Refugees and Illegal Immigrants

Refugees and Illegal Immigrants

(A Crying Shame)

Those of us who live in the United States of America are alarmed at the scope of illegal immigration that seems to overwhelm our country, while the powers that be, are more and more inept on a daily basis. However, our apprehension is dulled on Saturday afternoon, when Pedro, who, “no habla Anglis” cuts our lawn and trims our hedges. Our motto of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” sooths our conscience while we cry out that THEY don’t pay federal taxes while the State and Local tax coffers are bursting at the seams with “pesos.” The hypocrisy of it all does not even begin to address all the issues of what must be done, if anything?

Throughout the world countries are becoming more and more desperate as they try to deal with illegal immigrants or as they are called in some countries, “refugees.” Countries such as Bulgaria, China, the European bloc, Turkey, South Africa, etc., etc., struggle with the issue. Borders are stretched, economies are pushed, and housing becomes a disaster. There seems to be no end in sight. In the United States there are 10.5 million illegal immigrants, while at the same time the cap is put on 80,000 (of late) for refugees, per year, coming to this country. Why? Why are so many people trying to escape the countries of their birth, and find a new and “better” life elsewhere? What ought to be done to alleviate the problem, if anything? Are we prepared to export 10.5 million people, and if so, at what cost? What then about Pedro, our lawn guy? Who will do that job? Me? I don’t think so! My neighbor? No he uses Juan. I am not willing to get rid of my Illegal friends, just for the sake of political rhetoric. So what must be done?

OK, how about border guards? “We have too many border guards,” many cry, while others pine, “We don’t have enough.” Some politicians spout that the country is being infested with murderers and rapists (as if we don’t have many of those in our country to begin with). Others point out that the criminal element is minimal and many are just trying to improve their lives.

“Arm the guards!” verses “Don’t arm the guards!” Neither of these cries address the problem, though many think they do. Guns seem like a viable solution, until a border guard shoots an illegal, who turns out to be an unarmed child, when the guard “felt threatened.” We have little tolerance for child killers in this country, and the guard is guilty long before he is tried, and what if he is found innocent? (Yes, sarcasm is dripping from the nib of this pen because the circumstance is not being properly addressed except on party lines, while we all know politics never solves anything! (Can I hear an “Amen”?)

“Ahh, I know, let’s build a wall” is the new hymn being chanted by some. A Wall? Surely not! Why must we build a wall and destroy some of the best vistas of this country? Once we build a wall, we have to put glass chards on top or electrical barbed wire fences to “mangle and kill our enemies……” Oops I got carried away, I meant “the illegals. Why must we give away acres of good land in order to satisfy some political whim? What’s more? Things happen behind walls that usually one does not like and you cannot see it happening. Do we really want another cold war, depicted by walls, guns and steel?

But speaking of a “wall,” I think we already have one. It’s in Washington DC, except, in their “upside down” way of doing things they turned the “W” over and called it a ”Mall.” They go there and hide behind massive security, armed guards, barriers, and fences. We know what is going on behind those closed doors, there, don’t we? It’s a crying shame!