Therefore, I shall suffice to simply republish last year’s article as a literal expression not only of my frustration with the lack of progress but also of my Groundhog-Day determination to continue marching for this just cause:
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Just as blacks marched in the 1960s for civil rights, Hispanics are marching today for immigrant rights. And just as many non-blacks marched back then in support of black civil rights, today many non-Hispanics are marching in support of Hispanic immigrant rights.
(Of course, as a Caribbean native, I’m acutely aware that people not just from my region but also from all over the world stand to benefit from the rights we seek.)
But just as a few blacks undermined the political influence and moral authority of civil rights marches by rioting and spewing bellicose rhetoric, a few Hispanics risk undermining these marches by donning gang paraphernalia and parading defiantly with foreign flags. Therefore, let’s march! But please leave the gangsta attitude and all flags—except old glory (the US flag) – at home!
That said, the issues involved in this fight for immigrant rights are complex. Indeed, unlike the fight for black civil rights, the solution to the problem of illegal immigration is not just black and white. But, as I lamented in a previous commentary on this problem:
Given the political grandstanding on both sides of this issue, it’s unlikely that any legislation will be enacted before the November 2006 elections.
And, sure enough, on Friday, the compromise bill, which included the comprehensive measures to assimilate immigrants that I believe are necessary to deal with this problem, was defeated in the U.S. Senate.
It is instructive to note, however, that the bill failed not on its merits, but primarily because opportunistic Democrats used technical tricks to defeat it so that they would have immigration as a political issue to run on in the November elections. And this is a critical point because most voters mistakenly assume that Republicans are solely responsible for the failure of comprehensive immigration reform.
Therefore, the political debate on immigration will rage on. But please ignore all of the talk about building fences to seal the border and making felons of people who help illegal immigrants (as some bone-headed Republicans want to do); because such promises only offer comfort to fools.
Moreover, I entreat my black American friends to march in support of Hispanics to emulate whites who marched in support of blacks during the civil rights movement. See you on the road….
Si Se Puede!
NOTE: The Democrats won control of Congress, in part, by denying Republicans the ability to take credit for passing comprehensive immigration reform. Yet they too have neglected to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Therefore, the organizing principle of our march this year should be clarion calls to defeat any Democratic or Republican Congressional candidate who fails to pledge unequivocal support for pending legislation in this regard.
Related Articles:
My analysis of immigration reform issues
A day without Hispanic boycott 2006
illegal immigration rights
shez says
I think it’s appalling that you would encourage black Americans to stand up and march in support of rights for ILLEGAL immigrants and that you would liken this to the civil rights movement. You fail to recognize that there is a huge difference between the two. Black Americans who fought for their civil rights were just that…AMERICANS. They were NOT people who snuck into this country illegally. They were born and raised on American soil (after their ancestors were taken from their native countries by the white man and forced into slavery) and have every right to to be treated equally. Our country has a system and steps to take to become a citizen and it’s unfair to the LEGAL immigrants to give give blanket citizenship to these law-breakers.
Most of the illegal immigrants are uneducated people who are taxing our system. They come to our country and move into Latino dominated communities where they do not even have to learn the English language. They bring gangs and violence because they live on the fringe of society and often resort to criminal activity to make a quick buck. They do not want to assimilate themselves in our communities. They want US to change our laws and rules to suit themselves. They were dumb enough to march and fly the Mexican flag while demanding rights and citizenship to OUR country. If they truly wanted to be Americans, they would have flown the AMERICAN flag.
I don’t think that you, as a self-proclaimed “TC Islander”, have any clue as to what is best for this country with respect to illegal immigration. How would you feel, if say the Cubans, came to TCI en masse and demanded rights, benefits and citizenship to YOUR country?
I am in no way, shape or form a Republican, but I think GW had a great idea. Send them back to their native countries and then they can apply for citizenship (and get in line behind the thousands of others who have already begun the process legally). The alternative would the the ‘guest worker’ program in which an employer would have to apply for work permits that allow someone to come and work in this country for a specific period of time.
I usually enjoy your column, but today’s entry truly angered me.
ALH ipinions says
Shez,
What fun would it be if I did not anger you on occasion…?
But, if you had taken a moment to read my analysis of proposed immigration reform measures, you would have discovered that, like you, I “think GW had a great idea.”
Except that, like Gov Schwarzenegger, I think deploying the National Guard to “protect” the border only offers comfort to fools.
Instead, the most effective way to stem the flow of illegal immigration across America’s southern border is to help Mexico and other Latin American countries develop their economies so that it becomes unthinkable for any of their respective citizens to risk their lives – by crossing the border – just to seek menial employment.
I hope this clarification helps. And thank you for your interest and support.
shez says
Thanks for clarifying. The way I read your column, it seemed as if you were all for giving blanket citizenship to all illeglas living in the US.
You make a valid point in that it is virtually impossible to police the thousands of miles of border between Mexico and the US. I whole-heartedly agree that the money would be best spent by assisting Mexico with their own economy, in order to best assist their people. They only draw-back seems to be that the Mexican government not only condones, but encourgages illegal immigration to the US.