Thursday, April 20, 2006

Those Damn Foreigners Again

Many of our leaders would have us believe that we should fear the illegal immigrants. But if the demonstrations continue to reflect King and Ghandi, the fear mongers will be proven wrong.

They say amnesty would dishonor those poor saps who wait patiently, year after year, playing the game and losing it because those honorable and less desperate folks are playing by the rules of the INS.

Just when you think bureaucracy could not become more cynical and heartless and cavalier and ineffectual, the neocons push the envelope once again.

Ever you ever dealt with the INS? What a horrible joke. Like the Cuban embargo and the fact that we took much of Texas and California away from Mexico in the first place, just like we took the rest of the continent away from the Indians.

We could have open and secure borders, and and fix the INS, and validate the rights and responsibilities of residents through full citizenship training for all. Whoever doesn't pass the citizenship test doesn't get a good citzen lapel pin or a college diploma.

Citizens would be required to speak two languages fluently. One of these must be Standard Polite Good English and the other can be whatever--Spanish, Cuban, Street, Spanglish, Cracker, Esperanto, Latin.

Public schools couldn't do it, of course. They are as broken as FEMA and the INS. But with a level playing field, private schools, non-profit community organizations and “faith-based” groups could compete for the citizens’ education dollars.

Conservatives say we should play by the rules, liberals say we should put the rules aside and be compassionate and realistic. I say we should change the rules so that they are compassionate and realistic.

Buenos dias.

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