A Day Without An Immigrant & A Day Without A Gringo

I am American.
Yes, I am of some Mexican descent on my mother's side. But I do not consider myself "Mexican". As far as I am concerned, I am American. My parents were both born in this country, as were their parents. My father was an interesting mix of Irish, Argentinian and Portuguese, my mother, Mexican.

I have watched with growing frustration the daily marches during the protests of a couple of weeks ago. It made me mad to see so many Mexico flags on display and I stopped twice to talk to teens that were being disrespectful to our American flag.

My 13-year-old daughter was right on in her observation. "Mom, these kids who are leaving school to protest, they are the ones that need to be in school the most. They aren't very bright," she said. "Most of them don't even know what it is really about. Nor do they care. They just want an excuse to get out of school."

As to the adults who are marching. Yes, I know that immigrants work hard every day in every industry -- but that does not give them the right to cross the borders illegally. I have been asked several times "What are they doing that is so wrong? They just want a better life."

OK - I can sympathize with that. But that does not give them the right to break the law. I am tired of people throwing our governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, in my face. Yes, he was an immigrant. But he did it the right way. He did not cross over illegally!

Why can't these people see this?

I see it like this. Let's say that a large group of people rushed the gates at Disneyland. Once inside, those same people start crying: "Why are you persecuting us? We just want to give our children what we never experienced. We aren't hurting anyone. We're buying food and souvenirs." Yea - that's true. You also got in without paying! It was wrong.

I am not saying that I am against immigration. None of us are saying that. We are saying that if you want to be here, do it right. Or go back to your homeland and protest there -- march the streets of Mexico and demand fair treatment, better wages and better schools.

Do you think for a moment that if we went to Mexico and demanded that everything be translated to English and waved American flags, that it would cause sympathy? No! We'd be arrested. What if we changed the words of your National Anthem and then sang it in English? That would be considered blasphemous or as a slap in the face, I'm sure.

As to today - a day of boycotting -- fine. So far, I don't see anyone suffering here. If Mexicans do not want to work, so what! I really believe that there are plenty of others who would -- including illegal immigrants whose heart lies in doing things correctly. I applaud those illegal immigrants who sent in their taxes on April 15. Those are the people that deserve to be here. Those are the immigrants we welcome in. Not because they are paying taxes, though that too is good, but because they are doing things according to the law.

San Joaquin Valley
I keep hearing that our fruits will rot (big business in our central San Joaquin Valley) and that without Mexicans, we will have to import fruits and vegetables and the prices would be ridiculous. Don't we import bananas now? They're only 50 cents a pound. Of course, all of a sudden, the supply and demand situation will take over. That's OK. Maybe we'll go back to people growing their own vegetables. Farmers' Markets will gain in popularity. Who knows, maybe the corner vegetable stand will make a comeback. (OK, very unlikely - but it is nice to dream)

I do not mind paying a little more for lettuce, tomatoes and fruits -- if it meant that illegal aliens stopped crossing our borders.

I am really concerned as to what this country will do in the near future with so many illegals here -- you can only feed so many mouths. I also worry about social security. Many of these people have been here working since the 70's (by the way, those people I believe should be allowed to stay) and they will soon be of retirement age. Where is all this money going to come from? I know many of them have been paying social security but what really worries me are all of the people that will suddenly qualify for medical cards.

And speaking of, I find it frustrating that I struggle with health issues while all of these people are handed a carta blanche card on a silver platter -- free medical, free dental, free prescriptions, free lab work and free hospitalization. My child's last hospitalization took me three years to pay off.

A DAY WITHOUT A GRINGO
I heard on the news about white people (and a few Americans of Mexican descent) in Mexico who have a boycott of their own going on out there today -- in protest of the Mexicans out here who are marching.

They are calling it a Day Without A Gringo -- I love it!

These people are refusing to go out to eat or shop today. On any given day, Sam's Club and other such industries out there are filled with the Gringos -- not today. Don't you just love it?

In the meantime, I'm watching the news. We're still alive, aren't we? The world didn't stop because the Mexican refused to work. How long can they be off? I heard one man who immigrated from Central America quoted on television saying that if he loses his job, it is worth it. He is there supporting his fellow illegals.

Yea? Tell that to his family! See if they think it is worth it.