Still fighting the futile battle

An unpopular truth

[Reprinted from Issues & Views November 15, 2004]

Why is Jesse Jackson intruding into Ireland's business? Could it be because his credibility rating is so low in his home country that he must seek out new venues in which to ply his trade? There he is, on the Emerald Isle, scolding some of the Irish population for not exhibiting the appropriate welcoming spirit to the steady stream of immigrants who, as in every European country, are solving industry's cheap labor problem.

According to the Press Association, Jackson is on a cross-country tour of Ireland, to admonish its citizens for recent anti-social outbursts against the foreigners, and to warn that such unfriendly behavior might deter future "economic investment and growth." It seems that many Irish citizens are not taking too well to the inundation of masses of Pakistanis, Ugandans, Bangladeshi, Filipinos, among others, who are flooding in as a virtual replacement population.

As in every country where mass immigration is common, the usual agencies and organizations have been established to keep the restless natives in check through legal punishments, if necessary. In Ireland, there is the Northern Ireland Equality Commission and the Anti-Racism Network. Urging greater tolerance, Jackson told the citizenry of Belfast and Ulster that they should "accept the opportunity of immigration."

In Belgium, in the wake of journalist Theo Van Gogh's murder in neighboring Holland by a Muslim immigrant, the political establishment is effectively closing down the anti-immigration party Vlaams Blok. Although Vlaams Blok is Belgium's largest political party, the Supreme Court has been pressured into outlawing it. The party's "racist" orientation is cited to justify this extreme action.

Belgium's constitution had to be altered and laws substituted, specifically to undermine and destroy Vlaams Blok. Paul Beilein, writing for Vdare.com, asserts, "This is the first time in the history of Western Europe that a court ruling has forced a democratic party to disband."

And, of course, as elsewhere, in Belgium there are the requisite agencies to keep an eye on potentially restless citizens. In this case, the Centre for Equal Opportunities, is authorized to prosecute opponents of immigration under the "Anti-Racism Act."

Belgium is not the only Western country where laws have been overturned or revamped, in order to prevent interference with the incoming foreign labor supply. Here in the USA laws are simply ignored or mocked, in order to achieve the same goal. For example, in Pennsylvania, after being arrested for using stolen Social Security numbers, 27 illegal aliens were freed by Judge Leonard Zito, who claimed that their crime was acceptable, since they "broke the law to earn a living."

After recovering from the shock of this verdict, District Attorney John Morganelli, calling identity theft a "serious crime," swore that he would continue arresting illegals and bringing them into court, no matter what the outcome. The case highlights the lax manner in which illegal immigration is now treated, as law enforcement agencies come to accept the lack of seriousness accorded lawbreakers.

The San Diego Union-Tribune (11/7/04) reports on impotent sanctions against employers who break the law and hire illegals. Since low-wage workers have become the engines of industries such as construction, meat packing, cleaning, hotels and restaurants, the government has bowed to this reality and now winks at recalcitrant employers. In a country where "homeland security" is supposedly of major concern, a Mexican illegal, who apparently crosses the border repeatedly, is quoted as saying, "They never asked me for my papers."

The Union-Tribune reports that employers across the country provide an economic incentive "that undermines efforts to curb illegal immigration through border enforcement." Relatively few employers who break the law and hire illegals are penalized because of "legal loopholes" that place the burden on immigration authorities to prove wrongdoing. Might Judge Zito, who freed the 27 illegals, at some point, have benefited from the services of such border crossers -- perhaps a den built, a basement renovated, a property landscaped?

Meanwhile, in Arizona, residents continue to fight their futile battle to stem the tide of illegal immigration that saps the state's taxes. In the recent election, a majority passed Proposition 200, the Arizona Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, which probably never will become law. With powerful political figures like Senator John McCain and Reps. Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake allied with the President of the United States not only opposing the Proposition, but determined to enhance the condition of illegals, the work of those who fought to get Proposition 200 on the ballot appears to have been in vain.

And, once again, a government department gets to determine the fate of the Proposition. Since one of the measures in the initiative seeks to keep illegals from voting, the Proposition must be "reviewed" by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. It is predicted that this review could take months. The Tucson Citizen (11/3/04) cites a Justice Department official, who claims that "no one can say" how long the process of review will take. And, as would be expected, the Proposition faces the inevitable charge of "implied racism," meant to be the final killer.

Neither ugly labels nor epithets keep the indomitable Phyllis Schlafly from speaking out, as she continues to urge Americans to stop the clever members of the 108th Congress, who are wrapping up their questionable session with an appropriations-filled omnibus bill. "The danger any time Congress creates an omnibus," says Schlafly, "is what else gets attached and buried in the bill. This time is no different. Open borders advocates are lobbying Congress to add an immigration measure to the omnibus, which will make thousands of immigrants eligible to take U.S. jobs."

It's the H-1B visas to which Schlafly refers, a special visa awarded to foreign skilled immigrants. At the moment, there is a limit of 65,000 allotted annually, although many companies constantly lobby Congress to increase that number and to create exemptions for still more foreign workers who possess advanced degrees. Citing the thousands of high tech American workers, who have already been displaced by foreign labor, Schlafly gamely continues her campaign not only against open borders, but against the expansion of high tech guest workers.

Such dissidence, however, is proving to be as futile here in the U.S. as it is in Ireland, Belgium, Holland and throughout Europe.

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