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.