04-12-2006, 06:03 AM
Because of a lack of time this week, I'm going to have to post a few scattered ideas rather than formulate a more cohesive post. I will be working ~13 hours/day for the next two days, so I don't know that I'd be able to check in to defend a more ambitious post. That's also why I'm relpying to the thread in general and not to a specific post. I'm sorry that I don't have more time to dedicate to this conversation.
One thing that's always struck me is that one archetypical American hero is the maverick man with a heart of gold who has to defy the bureaucrats and maybe break the law in order to save his family/city/country/whatever. Hollywood is full of that sort of story. In my mind, the archetype is very similar to the stereotypical Mexican man who breaks the law and risks his own life to come to the USA so that he can feed his family. Can't you just see the movie trailer now?
As with any archetype, there are always counter examples when you start applying actual people to the model. But, I do see a lot of people who would praise Americans who intentionally break what they consider to be an unjust law as heroes, only to be infuriated at those who enter this country illegally because "OMG they broke the law!"
I also wonder why the immigration of Cubans is seen in a different light than that of Mexicans. Even those who supported the return of Elian Gonzales to Cuba, for example, didn't seem the least bit concerned with the fact that Elian, along with many other Cubans every year, arrived in the USA as an undocumented immigrant.
I do understand that the government of Cuba is significantly different than the government of Mexico, and that the USA has a different relationship with each one. But I would argue that the motivation of the immigrants themselves is similar, at least today. While freedom from Communism is certainly a factor (and probably was a primary factor for those who came at the *beginning* of the Castro regime), I would guess that economic opportunity is the primary motivator for both Cuban and Mexican immigrants today.
As far as providing educational services, I would guess that most of the children of undocumented immigrants are US citizens. Say what you will about this policy (yes, I know that this has already been discussed), as a practical matter these kids are here and aren't going to be going anywhere regardless of what happens to their parents. Even though it takes resources to educate these children, I would argue that we as a society benefit from educating them. Whether one feels that the families deserve the benefit is beside the point. They're here, they're citizens, and we will be better off in the long run with a more highly educated populace.
One thing that's always struck me is that one archetypical American hero is the maverick man with a heart of gold who has to defy the bureaucrats and maybe break the law in order to save his family/city/country/whatever. Hollywood is full of that sort of story. In my mind, the archetype is very similar to the stereotypical Mexican man who breaks the law and risks his own life to come to the USA so that he can feed his family. Can't you just see the movie trailer now?
As with any archetype, there are always counter examples when you start applying actual people to the model. But, I do see a lot of people who would praise Americans who intentionally break what they consider to be an unjust law as heroes, only to be infuriated at those who enter this country illegally because "OMG they broke the law!"
I also wonder why the immigration of Cubans is seen in a different light than that of Mexicans. Even those who supported the return of Elian Gonzales to Cuba, for example, didn't seem the least bit concerned with the fact that Elian, along with many other Cubans every year, arrived in the USA as an undocumented immigrant.
I do understand that the government of Cuba is significantly different than the government of Mexico, and that the USA has a different relationship with each one. But I would argue that the motivation of the immigrants themselves is similar, at least today. While freedom from Communism is certainly a factor (and probably was a primary factor for those who came at the *beginning* of the Castro regime), I would guess that economic opportunity is the primary motivator for both Cuban and Mexican immigrants today.
As far as providing educational services, I would guess that most of the children of undocumented immigrants are US citizens. Say what you will about this policy (yes, I know that this has already been discussed), as a practical matter these kids are here and aren't going to be going anywhere regardless of what happens to their parents. Even though it takes resources to educate these children, I would argue that we as a society benefit from educating them. Whether one feels that the families deserve the benefit is beside the point. They're here, they're citizens, and we will be better off in the long run with a more highly educated populace.
Why can't we all just get along
--Pete
--Pete