30 Mar 06 A Nation of Immigrants.

We've all been hearing about the immigration bill and the scores of protests it has caused throughout the country. Many politicians have spoke on the issue and weighed in with their opinions as per usual protocol for these sort of things. I've been watching this thing unfold and not one politician or pundit has approached this thing from more than just a one-dimensional perspective. The immigration issue in the U.S. has far-reaching social, economic, and ecological affects–not just A or B. Should we allow illegals to work in the U.S. or not? That is the only question they seem to be asking themselves.

What amazes me is that George Bush, as well as other politicians/pundits, will look straight into the camera and say, “…we need to allow immigrants in this country who are willing to work jobs that Americans aren't.” Look at the absurdity of that statement. Why, in a country that is supposed to be as prosperous and powerful as the U.S., do we have jobs that no American is willing to work? Americans aren't afraid of hard work, it's the conditions of these jobs that make Americans opposed to them. Picking produce, cleaning office buildings and hotel rooms, working in slaughter houses, and the plethora of other jobs that immigrants usually occupy aren't bad jobs per se, but it is the employers that make them bad. Employers that pay below minimum wage, force their workers to work 40+ hours with no overtime pay, and employers that do not provide benefits; no wonder no American wants to work these jobs. If the government doesn't put any pressure on these industries to improve working conditions then they will continue to employ only immigrants, illegal or otherwise. If there were no incentive for these companies to hire illegals, then they wouldn't. They'd hire legal, working Americans and there would be one less reason for people to come to this country illegally. Plus, we are a nation of immigrants, why are we so opposed to others enjoying our country? The only ones that have the right to complain about people “invading” their land are Native Americans, but that was swept under the rug a long time ago and is the topic of an entirely different rant.

You've also got to ask yourself though, why are these people leaving their country in the first place? Well work of course, that's obvious. However many illegals are very nationalistic, they love their country. They don't want to leave it, most of them would rather stay and work in their country of origin. This is the new trend in India where improvements in technology have allowed many Indians to stay and live in India while working for American companies. Granted their education system is better and many of those jobs require skilled workers, but it is in a sense the same. The point is they would prefer to stay in India, they don't want to come to America just because it is America. Immigrants and illegals don't come to America because they think the red, white, and blue flag is pretty. They come to America to work so they can feed their families. So I ask again, why can't they do this in their native country? I know, no jobs. Well, why aren't there any jobs?

Organizations such as the World Bank and the IMF (International Monetary Fund) have succeeded in raping ailing countries of their native industries. The way these organizations work is they picture the global economy as a corporation. They adjust funding and provide financing to countries as they see fit. The problem is that the officials of these organizations aren't elected or have to earn their office in any way shape or form. They are appointed or they can buy their way in. The IMF is run by rich corporate mongers and the World Bank's president is Paul Wolfowitz, who was appointed by George Bush. You think he's not looking out for Bush's military efforts? Right. These organizations see the global economy as one huge entity. In there eyes what is good for the whole is worth a little suffering to those at the bottom of the ladder. If closing down some factories in Argentenia or Mexico and farming out their business elsewhere is good for the global economy, then what's the harm? So what if some have to suffer? As long as the numbers in the proper column of the spreadsheet and the GDP's of enough countries are up then everything is fine. You can't make an omelette without creating a little poverty right?

If pressure were put on Wal-Mart to improve working conditions here in the U.S. things would change. If pressure were put on Ford, GAP, Old Navy, and the multitude of other countries that outsource labor to improve conditions in their factories things would change. If the world stopped viewing immigrants as criminals and understood their plight as one of simply trying to feed their families then things would change. Fences along the border and laws criminalizing wanting to work in this country aren't going to improve the problem, they are only going to fuel it. The immigration problem is a multi-faceted one that, until those that have the power to affect it start looking at the issue through a larger lens, is simply going to snowball further and further.

Next time you stay in a hotel room, leave a tip. They deserve it.

~FryGuy

Related Links

Leave a Comment

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website