Misunderstanding the American People
Over at Real Clear Politics, Peter Brown notes that the illegal immigrant May Day protests are quite likely to backfire both on the illegals, and on the people who wish to see them legalized.
Here's the reason: The sort of protest that has been planned fundamentally misjudges and misunderstands the American mind. It's a threat -- see how you can't get along without us. The problem is that Americans don't respond well to threats. We're not a people that cowers and backs down, and if you don't believe me, check in with Osama Bin Laden (if you can find him in his little hidey hole).
Rather, the illegal immigrants and and their political sponsors would be much better advised to appeal to the heart of the American people -- because most are generous and fair. Dr. Martin Luther King knew it, and advanced the pace of the long-overdue civil rights movement exponentially by appealing to our better natures.
But the kinds of tactics people choose to prove their worth or resolve a disagreement tells us a lot about who they are. Why, exactly, should any of us believe that the illegals who are willing to threaten a walkout either love this country or want to become one of the people that they believe they'll hurt by their absence?
Here's the reason: The sort of protest that has been planned fundamentally misjudges and misunderstands the American mind. It's a threat -- see how you can't get along without us. The problem is that Americans don't respond well to threats. We're not a people that cowers and backs down, and if you don't believe me, check in with Osama Bin Laden (if you can find him in his little hidey hole).
Rather, the illegal immigrants and and their political sponsors would be much better advised to appeal to the heart of the American people -- because most are generous and fair. Dr. Martin Luther King knew it, and advanced the pace of the long-overdue civil rights movement exponentially by appealing to our better natures.
But the kinds of tactics people choose to prove their worth or resolve a disagreement tells us a lot about who they are. Why, exactly, should any of us believe that the illegals who are willing to threaten a walkout either love this country or want to become one of the people that they believe they'll hurt by their absence?
posted by LadybugUSA at 8:51 AM
9 Comments:
Well Carol, America has survived an annual walkout on Cinco de Mayo for years, so just having back to back 3 day weekends probably won't cause much of a problem. Uno de Mayo could become another national holiday. I'll remember to drink a cerveza in their honor, except it'll be brewed in America.
I've been very much a fence-sitter on the immigration issue. On one hand I appreciate that the legal and security issues must be addressed. On the other hand I appreciate our nation's history as one of welcoming immigrants.
You're point has described my reaction exactly. The recent protests have taken the form of confrontational demand. That just doesn't sit well with me - especially when the illegal protestors are honoring their own countries over the United States of America. That just doesn't seem to be the way to appeal for legal residence status.
The protests have knocked me off the fence. I now count myself among those who demand strict enforcement of immigration laws and serious protection of our borders. Illegals need to be treated like criminals. I know that sounds harsh. But after all, they are illegal.
Those who wish to enter the United States should do so legally. I know it may be inconvenient, but it's the right way.
We have the right to decide who we allow into our own country. We should use that right wisely and screen all applicants so as to only allow those who desire to assimilate into our society to enter our country legally.
Thanks to the "in your face" nature of the recent protests, my position on this issue has become much more clearly defined in my own mind.
Hmm, I believe it was Abe Lincoln, a Republican that truly began the freedom for those "uppity negroes". Again, wrabkin is an uninformed ranter. The protests in the 60s didn't include trying to create a new African nation. There is a HUGE difference between then and now, and you trying to grab at pearls of wisdom are eluding your liberal mind. Open it up!
Indeed. The only people I've ever heard take a racist position were those who were racist already. And guess what? The ones I know would vote Democrat if they decided to vote at all. Certainly not representative of all Dems, but it makes the point that wrabkin's accusation is empty. I don't understand why people like this wrabkin person ignores the illegality of the situation and prefers to make accusations of racism. No one's calling for all of Mexican heritage to leave. No one's calling for anyone to leave due to his ancestry. We're only concerned with those who've invaded our country, entering illegally. They're trespassers and don't belong here. All those foreigners who came through proper channels are welcome as full citizens because they did it properly. Lies, like those wrabkin spews, don't make the situation easier.
"Some Republicans gave up on winning the African American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization." -- Ken Mehlman RNC chair.
This acknowledged organized Republican party outreach to racists is called the Southern Strategy. On this racial polarization have come all of the Republican electoral gains since the 1960s.
One question for COPioneer, DStark and Marshall Art...
If Republicans and the Republican party stand on the side of angels in the race debate, why do the overwhelming majority (90+%) of African-Americans consistently vote Democratic?
First: Jesse Helms became a Republican before the Voting Rights Act was passed. Before that, he was an aid to a conservative Democrat North Carolina senator. James Meredith, first black to integrate the Univ. of Mississippi, later worked as an aid to Helms. Would Meredith have worked for a racist?
When running for the Democratic nomination for president, Howard Dean's opponents pointed out that Dean had never appointed a black to his staff while Gov. of Vermont, and had no blacks on his campaign staff. Does that make him racist?
Hardly all Dixiecrats jumped parties after the Voting Rights Act passed. Richard Russell, Mendell Rivers, J. Wm. Fulbright, Fritz Hollings, Al Gore, Sr. and Robert "Klegel" Byrd were some who on as stayed Democrats.
Since inviting racists into a party was brought up, do the names Cynthia McKinney, Carole Moseley Braun, and Sheila Jackson Lee ring bells in any liberal minds? They are not eeeeevil Republicans.
How about Al "Tawana Brawley" Sharpton, Rev. Farrakhan and Jesse Jackson, who in 1984 called New York Jews "Hymies" and New York City "Hymietown." They aren't out in public promoting Republicans. Are they racists?
John McCain has spoken at Liberty University, so that makes him a racist? Using that logic, Bill Clinton is a Communist, because he spoke at Beijing University 6/29/98. And since Eleanor Roosevelt spoke at West Point 9/30/43, long before it accepted females, that makes her a closet sexist, right?
Numerous conservatives, including Carol, have spoken out against Jerry Falwell's and Pat Robertson's opinions. Few, if any, Democrats have rebuked Sharpton, Jackson, Farrakhan, Byrd, McKinney, Moseley Braun, or Jackson Lee. Isn't that rather hypocritical?
Perhaps liberals should look up the psychological definition for "projection." Seeing everyone who disagrees with them as a stooopid, evil, bigoted, racist, anti-poor, environment ravaging, sexist, lying nutcase reflects more about themselves than the objects of their vilification.
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Second: There is not unanimity about what "Southern Strategy" means, or whether it was responsible for Nixon's election. The southern votes split three ways, between Nixon, Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace (who ran as an Independent but was the Democrat who stood in the University of Alabama's doorway to prevent its integration). Nixon's national vote pushed him ahead of the other two. Nixon's landslide win over McGovern wasn't caused by any "Southern Strategy."
As to why blacks vote for Democrats, I'm not telepathic.
(Apologies to Carol for using a lot of her bandwidth.)
Please look at all of the groups that are supporting this "Day Without An ILLEGAL(my version) Immigrant"
Has anyone heard of ANSWER? They are a fifth columnist group that not only oppose the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, but American social and econmic policies.
How about ATZLAN? They want the American Southwest returned to Mexican rule and that Mexico to be a socialist/communist state a la Cuba.
What I am sure is that the vast majority of those that will be protesting have no clue about all of this. They are but pawns in a political game in which the Democrats think they have an automatic pipeline of voters if 10-20 million illegal aliens are made citizens. The Republicans are always made to feel that taking a strong stand for the rule of law is somehow racist and sexist and all the other ists and isms and cave in.
The backlash will affect the Democrats more than the Repbulicans and if we increase the Republican majorities in congress, then real and meaningful reform can occur.
"why do the overwhelming majority (90+%) of African-Americans consistently vote Democratic?"
That's what WE'D like to know! It's not the right that says a black needs help to succeed in the form of affirmative action.
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