One way people try to sneak their agenda into policy decisions is by changing names or phrases. I believe George Carlin used to point this out sometimes.
One current one that bugs me is "undocumented immigrant." The subliminal image is of some innocent person showing up at a point of immigration and goings "Oops, I seem to have lost my documents." Ummm... No.
By "undocumented immigrant," these people mean someone who came into the country without an invitation or without obtaining permission. This would mean that the "immigrant" crossed international borders without legal authority. In a case like this, I prefer the term "international criminal."
If someone refuses to go through the proper legal channels before arriving in a new nation (i.e., they lack respect for the law of the land before they even step foot in it), a precedent of criminality and disrespect for that nation's laws has been set. Based on those demonstrated values, what should we expect next from such a person and their family? Not much, if you ask me.
I hear talk about "immigration reform," but I don't hear what the problem is that needs reforming. Most Americans are descendants of people who managed to immigrate legally (SEE NOTE 1). My maternal great-grandparents and paternal grandparents managed to get here legally and assimilate into American culture. In fact, one of my father's older sisters was turned back at Ellis Island and had to return to Germany and come back later when things were in order. Were her civil rights violated? Was "immigration reform" needed? No. She needed to be in compliance with US regulations, even if it meant that she had to go back while her parents and some of her siblings stayed here. Was it a hardship? You betcha. Repeat after me: "Life is not fair." If necessary, go cry a little when you say that. Then dry your tears and say it again. Repeat as necessary. Eventually, you'll grow up and take responsibility for your own actions and not feel like you need to apologize for the requirement of others to do the same.
Despite this horrendous civil rights offense on my family, we assimilated and have become, in my opinion, productive members of American society (SEE NOTE 2). We even learned to read, write and speak English, without American taxpayers having to fund my family's obligation to learn the language in which the nation's documents are written. Those hard-working, honest, law-abiding, do-something-for-America values have carried on in my family largely because of the honest example set by my ancestors.
We have more than enough things to spend tax money (i.e., money borrowed from foreigners because we can't afford our government) on without financing lawlessness and civic irresponsibility. One ridiculous argument I have heard is that we can't afford to process and deport international criminals. Absolutely. But we should not be responsible for paying for the actions of criminals who are citizens of other nations. If a citizen of Nation X requires an expenditure of our federal dollars because of their criminality, that nation gets a bill (or gets the amount deducted from whatever financial aid we are borrowing money for to send them). There's my idea of "immigration reform:" responsibility.
Another manipulative buzz word is that we should seek ways to "legalize" "undocumented immigrants." Nice: Compound bullshit. Very creative. What other criminals should we "legalize?" Thieves? Drunk drivers? Kidnappers? Murderers? After all, if we "legalized" more criminals, crime statistics would drop, as would the number of incarcerated Americans. That's a fact, based on cold, hard definitions and statistics.
And I'll add one more thing: The idea that we need to lower the standards for immigration is an insult to those who are currently immigrating to America, legally or otherwise. Given that in most of the talk about immigration, the implication is quietly that of meaning Latino immigration, I might argue that this constitutes "hate speech" (SEE NOTE 3). Are proponents of "immigration reform" saying that immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Italy, and so many other European nations were somehow more able or willing to meet immigration requirements than those of Latino descent -- that is, that they were intellectually or ethically superior? If not, then why do we need to lower standards for them? I reject your implication. Take your "hate speech" and racism elsewhere.
Maybe I am way off base here. Perhaps my views reflect ignorance (or perhaps I am just not buying the rhetoric). As always, I am open to discourse based on fact, reason, and compassion. Feel free to enlighten me as to why we should borrow money to accommodate international criminals and accept them as members of our society with the same rights and benefits as law-abiding citizens. In all of the debates, I am not hearing real arguments, only buzzwords meant to manipulate the general public.
XXX
NOTE 1: There are exceptions, of course, most notably those who are descendants of the early colonists who showed up on American shores and knowingly and purposely decimated the native populations. It's worth pointing out that these early settlers were Christians and justified their genocidal rampages with the will of their god and his lovely son. I am not making this up, nor am I exaggerating. I have even seen this in my regional historical research. The first time I saw mention in some local historic documents of the local "savages" being removed by the grace of god for the good of the pious, I was pretty shocked. I shouldn't have been, but I was a bit more naive about the real effects and motives of religionists at the time.
NOTE 2: Descendants of my aunt who was sent back to Europe have included a school teacher, college professor, business owners, member of the military, author, nonprofit officer and other respectable and productive parts of American society.
NOTE 3: "Hate speech" is another manipulative phrase, primarily used by the same people who like the phrase "immigration reform." In the current immigration arena, it is intended to keep people from pointing out the discriminatory nature of "immigration reform."
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