A couple of weeks ago I was listening to NPR. A woman advocating opening the border between the U.S. and Mexico stated that since the U.S. has strengthened its border, over 100 Mexicans have died in the desert trying to get into this country. She implied that the U.S. was killing illegal immigrants by “forcing” them to take a route into the U.S. that was not suited to human survival.
As someone who believes that a person should be able to live and work where he wants, open borders appeal to me. But the fact is that we have immigration laws and people entering the country must adhere to them. Is the U.S. responsible for people dying who decide not to go the legal route? Do the people trying to cross through the deserts have no personal responsibility for her actions? That is: If I wanted to go somewhere without authorization, and I know the risks (hey, it’s a freakin’ desert!), and I decide to try to make the crossing anyway, who’s fault is it if I die?
I don’t want to get into economic issues. I know people don’t make as much money in Mexico as they do here. I know there is a desire to improve one’s lot. But if a person takes a risk and loses his life, it it the fault of the government that patrols the “easy” crossing routes? Or is it the fault of the person who takes the risk? Or is it the fault of Nature, for not making people more suited to surviving without water?
Chuang Tzu was walking through a city with his disciples. There they saw a man who had been hobbled after his political party had been thrown out of office. One of Chuang Tzu’s followers asked him whether the man’s losing of his leg was due to nature, or due to the politics of man
Chuang Tzu replied this was the fault of nature, for it was the man’s nature which caused him to go into politics.
Because the phenomenon of blaming everyone else for your own actions is a rather recent trend. There are legal ways to get into this country. I consider entering this nation illegally as an invasion, therefore it’s an act of war! Put the military at the boarder and open fire! (:rolleyes: Oh boy. Some of you are going to get upset over me saying that, aren’t you!) Anyone, whether it’s Mexicans trying to get in or criminals breaking into someones house, must have the responsibility of their own actions placed at their own feet. Their own blood is on their own hands. Stay home, amigos!
I realize this is the other end of the scale, but do you know that a US citizen is taxable even though s/he lives and work in a different country? It’s the only country in the world that does this. Talk about taxation with out representation! I’ts not fair! Why should I be paying tax to two different countries?
Excellent. I can’t tell you how many times the USA has commited acts of war then. Do you feel it’s ok for Castro to shoot at unarmed planes that fly oveer his country? Cause that’s what you’re justifying here. If an American accidentally entered China and they shot him would you say “Good for them, he was commiting an act of war”. Somehow I doubt it.
I would say it’s a bit strong to accuse the US of “killing” immigrants. Although at the same time I feel sympathy for the Mexicans. You attempt to get a better life, and you die for it. Blaming them is like blaming people who died attempting to cross the Berlin Wall.
Many countries do this, it is standard policy. And you can always give up your US residency to pay only foriegn taxes, but note the USA gas one of the lowest tax rates amoung industrial nations. Finally, you would not pay double taxes as there is the Foriegn Tax credit which gives you credit for the Foriegn taxes you have paid. I think you might have gotten your name right, tho.
I am !00% for more, much more, legal immigration. That said, the mexican border should be closed. Why do mexican have more of a right to come here than europeans, africans, asians, south americans, etc…
There are many people in the world more diserving of american citizenship than Mexican. How about Rhowandans, Ethiopeans, Bosnians? People there are in danger, the mexicans just want to make more money.
I think it’s absurd to “blame” the government for making the borders too hard to cross. Because that’s what this boils down to.
“Oh dear. You’re making it too hard for people to illegally cross the borders!”
Shit or get off the pot. Either get rid of the borders, and let everyone stream right on in, or make borders that work at keeping people out. And if the borders are effective at keeping people out, and they take the risk anyway? That is their risk. It’s a shame, but still their risk. I am amazed that anyone would dare to bitch because the borders are too difficult to cross illegally. That’s bizarre.
Personally, I think we need to invade Mexico, wipe out the massively corrupt government, dispose of the almost completely corrupt police force, round up and execute all of the drug lords, clean up the corruption in Mexico City, and rebuild things. They have no real military and what they do have would probably run like heck if a single Nimitz class aircraft carrier hove to off shore. (I’m not sure, do they have a military?)
Then, either turn the place back over to the Mexicans or give it Statehood. There might be resistance to Statehood, though, because a whole lot of Americans like crossing the border for the illicite delights. Mexico would become boring if it fell under US laws.
As to the answer to the OP, they are responsible for their own fates. They take the risks. More would probably allowed over easily if the people would start fighting against the drug trade from there into the US. Though, as I read somewhere, many local economies in the South West around Mexico actually depend on cheap, illegal Mexican labor, which generates a purpose for illegal entry.
However, if one is going to cross a desert, one must prepare for it, not just walk out into the sands with a canteen and a bundle of clothing. The desert will dehydrate you in the day and freeze you at night, and there are nasty little critters out there just waiting to bite the unwary.
I like the way you think, FarTreker. But forget about statehood. Let’s just turn it into a huge golf resort. Their beer & tequila isn’t bad, and Mexicans make dandy waiters! Then we’ll invade Canada and get our baseball teams back (hey, it was cute until they won the World Series). Turn them into a state though (spelled Kanada). Let those folks own some real guns for once. Then it’s off to the mid east! I miss 42 cent gas God Damn it! USA!USA!USA!
I believe it’s happened to mountain climbers before. The whole border around Everest and such is pretty badly defined. You have Indian troops, Pakistani troops, and Chinese troops. I remember reading a story about some mountain climbers who got shot at by both the Indians and Chinese.
They’ve tried that a few times. Unfortunately the US usually steps in and props up the crooked governement. What do you propose then? Oh, I know. How about coming to the United States. Since we are responsible for the government, we should be responsible for what it does to the people.
How does one do that?