July 29

Today the Arizona Immigration law goes into effect and it will be interesting to see what happens. However, the judeg threw out the more controversial provisions so that it can then be challanged in the court system for them to wrangle it out. Do I agree with this law? Not necessarily. I just want to say that we definitely need immgration reform to happen sooner rather than later. Something really needs to be done about this issue. But there are a number of questions that I feel need to be answered, at least for myself.

1) Why doesn't Mexico allow the same provisions in its laaw to allow this to happen to them?
2) How does someone wanting to cross the border illegally get the $3,000-$5,000 to pay the coyote to get them across, and if they get caught by the Border Pattol, where do they get another $3,000-$5,000 to try to cross again? Did they get a refund from the original coyote when they didn't make it? And, where do they get this kind of money? From family in the US who are here illegally as well?
3) Why doesn't Mexico improve its economy to prevent the large amounts of people wanting to get into this country?
4) Waht is to stop them from doing other illegal things when they actually arrive? I've been to swap meets in largely Hispanic communities and you can get CDs and DVDs for a very good price but they are all pirated copies? Why don't the record companies and movie studios crack down on this illegeal activity rather than focusing so much attention on people who are downloading music?
5) When did it become so politically correct to coddle to the Spanish speaking communities in this country? I can't recall any other group of immigrants needing to have their language required for voting, etc. There are some parts of this country where Spanish is the official language and not English. I just don't understand this.
6) If you are going to protest against some law that you feel is discriminatory, don't go waving the flag of your "homeland". It just doesn't work for me to have sympathy for you in that case. You came to this country to supposedly seek a better life and if you believe in that, then become an American citizen and fully participate in this democracy. Don' tell me about how your homeland is so beautiful and you are more proud if it than being here. If you feel that way, go back!
7) Why do you have so many babies? Haven't you heard of population control? I realize that your homeland is a very strict Catholic place but can you really afford to keep having babies? I say that if you cross the border to have a baby or you are here illegally and have a baby, then that baby shouldn't automatically become a US citizen. Why are we the only country in the world that has such a policy? If you want to have your baby become a US citizen, then pony up the money to pay for that privilege.
8) On immigration reform, I agree with Chris Matthews of Hardball, create a national identity card with a legitimate Social Security number that then is registered with the federal government. When you get a job, then that SSN is cross referenced with the federal number to determine if it is real and legal. This cannot be a "voluntary" system. E-verify must be mandated to be in use for all businesses. Of course, the large corporations don;t want this to happen because then they don't get the cheap labor that they are after.
9) Whatever happen to homeowners doing their own landscaping? When I was growing up, it was part of the weekly chores to mow the lawn, do weeding in the garden and clip the shrubbery. This is another area where I suspect there are way too many illegal businesses. I think probably about 60% of the landscaping businesses are not registered as a business. You just buy a truck, a lawn mower, a leaf blower and then it all in the back of the truck and you got yourself a "landscaping" business. This also applies to mobile car washing and detailing businesses.
10) Why do you think you deserve free health care especially when you arrive at the public health clinic driving your $65,000 truck that is loaded down with another $5,000-$10,000 accessories?
11) Why do you allow 4th-5th generation Spanish entrepeneurs to screw you over? Because you are here illegally? That is what makes this country so good, the law is the law and you do earn the right to be treated fairly.
12) Why do you smirk at my attempts to learn your language? Do you know how denigrating that is to me and offensive enough that I give up my learning the language.

Anyway... I have mixed feelings about this whole issue. I understand the need and want to come into this country to have a better life. Who doesn't want that? But to tell me that I am being discriminatory when I say that we need to change the system is just bullshit. Or to tell me that you are all victims and blame the American people for that is just not true. You are victims of your own people as well as corporations and not the American people. It is said that you are a drain on the resources of this country. I don't necessarily believe that is true because for the most part you are paying taxes, etc. if you are working here. But to tell me that you are entitled to it just for being Hispanic, well I'm sorry I just don't buy into that.

So that is my entry for today adn I'll see you later.