Friday, March 31, 2006

Demagoguery from the Right on Illegal Immigrantion.

The rhetoric on illegal immigration has reached a fever pitch. Some of the demagoguery from the right is over-the-top. It's hysteria. Because of the hysteria from some on the right, there are some radio hosts I will not listen to anymore especially those whom were also hysterical over the Dubai ports deal and the Harriet Miers nomination. There are some conservative columnists and talk show hosts who have only been hysterical on one of the three. Fine. I can give them a pass. But to those who have been hysterical on all three, I say good-bye. Your emotional ranting and fear-mongering have driven this right-wing Christian conservative Republican away.

Bill Bennett, you've done a lot of good things. But I'm done listening to you're dumb remarks about Harriet Miers (according to Mr. Bill, she isn't smart enough to be a SCOTUS justice). Mr. Bill also lied about what the Dubai ports deal was all about (he kept saying the UAE was "taking over our ports" when in reality the company from Dubai was taking over a few terminals in our ports). And now he wants all illegal immigrants to be deported. All twelve million. Mr. Bill says the current senate legislation is amnesty. He's dead wrong. It's not amnesty to pay a fine for a misdemeanor. Yes, it's a misdemeanor for someone to illegally enter the country. People who committ misdemeanors are not normally considered criminals. But Mr. Bill and his ilk want them treated as such. Forget that it is literally impossible to deport all illegal immigrants. Forget that even if you could do so, you'd be breaking up families (children of illegal immigrants born in the country are U.S. citizens). Forget that most Americans who committ misdemeanors have to pay a fine, but that's not good enough for Bill Bennett. I'm done with Bennett. I'm done with the shrill conservative columnist Michelle Malkin. I'm done with Joseph Farah of worldnetdaily.com (this guy is a real whacko). I'm done with anyone--anyone--who demonizes illegals and wants to criminalize (as opposed to "misdemeaorize") millions of people who love and appreciate America more than most Americans do.

It is far better to create a path to legalization for most illegals. Let them pay a fine and start the process of legalization. It is not amnesty to force illegals to pay a two-thousand dollar fine and start a citizenship process which will take six years. Paying the fine for illegally crossing the border is called taking responsibility for your actions. I thought conservatives were for that sort of thing.

Now go away. I'm tired.