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United States of Mexico
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"There's more coming, and they're going to have figure out something to do with all these people because they can't stop it," Omar once said about the impending immigration situation. Omar was a Mexican expatriate who worked part-time at the station in Cartersville. He had ran over the border illegally but the station owner had become his sponsor and helped him get his citizenship. Omar finished a degree at Georgia State University and became a middle school teacher, and a good one.
I couldn't figure out what he was talking about. A Mexican guy like Omar in Cartersville, Georgia in 1997 was an anomaly. Sure he got by, but you think the most powerful military complex in the world can't stop a guy throwing his leg over a barbwire fence at 3 a.m.? Open your eyes, buddy! You're in the US-of-A!
Fast forward to 2006. There are strip malls and parts of town in Atlanta where the signs are all espanol. The BP on Roswell Road is surrounded by 50 or more Mexicans looking for contractor trucks every morning. They're hotfooting it up and down Delk, Franklin and Windy Hill roads. We have a full-time Spanish FM that's running away with the ratings. Eva Longoria has upstaged Teri Hatcher as the star of Desperate Housewives. Omar's prophecy is upon us.
Not long ago my favorite talk show caller, Wayne the Painter, phoned a show on the topic of illegal immigration. "My uncle raised nine kids as a brick layer. That doesn't exist anymore. My house painting business went under because I refused to hire illegals." The host laughed and hung up on him like most conservative talk show hosts of the time. "If you think a Mexican stole your job then you're probably not worth a good goddamn," another morning show host said last year. Sean Hannity: "These people have come here to work and pursue the American Dream, not lounge around on welfare." All the hosts were pro-Mexican; after all, illegal immigration was only affecting those dirty guys you see buying cigarettes at the QuickTrip at 7 a.m. Well-heeled, white collar listeners just knew was their yards were getting raked for outrageous bargains.
Bush was there swinging the door open. The term "Guest Worker" was coined. Carefully chosen words. Guest = someone you give the good bed while you sleep on the couch. Worker = a Waltons-type character who happily drips sweat 12 hours a day in a sawmill. The previous term, "Illegal Alien." Illegal = stolen TV sets, cocaine, child molestation. Alien = green-skinned people here to take your planet at the point of a laser gun. I think the latter term was more fitting.
Now the Trojan horse is inside the gate and Mexicans have stopped being cute. No more meekly bowing their heads, squeaking, "No speakeh een-gless," as you give them $50 at the end of a 12-hour workday. They've seen the Mercedes, they've seen I Want That! on HGTV, and they want that. There's a real threat your garments won't be sewn and oranges picked for $3 an hour anymore. Now, faced with people who want to move up from third-class citizenship, the conservatives have abruptly (perhaps predictably) jumped ship. I turn on Boortz and Shaffer and it's a good hour of, "These damn illegals, biting the hand that feeds them!"
Now George Bush, Jr.'s approval ratings are in the basement. Only now that the iceberg is thawing in the Titanic's ballroom are conservatives acknowledging his presidency has been a disaster. Why the change of heart? I theorize it really happened when conservatives realized that -- oh, my God! -- Mexicans are brown! It was fine when they were just swabbing toilets, but now that their culture is impinging on the landscape, look out.
I thank the Mexicans for upsetting the political taco cart, but now that their mission is done they can go home. But will all the king's horses and all the king's men be able to put the American pinata together again? |
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Posted by Art | 7:43 AM EST |
3 comments
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Nobody minds any immigrant here as long as it's done legally. Schools, hospitals and social funds are being blown to smithereens. I don't know how you can frame the Republicans as the problem on this (?). It's happened each administration since the birth of the car trunk.
In fact, a solution might be to reward Japan and Detroit, like farmers are rewarded for not growing food. Reward them for not building trunks in cars. Who knows, it might keep 16 people out on a Thursday. And if it gets really, really bad they'll have to migrate over legally which is what they should be doing in the first place. Their Hispanic emigree counterparts don't want them getting a free ride either; it isn't just a snooty-riche thing.
And a gardener we know, here legally, makes $50.
For 2-1/2 to 3 hours work. The person paying is Republican, and that's what you find. People are what they are....not a sum total of a pre-conceived notion.
Check Michelle Malkin's site for photos from the protest. Note marchers waving Atzlan flags and Bush hate signs.
It never made the local paper.
I still haven't gotten around to that Foggo story.
Either the GOP is racist (old liberal line) or they're treating illegals like citizens (new liberal line). And in turn, hoisting the immigration problem to new levels.
Bush created the guest worker tag; he won't screw tight the borders and toss the key. IMO, that should be a liberal's wet dream.
Any conservative will agree that the Bush domestic plan is horrendous. I'm not a Republican, and even I can't figure out what the purpose is... except more votes and labor.
Not trying to put down your home team, Art. Honestly, I can't figure out why Democrats aren't clinging to this guy at least on the border topic. And half his relatives are Hispanic, many in his cabinet are minorities. You'd think these dumb foreigners would know not to kick a gift horse in the mouth.
Either way, it's nice that you also see the border infestation as a problem. At least we can agree on that and hash browns.