine apply for citizenship we'll be happy to have you. But you don't have any rights till your a citizen. None. Zip. Nada. Get it?

Dana said...

Jay, you know the whole move towards socialism that I see coming from the left scares the bejesus out of me! I think we almost have to offer some sort of "amnesty" for the 12 million illegals currently in the country, although I would prefer it be an expedited path to citizenship rather than amnesty. In all honesty, deporting millions of people just ain't gonna happen (said in my best redneck drawl).

... and about that taco? Here the street vendors sell elotes, and I admit I never ask them for their documentations before buying *wink*

Dana said...

tt, I would be happy to pay the additional cost associated with LEGAL production of U.S. goods - in fact, I'd be more than happy!

Micky, I will say that the expectation of rights (health care, education for their children, etc.) is a REAL issue for me, especially after just receiving my $8000 property tax bill for 2008 that helps educate the children of illegals who may, or may not, be U.S. citizens.

Unknown said...

Oh, I could go on and on about this, but I don't want my blood pressure to go up any more than it already is due to the stupidness of people I've been talking to all day.

So, I'll say thank you. And if someone organized a US Citizens March AGAINST illegal immigration, I would SO be there! Did I say that right? Hell, I can't think straight today. Obviously, I agree with what you said. You just said it better! LOL

I need a drink.

As American as Apple Pie said...

You said it sister! My 1/2 sister got knocked up by an illegal Mexican just before he got deported. She "looovvves" him. *barf* Anyway, now her family is spending THOUSANDS of dollars to get him brought back legally. Dumbfucks! Did I mention he used to beat her? Sorry for the strong language, touchy subject for me.

Schmoop said...

I would agree with you, but my illegal immigrant neighbor, Consuela, is smokin' hot. Cheers Dana!!

Jay said...

Dana ... What really scares me about our move towards socialism is that it's a kind of Socialism/Authoritarianism combination. We expand the welfare state, provide universal single-payer healthcare, and do all these gimmicky giveaways like the rebate checks and "gas tax holiday" to make people dependent on the gov't as much as possible. And then we do the slow erosion of rights bit complete with the gov't monitoring our phone calls, emails, books we check out at the library and shit like that. Not to mention setting up the surveillance cameras every 10 feet to keep an eye on us.

Then the gov't starts monitoring what we do in our own bedrooms. Outlawing things like vibrators and dildos (already done in Alabama and Mississippi. Not only is it illegal to sell or buy those things there, it's illegal to POSESS them!). The gov't decides what we can see on TV and in movies and read in newspapers and books. The gov't outlaws the pill. The gov't outlaws things like in-vitro fertilization (attempted in Indiana, but failed in the state leg. They'll keep trying) and on and on and on.

And let's not forge the biggie. The gov't outlaws all religions except Christianity and outlaws the teaching of evolution.

I used to laugh at people when they would run these conspiracy theories past me. Now, not so much.

Mike said...

Dana, We have the same problems over here too! But there is sweet F all we can do about it over here because of our lousy gov`t and do good-er`s! i.e. The PC (political correct) brigade !
Grr sorry wont say any more as it gets my blood pressure up!

Dana said...

Bina, go have a drink *wink*

Apple, sounds like money that could be better spent on ... say ... BEER!

Matt-Man, there is NOTHING Consuela does for you that I can't do better *wink*

Dana said...

Jay, put your viking helmet back on - QUICKLY!! I used to balk at conspiracy theories as well, but with things like the Patriot Act (yes, even *I* take issue with it), NCLB, and now a national health care plan, I'm thinking Sweden doesn't sound so bad! I'm wondering if R.E.H. needs a roommate?! Kidding ... I love my country ... I'm just extremely concerned with the direction it's headed, no matter who is in office next term.

Dana said...

Mike, unfortunately there seem to be far too many countries seeing a shift in their government and a lot of people not happy with those shifts. Funny - I seldom consider other countries might have illegal immigration issues, but I'm guessing many do.

Lu' said...

Dana, bravo for speaking your mind! I agree. My comment to the illegals. We owe you? We owe you nothing! What the fuck could we possibly owe you when you aren't supposed to be here in the first place and there are people that DO belong here and can't even feed their own children or themselves. Hot bed topic my dear.

buffalodick said...

Our good jobs went to Mexico (auto parts, ElectroLux, etc.) and jobs that didn't move are being done by 11 milion illegals! It's double-wammy!

R.E.H. said...

May 1st is a national holiday around here even, so I know all about Worker's Day. Socialist country like Sweden is. I'm not into the Socialist Party, so I don't take part in the "festivities" that are arranged every year. A giant bonfire (I should have thought about going out to see it this year - just to take pictures for the WWC...).

I agree with you on the illegals. Got the same problem in Sweden (although to a much smaller extent).

Michael M. said...

Bravo Dana, Bravo.

Once I get done ranting on religion, I will be debuting a similar series on illigral immigration called "Root Rot". As a white male, I don't mind being a minority in my own city, really. I do mind being a minority when the majority populace is here illegally though. I am reminded whenever I go shopping and I have to search for the product packaging that is written in English.

And Jay, it is simple ... once everyone starts with the same set of facts that separates legal immigrants from illegal immigrants.

Oh yeah, happy Cinco de Mayo (May 5th for you gringos) everybody! :)