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Reader Response to:

Hatred and retaliation won't fix the migration problem
Kelly Arthur Garrett, Columnist -- El Universal - Mexico City - December 19, 2005

Dear Kelly:

I read your column: http://www2.eluniversal.com.mx/pls/impreso/web_columnas_sup.detalle?var=27330

As a former legal resident of Mexico, as a current holder of a U.S. passport, as the parent and life partner of Mexican born relatives and as a Hispanic, I'd like to weigh in on your recent columns. Illegal immigration is a "bilateral" problem that adversely affects one party more than the other. In this case, the so-called-host is more inconvenienced than Mexico. And yes, Mexico's, Presidente "Chentin" being the current "Pimp-du-jour", does benefit inordinately from their transfer of socioeconomic liabilities to the American economy in exchange for billions of dollars in cash remittances and the relief of socio-political pressures. When I speak of Mexico as an institutional entity, I do not refer to the government or even the parties. I refer to that opaque, exclusionary and seamy minority of its society that has always controlled the majority of assets and resources. Mexico shrugs off its responsibilities to millions of its most disgruntled citizens while transferring them to its northern neighbor. At the same time, it receives tens of billions of dollars and is able to withdraw these important quantities of humanity from the calculations that impact unemployment and other so-called-measures of an effective government so it can crow about its hale handling of the macro-economy.

I can understand your "going native" as you seem to be immersed in the Mexican culture and socio-political ambient. A smart man once said: "all politics are local". I believe it was Eugene O'Neil, but I'm probably wrong as it sounds like Will Rogers. In this case, Mexico is pulling for what is best for its gilded class and the U.S. has been doing likewise. Cheap, illegal and pliant labor is a dream come true for the oligarchs and manufacturers of both countries. However, the pressures that this entails on the wages, working conditions and availability of social and public programs make it an unjustifiable hardship and nightmare on the majority of Americans who must either compete, bankroll or be affected by the continued presence of eighteen million to twenty million illegal aliens in our country. If our elected officials won't act in the best interests of the majority of our citizens, many of our voters will take up the issue and make this a matter of political reckoning.

I, as an American, do take offense with Mexico's parasitical Mc-Consulates (47 and still growing) whose sole reason to exist appears to be the issuance of "matricula" cards ( a juicy business at $27.00 each times anywhere from five to twenty million targeted customers times a purchase every five years= at least one hundred and forty million dollars and new customers streaming through our borders every minute) and the protection of Mexicans illegally amongst us. Your suggestion that these are bilateral matters and should be handled in such a fashion, neglects to notice that we've already tried that and Mexico's abusive political and business practices have perpetuated the status quo and actually made matters worse. With violence and drug trafficking running rampant, unimpeded and at times in cahoots with local political chieftains, throughout the Mexican side of our shared border, we may have to opt to unilaterally contain the Mexican socio-economic cancer that includes illegal immigration. And yes, Mexico does try to pontificate to the U.S. at every turn while claiming their right too Mexican sovereignty at the least perceived offense. Let's not start with Mexico's litany of abuses and excesses in human rights violations and its discriminatory practices against its indigenous and poor.

Considering that Mexico takes up the bulk of our legal immigrant visas and that our legal immigration program dwarfs that of Mexico, I fail to see the point in making additional concessions to a country run by a closed group of morally questionable people who have no interest in enacting the socio-economic reforms needed to create a redistribution of wealth, education and in essence the capability of progress to its least fortunate. For the U.S. to facilitate the systematic expulsion of Mexico's socio-economically dissatisfied would be to become accomplices in the infamy that is the Mexican scheme of power. While I doubt that you are a "traitor", I do find that your sympathies are misplaced and your perceptions have been misled. Were we in a hostile state with Mexico, which is not the current situation, your actions would be considered truly objectionable. At present, they are just convenient to show that some Americans are in Mexico's corner when it comes to the imposition of their liability upon our citizens. You are right when you say that this has always been a matter of two countries. Most abusive relationships also are bilateral. American voters and citizens may have decided to say to Mexico: "Basta ya!" like "Paquita la del barrio" often says: "Me escuchas, inutil" (can you hear me, useless) It is time for the abuse to end.

The bill recently passed by the House goes a ways in trying to make Mexico deal with the wages of its incompetence, corruption and institutionalized prejudices. WE will now start to lobby the Senators to ensure passage of as many parts as possible into a law that no longer rewards the violation of our laws, borders and sovereignty by illegal aliens, their employers and landlords alike. Hopefully, one of these days, you too will open your eyes. It is not hatred to want a neighbor to take care of its own, it is "tough love". It is Mexico's government's abusive attitudes towards our country, and theirs that is to blame for the rising tide of outrage over the imposition and abuse that their institutionally supported transfer of liabilities that is their advocacy and support of illegal immigration.

Best regards,

Carlos M. Rodriguez
Overland Park, KS

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