Immigration Nation; Willows Rant

America is a nation of immigrants. Even the Native Americans immigrated from the China/Northeastern Russian region via the land bridge. Europeans were here well before the atrocities committed by the post Christopher Columbus era, including the Clovis theory that the Solutrean people of what is now France crossed an Atlantic land bridge or used boats as far back as 17,000 years ago (both artifacts discovered and mitochondiral abberations that do not match Siberians). Many theorists including Thor Heyerdahl and his Ra expedition believe that ancient Egyptian cultures and those massively marvelous Phonecians could have rode the Gulf Stream to the Carribean. Peoples from Oceania could have sailed over to South America. Additionally, although we live in a Northern Hemisphere centric historical period, there were thriving and technologically advanced cultures in the southern hemisphere including parts of Africa. and the Olmec statues show evidence of Africans in Central and South America. If there was an ice age in the North Hemisphere it would stand to reason that the ocean levels dropped worldwide, and perhaps other cultures aside from the 4-5 waves of Siberians made it over. So who were the first immigrants anyways.

Our country is built on immigration either way you look at it. There is a history of using impoverished peoples to do the dirty work. First the true slaves and indentured servents (freedom after 7 years for the price of one boat ride to the New World.) then the economic slaves. Post African slavery, the economic slaves were paid substandard wages and have included Chinese coolies, the Irish, and most recently the Mexican and Central American peoples.

As capitalists we want inexpensive things. Right now we have them, things are pretty cheap. However we have them partially at the expense of 12 million illegal immigrants, but primarily because of the exports from Asia. It stands to reason that although the media is portraying it differently, not all 12 million immigrants embody the attributes for perfect American citizenship. Aside from that point, I do not believe in rewarding those who blatantly break the law. If we need 12 million immigrants to bear the weight of the economy by, as our illustrious leaders (LOL) put it, "do the work that no one else wants too" I think we should advertise to the world and to the people that stayed in their countries and did not break the law. I think we should accept those whose applications are pending for American citizenship a little quicker, maybe run down to Mexico and say "Hey good job those of you who didn't illegally cross the border. Here are some guest worker permits. You guys rock!!"

Additionally, just because Mexico shares a border with us I do not think they should get preferential treatment on immigration status. They are fleeing poverty looking for a better way of life that they think they are entitled to. Hmm. According to per capita charts Mexico is ranked 85th out of 231 countries with a per capita of $9000 a year (2003 est). So that means there are 146 nations whose people are more poverty stricken including Russia (86), Brazil(95), Bulgaria(96), Turkey(105), China(122),Egypt(139),. Almost all of Africa, as well as Central and South America are poorer than Mexico. Much of Eastern Europe, and almost all the former republics in Russia are poorer. Nearly all the Pacific Islands are poorer. Much of Asia is poorer. In perspective with the rest of the world Mexico is on the top half, so perhaps Mexico needs to open its borders to the rest of the world to replace its population that is migrating northward. I am sure that many members of the 146 nations that are poorer than Mexico would jump at the chance for an upgrade in life. And as the United States is number two on the list I propose that we Americans deserve the right to move to Luxembourg who's per capita income is nearly $20,000 higher than our own!!!

One last thing. I believe in amnesty. I also believe in science. I think the United States needs to do a study and find the optimum population for the United States. We are probably pretty close to the maximum number of people the country can reasonably sustain (350,000,000). When we fall below we should extend citizenship in our country to the most persecuted peoples of the Earth (definately not Mexicans sorry, but Africans under the threat of genocide or Thai girls sold into prostitution by their families would be much higher on my list. Or maybe we need to make some room for the Pacific Islanders whom our global warming activites threaten to engulf. They are also much poorer than Mexicans, or even the Central Americas who as I understand it are terribly persecuted when they try to cross into Mexico to look for a better life).

So make guest worker permits easier to obtain. Go to other countries and offer them to the people that did not break the law. Remove those that did. Charge guest workers United States taxes. Add a law that children born to guest workers in the United States are not citizens. It is an insult to those waiting patiently to enter this country legally to grant citizenship to those who entered it illegally. What does that say to the law abiding peoples of the world?

Oh, and by the way, do you think that once the illegal immigrants are citizens that they are going to keep doing "the jobs no one else wants to". No, because then their employers would have to pay them minimum wages and they would have to pay taxes. They are not an ignorant group of people. They will go get better jobs, and in turn the agricultural and service industries will have to sneak more illegals across the border in a vicious cycle. Blame it on the panicking baby boomers who need that many more people to support their Medicare lifestyle as they enter old age in droves.

Willow says Immigration is a worldwide right, and I am moving to Luxembourg.