Photo - File Valley Publishing

Everyone knows that there is something wrong with our immigration policy and the enforcement end of the law. The trouble is that many don’t agree on what’s wrong.

In our last edition we outlined some of the problems that are being highlighted by the Minutemen Movement. The Minutemen are volunteers that are riding through the desert in search of immigrants that may be crossing the border illegally. To many in this small group it is as simple as “What part of illegal” don’t you get.”

By the same token, many, opposed to this form of vigilantism, claim that these are white supremacist who are basically expressing their racist beliefs and focusing only on these darker skinned guests.

To understand the problem and to chart a course for the future that will provide some relief for all residents, one basic principle must be agreed upon. The guest immigrants are, above all, human beings.

They are not animals fit to be trapped or killed for their desire to find an economic future for themselves and their family. Therefore, the attempt of the Minutemen to descend into the El Paso/Las Cruces area is likely to cause more problems that bring relief. The fusion of a new immigration policy is going to be a long process... not be fixed in a week-end.

If you listen to far right and super far right talk shows you will hear rhetoric such as “drop bombs on them at the border”, “they should be shot” and these comments are coming from the talk show host.

The question raised by this racist/murderist language becomes a foundation for the future. What kind of courntry is the U.S.? What kind of rights do we as Americans believe in? And what do we do with millions of persons that are here already, many of whom are keeping the wheels of our economy smoothly turning? It is clear that the U.S. will go to war with less than justifiable rational. This places the burden of responsibility upon we as citizens. Those who believe that the killing and loss of lives in Iraq is justified feel much better about the death and injury inflicted by both sides. Those who believe that it is an unjust war feel anger about each live loss.

Therefore, given that the U. S. has invaded a sovereign nation; do we now want to militarize our own border and spend millions on hunting individuals who enter illegally; killing and abusing some of them in the process? And what about the cost of deporting each and everyone of them back to their homeland? Who is going to pay for this when we are at war in Afganistan and Iraq and are locked into tax cuts for the weathy?

Would a army like version of the Border Patrol or actual soldiers every 200 yards be the answer? Some would say “Yes” if not “Hell, yes”. To these individuals, violent means is not an issue. If it takes force then we will use force. It could be said that these individuals have not made the social evolutionary journey. That is, that we use our brains instead of our fist and weapons for every problem. Again the question arises; "What kind of people are we Americans"? It seems we have to decide if we are a violent bunch or a compassionate bunch and let the extremist in either direction have their fifteen minutes of fame.

Before we decide, it is important to remember what other nations have become when faced with instability. Is another Nazi Germany still a possibility? If we decide Americans can work problems out with our heads and our hearts then that will not happen here.

The trend is already set. Whether it be child behavioral problems, marital discord , employee disharmony; the answer is the same. Human beings are valuable assets of every community and need to be respected. Interesting, it was business that coin the phrase Human Resources to denote that they focus upon the value of the employee whether they really do or not. Yet the message is clear... Value all. Respect all.

So we must start at this basic premise. All people are human beings are therefore valuable and worthy of respect, care and compassion.

Now some would say that this is the easy part. Others will say that the problem is that many can’t grasp this simple concept that all human beings are worthy and deserving of respect. It must be pointed out that this does not mean accepting of their behavior. Using the analogy of “Love the Child, Hate the Behavior” it is this shunning violence, as a matter of course, that many in this country wish to embrace. The same goes with any individual who crosses the imaginary line along our border.

Don't Americans want a solution to our national security and ecomonic stability that is equal to the challenge? Don't Americans want to show the world why we have fought for liberty and freedom so that all who live within our borders are granted the same dream: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. So where is the happiness in all this? Can't we come up with a plan that has us all working together in harmony and joy to solve this crisis?

This basic premise of respect is also what the Catholic Church has begun promoting. On June 3, during a visit in Houston, Texas; Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga of Honduras spoke out and said that the immigrants need “Mercy... deserve help, not recrimination... legal or not”. That may have been the first shot across the bough, indicating that the Catholic Church is not going to sit by silently as it has in the past with respect to child abuse by priests. This also set the stage for the Bishop’s Conference held in El Paso, Texas last week to further promote this idea of compassion.

Cardinal Maradiaga added that countries have the right to monitor and to safeguard their sovereign borders... but “not at that cost of human rights”. Human lives come first and then policy must follow was the message.

One of the big questions is whether or not immigration is good for the U. S. and if it is, then how must the laws be changed to reflect this priority while safeguarding human rights.

At the Bishop’s Conference, Senator John Cornyn, suggested that a worker’s permit may be the answer. This was floated by others in the Bush Administration. The advantage to this is that the large percentage of the immigrants that do not have legal status would sign up and would be tracked and thus their taxes and benefits would be monitored.

This is good for the U. S. in terms of national security and also the revenue end. Immigrants would not have citizenship but would be in the country legally and thus they could report abuses more easily without fear of being deported or worse.

Recent TV news reports have highlighted the high rate of crime involving illegal aliens as victims. They are portrayed as honest working laborers and when they go to cash their check or to build groceries... they are robbed. This apparently goes on with many of the victims choosing to stay quiet and to not report the crime for fear of retaliation and also for fear of the judicial system turning on them.

Therefore, the first thing that we must do on our path toward a viable immigration policy and system, is to start being more caring of all human beings... those in our country-legally or not... and in all countries.

Part III next edition.

Send feedback to:

Editor, Upper Valley Beacon

© Copyright 2004-2005 Valley Publishing Company: All Rights Reserved.
For questions or comments concerning this site, contact: webmaster@valleypublishinginc.biz

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.