In Praise of Illegals: Making America Great!

I never met an illegal I didn't like! It was Will Rogers who said "I never met a man I didn't like." I don't go quite that far as there are legals I dislike!! Hispanics in general, including illegals, are unfailingly: respectful, hard-working, family-oriented, gentle, quiet, dependable, usually Catholic and often devout, amiable, warmhearted and fruitful; their women are sweet, soft, nurturing; their children are adorable...to-die-for cute!

That is my experience and my belief! Ok: I admit to an intense hispanophilic prejudice in favor of immigrants from our South! Perhaps it is because I had wonderful experiences as a young man in Mexico and Puerto Rico! Perhaps it is because of my uncle who married two (not simultaneously!) Peruvians and gave me my Peruvian cousin; or my double cousin (do you know what that is?) who raised a marvelous family of five with his beautiful Latina bride!

Perhaps it is because I am myself an illegal: I jay walk, park illegally, speed, talk on my phone while driving. My tax return would not face scrutiny since I have poor records so I make up the numbers. In my business career my favorite was the "flexibility clause" which allowed me to prudentially dispense with rules and regulations when necessary. In my current position I am out of compliance, always, with many rules. Just recently my 99-year-old mother told me that it was a venial sin that I parked at a bus stop. If she is right, I am facing SERIOUS purgatory time! My view is that you will go crazy if you take too seriously every rule in this hyper-bureaucracy universe.

The right is in a frenzy over a "hostile invasion" and unprotected boundaries and the rule of law. The left is hysterical over the alleged "humanitarian crisis."  I have a different viewpoint.

Maureen Dowd in a recent column noted that a Columbian mother-with-child was interviewed in a detention center and expressed appreciation that she was safe from guns and receiving clean diapers and good food. "But you are sleeping on the floor!" protested the interviewer. "Yes! On a mat." she responded gratefully.

A NYU economist was asked about the solution to the crisis of gang violence, political corruption and severe poverty in the "triangle" of Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador. Happily, he did not advocate a "marshal plan" as the infrastructure is lacking. He said that the people themselves were providing the solution by moving north. He noted that the Trump administration had discontinued the half a billion in annual subsidies to motivate those governments to stop the flood of immigranats. But illegals in this country annually send $20 billion back to help their families.

To be sure, the conservatives have a valid concern about the rule of law and control of borders and the progressives are rightly worried about treatment of the refugees. But both sides could enefit from a few deep breaths and a more positive approach. The humanitarian situation is much worse in the countries of origin than in our centers: that is why so many are coming! Their decision is intelligent, hopeful and courageous! And our country is not surrendering to chaos! The USA is a magificant country...economically, geographically, culturally...and more than capable of absorbing those who have come to date. Indeed, we need them! Big business knows we need them for industry! We need them to pick our crops, repair our homes, landscape our lawns, serve in our restaurants. We need them because they have babies and we (whites) are increasingly anti-life.

Personally, I blame Trump and the Democrats equally on the failure to intelligently address the issue. The dysfunction at the national level highlights the need for subsidiarity as well as the intelligence, courage and hopefulness of the decision of so many to risk all and come here. God bless the illegals! They are the ones who are making America Great!