Thread: Will illegal immigrants become the gays of 2008?

http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2005/ ... mmett.html

December 2, 2005

Will illegal immigrants become the gays of 2008?

Democrats of more cynical persuasions believe that George W. Bush took out after illegal Mexican immigrants last week not only for the obvious reason, which was to change the subject from his vast failings.

They think Republicans are preparing for 2008 an equivalent of the gay marriage issue of 2004. They surmise that Republicans intend to try to inflame emotions against illegal immigrants to inspire pro-GOP turnout among otherwise unsophisticated voters, sometimes referred to as "values voters" or "red-state voters."

The idea would be to mimic the inflammation of emotions against gays that ensued after one isolated state court, in Massachusetts, issued one isolated ruling about the rights of homosexuals to marry that meant nothing real to anybody in the 49 other states.

First thing you knew, Bush-leaning states far and wide had on their general election ballots citizen-initiated state constitutional amendments banning what was banned already, meaning the marriage of a set of human body parts with the same set. Voters fearful of a modern-day United States of Sodom and Gomorrah poured out of fundamentalist and evangelical pews and straight to the polls.

Last week, King George II strutted along the Mexican border talking about getting tough on those trying to cross that border. Coincidentally, efforts were disclosed in Colorado - which is something of a bellwether Western state - to get a state constitutional ban on services for illegal immigrants on a forthcoming ballot.

Arizona already has enacted such a citizen initiative. A religious right-winger proposed such a law through normal legislative channels last year in Arkansas, and, having failed, might be expected to take it to the people next.

An oddball extremist, this same fellow rode the gay hatred to a 44 percent showing in a seemingly quixotic bid for the U.S. Senate in 2004 that the national Republican Party pretty much ignored. This fellow called the Chamber of Commerce a liberal and pro-tax outfit.

What I'm saying is that he makes Pat Robertson seem circumspect. If he could get 4.4 of every 10 voters to support him, anyone could - except, maybe, an illegal immigrant trying to marry within his gender.

If Republicans indeed intend such a thing, they likely will fail.

So-called values voters don't fear and hate illegal immigrants the way they fear and hate people who do their sex differently. So-called values voters aren't inordinately concerned that illegal immigrants are going to be recruiting their children to become motel maids, chicken-pluckers and lawn-maintainers.

These illegal immigrants tend to be devout Catholics, or maybe Pentecostals. They work hard, generally speaking. They stick with their families, generally speaking. They marry male to female, overwhelmingly.

The issue is complicated for Republicans by the fact that their big-business underwriters know the value to the American economy of immigrant labor, even illegal immigrant labor.

That has forced Bush to try to cut this issue a bit too fine. He wants to get tough on the border while also letting illegals get three-year guest worker cards that they could renew for an additional three years.

But it makes no sense to ask illegal workers to turn themselves in for what would amount to deportation in three to six years.

Only amnesty and a well-assisted path to citizenship would work. But the Republican right flank would never go for it.

The best thing to happen to this issue would be for John McCain to get the Republican nomination and bring his party kicking and screaming into moderation, pragmatism and compassion.

He sponsors with Ted Kennedy a bill to provide not direct amnesty, but a process for illegals the goal line of which would not be self-inflicted deportation, but American citizenship.

Brummett is an award-winning columnist for the Arkansas News Bureau in Little Rock and author of "High Wire," a book about Bill Clinton's first year as president. His e-mail address is jbrummett@arkansasnews.com.

do I have low blood sugar ? or did this article go all over the map and make no sense?
connecting gay marriage to illegal immigration is a wild step in the wrong direction-
value voters and red states are labels that have no meaning in the " illegal invasion"
I assure the writer that ire over illegal immigration crosses all politcal lines- and classes- although I think myself that the wealthiest think themselves exempt from displacment ---
could someone else give me thieir take on this writer and article?

do I have low blood sugar ? or did this article go all over the map and make no sense?

No, it made sense.

See, you're a hater, a bigot, and a homophobe.

You hate gays and you hate immigrants. The author knows all this for a fact.

Bush is a weak pantload because he still gives bigots like you the time of day.

What's needed is a McCain presidency, since he'll simply ignore, or better yet, arrest people like you.

I think that pretty will distills the article down to it's core meaning.

And by the way, Thelma, none of this is directed at you. I'm just trying to clarify what the author thinks of anyone who isn't a member of the OBL.

Originally Posted by thelmahopkins

do I have low blood sugar ? or did this article go all over the map and make no sense?
connecting gay marriage to illegal immigration is a wild step in the wrong direction-
value voters and red states are labels that have no meaning in the " illegal invasion"
I assure the writer that ire over illegal immigration crosses all politcal lines- and classes- although I think myself that the wealthiest think themselves exempt from displacment ---
could someone else give me thieir take on this writer and article?

Thelma - Using the 'Race Card' doesnt seem to be having the impact they wanted. So this author, who is probably gay, decided to get people all shook-up by using the 'Gay Card'. Well, it doesnt 'shock' me and I dont think it will work. Illegal immigration comes in all forms of sexes, sizes, and colors. What will they think of next!? Obesity!?

wel I think you both are right- but the Gay card is very lame- very lame-

Shady businesses hire illegals to improve their bottom line. The nation also has a bottom line. A business that does not pay enough to cover benefits like tuition, health insurance and worker comp puts the cost on the backs of the nation as a whole.


BRIAN, WHEN YOU COPY AN ARTICLE ALWAYS INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE AUTHOR