Maybe I Was Profling A Bit

On March 8 my local paper published the following letter to the editor that I submitted.

"On Feb. 20, Mexican President Felipe Calderon visited the California Legislature urging them to "keep the door open."
How dare this meddler come to our country and try to influence policy and public opinion? How dare this pathetic leader, who can't even fix his own country so his people would not be forced to break into ours ask us to take responsibility for his failure?
Finally, how dare this hypocrite ask us to keep our borders open so that his citizens can come here and use/abuse or country while he has the unmitigated gall to want $1.4 billion from the U.S. for a stimulus/national security package? I can't say what I would like to tell Mr. Calderon without being censored but rest assured it isn't very polite."

Today at work a young Hispanic male came up to me and politely told me the following. "You know Neal, the next time you write a letter to the paper about illegal aliens you may want to mention that it is not only Mexicans that are in this country illegally."

I told this young man that he needs to read my letter again because I was not writing about the illegal aliens themselves, I was writing about the President of Mexico.

I told him that I am aware that there are illegal aliens in this country from all over the world. I also told him that it is my dream that each and every one of them either leave of their own volition or be deported.

This answer seemed to satisfy him and he left having duly chastised me. Although he obviously misunderstood my reason for writing the letter he did bring up a good point, it is not only Mexicans that are in this country illegally. There are probably illegal aliens in this country from almost every nation on the planet, and like I said, I want them all gone.

That being said, do you remember the Immigration Marches back in May of 2006? Do you remember the images of all those people marching for immigration rights and immigration reform? Did you take the time to notice which flag, besides the U.S. flag, was the predominant flag flown? It was the Mexican flag. Do you remember some of the banners and placards that people had? They said things about La Raza, (the Race), La Reconquista, (The Re-conquering). These are sayings that are distinctive among the Hispanics, and particularly the Mexicans.

For a group of people who want to immigrate to this country and become part of the melting pot that is America, waving a banner that supports the concept that they are separate and have no need to assimilate into our culture is not a good way to garner support. La Reconquista is even more disturbing in that it implies that they intend to take over this land, whether we like it or not. These are not things that people who want to become Americans should be doing in a march for immigration rights.

Then again there were others in the crowd from across the globe, so I still might be considered guilty of profiling based upon the actions of a select group.

However, if you were to drive through the farms in the San Joaquin Valley during harvest time would you see any illegal aliens from of other than Hispanic heritage? I think not. If you were to drive through a construction zone where new homes are being built en masse, what would be the predominant nationality of the laborers? That’s right, Hispanic. If you were to hire a landscaping crew to come in and design your yard and maintain it, what nationality would the majority of laborers be? Right again, Hispanic. Finally, if you were to drive to one of those ‘Day Laborer’ sites where you could hire someone to work for a day, what are the nationality of the people there waiting for work? Hispanic again. So where are all these Chinese, Filipino, German, and the rest of the illegal aliens from all over the world?

However, just to show that I am fair and am not biased against Hispanics, or Mexicans in particular, I would like to see the following accomplished.

-All illegal aliens and their illegitimately naturalized children will leave U.S. soil, not to return.

-English will be the spoken language of this country. If you can’t speak it, tough! No more translators, no more forms in a host of foreign tongues, no more SAP, (Secondary Audio Programming) in foreign languages for our television shows. While I am at it, everything that is broadcast for either radio or television will be in English only.

-No more ESL in our schools. If you can not learn in English, go back and get an education in the country of your native tongue. I am tired of our kids getting held back while kids that can’t speak English play catch up.

-No more preferential treatment will be given to anyone due to their cultural differences. I do not get any preferential treatment because I am of Irish descent, not even on St. Patrick’s Day.

-If you are found to be in a gang you will be deported to the country of your heritage, regardless of whether or not you are a natural born citizen, a naturalized citizen, or an illegal alien.

-Finally, if you are caught in our country breaking any other of our laws, and it is found that you are here illegally, you will be deported to your country of origin immediately. We do not want to spend any tax dollars incarcerating you in our overcrowded prisons.

There, does that sound fair to all? Am I not being impartial enough? As I said, I may have been focusing solely upon the Mexicans in my letter to the editor. I hope this clarifies my intent by showing that I no longer wish to tolerate any illegal alien presence in this country any longer.