http://www.collegiatetimes.com/news/2/A ... 06-14.html

Illegal Immigration Can Be Good Or Bad
June 14th, 2006
Jonathan McGlumphy



We’ve heard a lot in the news lately about a particular group of people in this country. Some call them “illegal aliens.” Others call them “undocumented workers.” Construction companies and fast food chains call them a blessing.

Whatever designation you care to use, we are talking about people who have — without going through the usual bureaucratic hassle — entered the United States in search of whatever employment they can find, typically doing so in a black-market fashion. By that I mean that they do day-labor jobs for cash and are therefore evading payroll taxes. Most of these people are, of course, Hispanics who come via our southern border because they can make substantially more money here than they can back home.

In other words, they are doing what they do for a very obvious reason: to make money and have a better life. One would think that we as Americans would be cheering these people on to achieve. But we aren’t. In fact, we’re doing everything in our power to stop them, and we should honestly ask ourselves why.

A frequent buzz phrase from the likes of failed gubernatorial hopeful Jerry Kilgore is, “What part of illegal don’t they understand?” You also hear torts to the effect of, “Immigration is OK, so long as it’s legal.”

I wonder how many people out there know what a royal pain it is to go through all the paperwork and bureaucracy of legal immigration. Just think of how difficult it is to deal with the DMV, and then multiply that by a factor of ten.

Now imagine you’re dirt poor but are willing to work hard at any job. You can either spend months or years waiting to enter the United States legally, or you can take a quick swim, jump on a truck and be putting shingles on a roof the next day in exchange for American dollars (which are still worth much more than pesos, no matter what the euro does). Oh — but wait — getting the job right away is ILLEGAL. Guess you ought to wait a few years to make a better life.

Another argument you hear is that these aliens are working here, paying no taxes, but putting a strain on government social services. That is certainly a legitimate concern. But what’s the real problem? Is it the people who are in the rather enviable position to avoid payroll taxes or is it the welfare state that drains resources from those who are productive and funnels it to those who are not so productive?

I would bet the latter, and if you talk to any true fiscal conservatives, they would tell you the same. However, many of today’s so-called conservatives aren’t attacking the welfare state; instead, they’re vilifying the one group of people who are able to opt out of a corrupt system. Sounds to me like it’s jealously on the part of the American right that drives their disdain towards our darker skinned neighbors. Or xenophobia.

And we can’t forget the conspiracy theorists who claim that there is a secret Hispanic plan to take over several southwestern states and secede from the United States. I fail to see why the right has a problem with this. With California gone, Republicans would never have to worry about losing a presidential election ever again. They would have to get their porno from somewhere else, though.

Conversely, the left wants to grant amnesty to many of these illegal workers. We are told that if these workers were legitimized then they could be paid a fair wage, rather than the less-than-minimum wage some of them are now making. (Granted, every illegal worker in the US is making far more money than he ever could in his home country, but we don’t have time for rational arguments).

I can’t help but wonder about the left’s motivations. It could be that they’re genuinely concerned about the illegals’ wellbeing, or it could be that they need to get these people on the tax rolls to prop up the corrupt welfare state — which seems to be the only political clout Democrats have any more. (“First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth and Tenth Amendments. We can’t waste time fighting for those when there are votes to buy!”)

I keep using the term “illegal” to describe the group of people in question, but only as a matter of literary convenience, not because I see anything wrong with what they’re doing. Many activities in this country are against the law, but that doesn’t necessarily make them immoral or even harmful.

So my hat goes off to the illegal immigrants. They have succeeded in upsetting both the xenophobes and the socialists, all while chasing the American dream of making better lives for themselves — without government interference.

And hey, they make darn good tacos, too.