Politics

---

Illegal Immigrants and Mythology

By Harold A. and James P. Gram

We are fed up with lies, falsehoods and distortions by the repetition of myths which are created to deceive, confuse, and distort the motives and nature of the mass street protests by Mexicans and others. The basic issue is that people who have come into this country illegally want to receive special treatment. This purpose is supported by myths. What are some of these myths?

a) Mexican workers are necessary for American economic growth and development as a democratic society. Immigrants of whatever stripe are signs of a mature modern state. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and these people are part of the historical pattern.
b) Mexicans are necessary for economic growth because they do jobs which no one else will do. American society would collapse without the work of Mexican illegal immigrants.
c) The migration of Mexicans is equivalent to the great migrations of the Irish, the Germans and Europeans in the 19th and 20 centuries
d) Any opposition to protests by immigrant workers is racist, unjust and criminal.

There are other myths but the greatest one is the use of the politically correct “undocumented worker” instead of the more accurate “illegal immigrant”. This myth, like the others, is manufactured to benefit a particular group or ethnic tribe. It portrays the immigrant as merely lacking certain documentation; not a person who has committed an illegal act. Myths may or may not contain an element of truth. However, they provide a kind of mental shorthand to distill a whole set of events. It is easier to believe that the worker has failed to get some papers than contemplate the complications of breaking the law. Therefore, the majority of myths are untrue even though they are widely quoted and believed. Myths form sets of values, convictions, culture, and identity.

The truth about the presence of illegals in American society is substantially different from the politics, rhetoric and shouting based upon myth. Mexicans flock to the United States because Mexico is unwilling or incapable of providing its people with employment at adequate wages. The Mexican migration begins with the failure of Mexico as an economic society and provider for its people. People come to the United States not to help the United States but to help themselves and to improve their economic lot. They are, by and large, economic refugees whose migration is proof of the failure of Mexico and other Central American states.

But, people are encouraged to come by those who prosper as a result of the abundance of cheap, willing, unskilled and untrained labor. Their illegal status allows employers to cheat on the minimum wage, refuse to pay appropriate taxes like social security, and who profit by shortcuts in working conditions. The Mexican work force is viewed in the same way, and with the same kind of logic, which was used to support the slave trade. Let us not forget the slave trade was supported by land owners to care for large tracts of land, and support labor intensive agriculture. Many of those who support the Mexican protests use the same arguments used by slave traders.

Behind the protests are immigrants who describe how they paid snakeheads to break the law and traded their own passage by smuggling drugs and engaging in immoral activities. The protests are a validation that they are in the United States by whatever means. The protests are a challenge to the authority of the state. They flaunt Mexican and other foreign flags. The protests identify a group which defies not only the law but justice as well. Illegal immigration is unjust to those who obey and have obeyed the law. There are thousands of people living in the United States with Green Cards who were told that until they had received the cards they were unable to work. We know of cases where people were idle for up to six years because of immigration regulations. These people from many different countries obeyed the law. Now a group of illegal migrants demand special concessions. Many steal to get funds, lie to law enforcement officers, and find ways to perpetuate immoral and or criminal activities.

There is no Christian or moral imperative to the protests. The protests are not motivated by abuses, low wages, exploitation, defense of freedoms, or rights abuses, as examples. The protests are motivated by the threat of punishment for illegalities. The protests are designed to secure special favoritism for people who have broken the law, and want to avoid punishment. It is always easy to arouse people with promises of something for nothing and demands for special concessions. These are the main motivations within the protest groups. There is a fringe group who want closer ties to Mexico. There are other groups who want the conquest of American territory. The protests are supported by people who for one reason or another oppose the government of the United States and its policies against communism, socialism, and foreign countries. Some supporters of the protests are members of terrorism in its internal form. The majority opposes the present government of the United States and would prefer a system of their own choosing.

Myths provide a belief structure which avoids rational argument and discussion. The present myths, seemingly true, convince uninformed people that no further discussion and investigation of the issue is warranted. They are created to avoid discussion of the actual realities of the Mexican migration. Let us suggest more truths which are ignored. There are many who are criminals and use the protests to avoid prosecution in their home countries. Others act like the Mafia taking money from the country to support other Mexicans. They are not interested in investing, saving, or building in the United States but only to send money home to support Mexico. They are working to keep alive a form of Mexican culture. There are leaders who seek to increase their power by deceiving the illegal immigrants.. Unlike other legal migrants they have no use for the American system of government or democracy except in so far as it supports their activities. They behave and act like terrorists.

Why do Christian people support these illegals? We believe there are three reasons:

a) They erroneously believe in the myths which President Bush and others have used to defend their inactivity and fear of losing votes. Some of these are recounted at the head of this article. They misunderstand the implications and meaning of amnesty.

b) They do not think that people could be so brazenly evil. Christians are generally nice people: honest, sympathetic and compassionate. They are soft towards illegal immigrants, crooks and little children.

c) They believe a third type of myth which says it is America’s responsibility to look after the illegal immigrants who are another form of those who are hungry, underfed, and in economic trouble. We hear otherwise sensible people say, as if it is truth, that we cannot send them back to Mexico. Are we fearful that they will starve in their country or origin? Maybe the problem is like Guantanamo: the military prison for terrorists. We fear to send prisoners home again because they may starve; be punished by their home country; or be sent to jail for their crimes. Where does this stop? We could defend the invasion of the United States by any foreign country by this logic, because we don’t want to hurt anyone. That conclusion is sickening.

Why would anyone write this kind of article? It sure doesn’t breathe love and mercy or at least we hope it doesn’t. The activities of the illegals and their organizers are pernicious, evil and destructive. Buying their arguments and supporting their causes would destroy the American system of justness, fairness, and equality which are essential components of our society. We are also sick and tired of seeing a great country being destroyed by protests, people who want to chisel a few buck by hiring these people whether privately or in the name of a corporation, and selling out their American heritage because they refuse to stand up.

But what can we do? Stop hiring illegals for any reason. This applies to activities from babysitting to grass cutting to landscaping to car washing. When you see Mexicans working on housing, construction or any job, ask the company if these people are illegals or documented workers. Refuse to support politicians who want amnesty for these people including the warped personal judgments of George W. Bush. Being elected does not give the elected an opportunity to be stupid and venal.

We think there is a Christian position against these protests. The Christian concerns are good order, decency, fairness, equality and justice to others. It doesn’t matter to me that many of these people are Roman Catholic and defended by their Church. Churches which encourage illegal activities, civil law breaking, and immoral activities such as smuggling drugs, in the name of economic well being are acting in an un-Christian way. Many priests and Bishops which encourage the Mexican abuses should be ashamed of their behavior and resign from positions of religious and moral leadership. The Christian stands for justice, fairness, and morality. We have seen none of this in the Mexican protest movement. Encouraging economic and social relations with Castro and Nicaragua are hardly examples of Christian concern.

It’s time to denounce the myth creators, and identify them for what they are: un-Christian and non-Christian people whose goals are neo-Marxist, selfish, or narcissistic. They justify economic determinism as the source of morality. It’s OK, they say, for people to break the law in the interest of making an improved living. Where does that kind of morality end? It’s alright for people to protest to avoid punishment? Will you never punish anyone for wrongdoing? These are moral quick sands which will destroy the supporter and perpetrator. The end is destruction and the encouragement of terrorists, economic determinists, and anti-democratic forces to destroy our society.

These comments are based upon The Secret Terrorists by Harold A. and James P. Gram, ISBN 0-9731980-0-1 Published by Gram Publishing Co. , available from www.gram-books.com

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE