Immigration?

I promise that I won't usually make a habit of including political ramblings in a predominantly religious blog, but one issue has been on my mind as of late- Immigration.

Unless you have been living in a cave for the last couple of years, you know that immigration has become one of the premier hot-button political issues as of late. Why has it blown up into such a huge issue lately? Haven't illegal immigrant been crossing the border since the annexation of Texas? Is it really a new phenomena?

An idea that I haven't completely worked out in my head yet, is that the government is capitalizing on the subtle, maybe unconscious racism of many Americans.

It's no secret that this administration is in trouble. Last I heard, President Bush's approval rating was fluctuating between the high 20's and low 30's. When someone has drawn the ire of that many people, their every move is watched more carefully- with the audience just waiting to tear them apart for their next misstep.

So then, what should an administration in that position do? Avoid polarizing issues and start to really stress one or two issues that most Americans already agree on. I think it's safe to say that most Americans are in favor of stricter immigration laws, and some are even in favor of building a giant wall on the Mexican border.

Why are we so obsessed with keeping Mexicans out of our country? The current administration refers to this situation as a matter of "national security," or of "securing our borders." Both terms have been thrown around a lot lately, because the scars of 9/11 are still fresh on our minds. They are using the average American's knee jerk reaction to defend their country in order to increase the government's power and involvement in our every day life to unprecedented levels. It seems they have used our fear for their own profit. I seem to be getting a little off subject here. Maybe a new paragraph will help...

Do Mexicans really pose a threat to our national security? Is anyone really concerned about Mexican suicide bombers running through their town's square? Has there been a rise in Mexican terrorist activity that I am unaware of? Not that I have heard of. Mexicans cross our border to improve their situation, and whether or not we like to admit it, they improve our economy in the process. Now, I would prefer that they go through the proper channels to cross the borders legally- but I think it's ludicrous to label this a "national security" issue.

Some say that we build a wall and tighten security measures in order to keep terrorists who try to enter our country from south. In other words, a Iranian extremist group would fly to Mexico first, and then enter America illegally. If that is our concern, where is the proposal for a wall on our Canadian border as well? Theoretically, aren't we just as vulnerable to those coming from the north?

My yet-to-be-developed idea is that Mexicans are the new Blacks. Across the history of our nation, there has always been a contempt for a group of people abroad and a contempt for a group of people within our borders. The groups abroad have ranged from the Brits, the French, the Germans, and the Japs. These days, our most hated group abroad are people from the Middle East. As far as our hatred for a group within our borders, we have been pretty consistent (until very recently) in considering black people the "lesser" race. I truly believe that Mexicans have taken their spot, and are now receiving similar vitriol.

Even in what are commonly assumed to be the more racist southern states, it is taboo to refer to black people in a derogatory manner. Of course, there are some exceptions- most notably with older generations. For the most part though, we have welcomed black people into our society as equals. Seventy years ago, no one would bat an eye if they heard the word "nigger" in a public place. Nowadays, it would be shocking- just ask Michael Richards.

I've noticed that it isn't taboo to refer to Mexicans in a derogatory manner. From slang terms describing them to assigning them poor moral and social qualities because of preconceived notions and broad generalizations- we as a nation have begun to look at Mexicans as a lower class of people. We Americans are the elite, and the Mexicans aren't worthy to tread our soil.

Think about it this way. You have probably been around a Hispanic person somewhere, and innocently wondered if they crossed the border illegally. I know I was guilty of this way of thinking. What if you met a British person, or a Canadian, or an Irishman? Would you even think twice about the means by which they entered the country? Probably not- and yet we look at Mexicans and wonder if they are really supposed to be here.

I am not referring to a racism where a group of people is physically abused and ostracized by society as a whole. I'm talking about a form of racism where we didn't even realize that we started looking at Mexicans as second-class humans. It is a form of racism that assumes that since we are American, we are entitled to more than others.

I believe it's possible that a flailing administration is using this mindset to help bolster support among the American people. Long our subconscious opinions of Mexicans have laid dormant, but it seems they have been stirred up in order to have a majority agree with something this administration stands for.

I would ask only that you consider why you are in favor of making it harder for illegals to cross the border. Is it because you are concerned for your own security? If you look deep within yourself, you may realize that isn't the case at all.

Then again, maybe a wall is a good idea. I'm sure the remaining American Indians are kicking themselves for not thinking of that a couple hundred years ago...

I'd love to hear some feedback- negative or positive.

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free; send these, the homeless tempest-tossed, to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
--inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty