Pajamas Media

71 Comments

1. qzy:

END AFFIRMATIVE ACTION!!!

Oct 14, 2009 - 2:46 am 2. Craig:

Wow I sure did have to do alot of shoveling because that crap of your wad really deep. If you want open borders just say it instead of getting on you high and mighty soap box.

Oct 14, 2009 - 2:52 am 3. John "birther" Samford:

Speak for yourself.
I think your opinion is born out of your own bigotry. While a certain (small) percentage of Americans might resent all immigrants, if it was a majority, there would be no immigration.
A fact that disproves your theory.

Oct 14, 2009 - 3:58 am 4. Howiem:

My parents were immigrants. They came here legally. They earned their citizenship and paid their way without any of the entitlements that Navarette wants for his illegal friends. It’s not about race, rather it is about not wanting a welfare state run by you and your Marxist cronies. But keep playing the race card, because it doesn’t play well any more. You will lose.

Oct 14, 2009 - 4:42 am 5. Old Soldier:

How much time did you spend researching this article? Conjecture and anecdotal evidence are not substitutes for statistics and surveys. You have an opinion; therefore other people must have the same (non-fact based) opinion.

Here is my opinion that I am certain other people share:
1. Legal immigration should be permitted to motivated skilled people who will eventually integrate themselves into American society and maybe improve it. Muslims need not apply – sorry. The level of immigration should not affect unemployment or significantly crowd our cities and towns.

2. The State Department has royally screwed up the entire immigration issue. By not enforcing immigration laws and allowing a massive wave of illegals in, they have created resentment against all immigrants. Enforce the laws and goodwill will return.

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:01 am 6. Pedrosito:

Ruben you must be a member of La Rasa, eh. I think most people are getting tired of your anti-white racism.

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:09 am 7. RKV:

Our country is our property, which is why it is our moral right to determine who comes here. If I brought a tent and camped in your backyard, plugged into your power, used your hose for water and generally made like your place was mine, you would call the cops and have me thrown in jail. No less a case can be made for those who would enter our country without our permission. No further justification is needed. Your attempt to confuse the issue misfires badly – Americans aren’t buying that line of bs anymore. We know that neither major political party has our best interests at heart in this matter. Not until we start unelecting incumbents in a big way they won’t. Soon.

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:15 am 8. anton:

Do you have any hard evidence to support your assertion?

I do understand that many people are unhappy that many immigrants that have contributed nothing to the US arrive here and begin collecting money from Social Security and other welfare services. I cannot disagree when they say that it is not fair that life-long citizens have paid into the system for decades (and are unlikely to be able to get anything back years from now when they retire) while these people show up (legally or illegally) and straight away begin to draw payments.

The “global marketplace” argument is hogwash, if they are so good at what they do they can start a company in their homeland and compete. Too often they only work here for the cash, with little commitment to becoming a fully-fledged citizen. In days gone by when a person came to the US they gave up everything to get here, they were fully committed to being “an American”. My ancestors barely had enough money to be allowed in and then spent decades of back-breaking labor clearing land to set up farms. No social welfare system, just taxes and draft notices.

I welcome anyone who wants to become an American. If they just want to pop in and pick the low-hanging fruit they can just as well stay home.

If they want to import the worst features of the homeland that they are running away from they are most decidedly unwelcome.

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:16 am 9. Byron Dickens:

Bovine Fecal Matter.

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:16 am 10. Rich Vail:

Mr. Navarrette,
I respectfully disagree. I am a restaurant manager. 1/3 of my employees are immigrants. They work hard, are willing to work long hours and rarely complain. Yet, ALL are LEGAL immigrants. America was built by immigrants,whether they came from Europe, Africa, Asia, or central or South America. I don’t care where you, or your family comes from, just as long as you came here according to the laws of this country.

My opposition to illegal immigration stems from the simple fact that Congress has enacted rules and laws that govern immigration. If you break those laws, if you violate those rules, then you don’t belong here. I won’t hire illegals, and I strongly support prosecuting those who do. If you prosecute those who HIRE illegals. Terminate their business licenses, then they won’t hire them any more. No jobs? No more illegals. It’s a simple as that.

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:25 am 11. syn:

Mr Navarrette,

In 1998 during Bill Clinton’s administration, my dear friends who came to America legally in 1991 and had a son born on our soil, were thrown out of the country because their sponsor had a tax problem.

My friends who were thrown out of the country even though they themselves do nothing wrong were not from Mexico, one was Danish, the other Italian.

Mr Navarrette, your BOLD-FACED racist bigotry is simply disgusting.

It is perfectly acceptable to racist-bigots such as yourself to throw everyone BUT those who come across the southern border out of the country.

You did not give on wit about immigration when Clinton was in office throwing legal immigrants out of the country, it was ONLY when you saw people from across the southern border enter illegally which you then began to lecture about immigration policy.

By the way, after my friends were thrown out of the country, their world turned up-side down, they ended up in divorce and their family torn apart.

I don’t believe your self-serving righteouness Mr Navarrette, you are a racist bigoted liar.

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:30 am 12. pelaut:

editor: get this racist off the paper.
Navarette: I understand you don’t think you’re racist. Most racists don’t.
I’m genuinely sorry for you. You’re just stupid (on this subject), not evil.
But go get a life south of the border, will you?

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:57 am 13. Blackwater:

While it’s true that many Americans are opposed to mass immigration I wouldn’t say that most are. Personally I wish they were. Immigrants almost always bring violence, tension and national decay with them due to human nature. And for all the “it’s all racially motivated” cries, the same debate happened during mass European immigration as well. And they were rightfully worried. With Italian immigrants came the mafia which corrupted huge sections of our country and risked turning America into a failed state filled with organized crime violence. White Americans persecuted and lynched German immigrants during WWI so no it didn’t only happen to black people and Japanese people. But what made European (also East Asian and Jewish) immigration ultimately beneficial to America as a whole was that they came from highly developed countries already. And they actually wanted to integrate and become Americans (many Chinese immigrants have names like Daniel and Bruce). And most importantly they also had naturally very high levels of intelligence. Sorry to bring politically incorrect scientific data into this discussion but Western Europeans, East Asians and ethnic Jews all have very high IQs on average. Which is why they dominate science and math departments across the world and have such low crime statistics. Whereas immigrants from the 3rd world almost always have no skills, no education, a lower IQ than the general population and often bring with them backwards 3rd world culture and values. Thus they commit most of the crime by far, have the worst grades by far and are hence generally a drag on society. There’s exceptions of course. But when you’re talking about averages within demographic populations it’s nevertheless factually true. I’ve come to the conclusion that we should adopt Japanese style immigration policy. Absolutely zero tolerance for illgeal immigrants and extremely strict limits on legal immigration as well. It’s helped them maintain national unity, their traditional culture and create general happiness and welfare. Their crime is extremely low, their education results are through the roof as is their health care and economy. The majority of their organized crime gangs are populated by non-ethnic Japanese immigrants further proving the point that immigrants often bring far more harm than good. They also only allow people with clean backgrounds to immigrate to Japan if they’re extremely intelligent and educated and if there’s a genuine national need for them. We should do the same or we risk national ruin.

Oct 14, 2009 - 6:21 am 14. rjallen:

Go Old Soldier. Short and to the point. Imigration has made America what it is today. But somehow we have managed to make illegal imigration into a legal right to be here by the group of nuts like Mr. Navarette.

Oct 14, 2009 - 6:22 am 15. sule:

…”If I brought a tent and camped in your backyard, plugged into your power, used your hose for water and generally made like your place was mine”…

you left out, “and stick your fork into my plate of food…”

…fixed it for ya.

Notice that they all want to crowd into the U.S. or any other guilt-ridden Western country, where the livin’ is easy off the remaining taxpayers who still have a job…

Oct 14, 2009 - 6:40 am 16. Gary Ogletree:

I especially oppose the wetback invasion. We could use some more Thai cooks. There is nothing wrong with opposing immigration. Especially the predatory mind set that comes from Mexico and Central America. No thanks to caudillismo, machismo, the Mexican Mafia, MS13. Why is Ruben so ethnically obsessed? One tune plays in his head every day all day long. Try being pro American, chavo!

Oct 14, 2009 - 6:45 am 17. Joe:

I agree with Old Soldier. We definitely need to have more professionals coming in to the country. What we do not need, besides Muslims, are uneducated people who do not intend to integrate. The illegals who are here have caused massive problems with the school system, the hospitals and other services. But we seem to have a government that does not want to enforce its own laws.

Oct 14, 2009 - 6:50 am 18. Ranchera:

Ay Rubencito,
When are you going to come to terms with this issue. I know, this is how you get to pay the bills and feed your family. But can you give your opponets some credit? I dare you to go to live in Mejico for one year and then come back to tell us what you have learn. My grandparents moved from Germany to Argentina and became very rich and succesful cattle ranchers but they work in inhuman conditions not for them but for us. I came to this country legally 25 years ago and work very hard to enjoy a confortable life, no luxury. I don’t complain much but it is for my granchildren that I am worried about. You cannot break the law and reward illegals. There is a process and you follow the rules, like in soccer, cannot play with 12 players. So? Common, Ruben, give it up, take a break and go and find the answers to your problems in Mexico where you are really from. You can take Ruben out of Mexico but cannot take the Mexico out of Ruben. You need to stop leaving in two worlds and stop the love/hate relationship that you have with the US.

Oct 14, 2009 - 6:59 am 19. MarkD:

I went through a mountain of paperwork to get my wife into the country, and now Reuben says I want to kick her out? She’s now a citizen and has lived here over half her life.

The delusional rantings of this author are an embarassment to PJM. Stop wasting our time with this one trick pony, please. Leave him to CNN or Newsweek or wherever he finds an audience in agreement with his fantasies.

Oct 14, 2009 - 7:06 am 20. Scott:

Let’s Face It: The Author Opposes All Laws Restricting Immigration!!

Really, that’s what this screed boils down to. How many articles on the exact same topic are you going to write Navarette?

We get it. The USA is evil for even thinking about protecting its borders and for limiting the influx of immigrants.

You don’t ever comment on Mexico’s restrictive immigration policies though do you?

Hmmm…I smell the old La Raza/Mecha party line; “Swamp the southwest US with Mexican nationals to create Azatlan because it is OUR land anyway.”

For the record; I am not a racist and am extremely proud of the foreign born that I know who came here LEGALLY, assimilated and became US citizens.

You on the other hand don’t really favor that scenario as you much prefer a Mexicanized US.

The irony is that – if you get your wish – the southwest US will more resemble a dysfunctional economic basket case like Mexico than it does the (still) dynamic/wealthy present day US.

I know I could be painted as racist for pointing out that Mexico (which is blessed with abundant natural resources and on paper should be a very wealthy country) is basically on its way to the anarchy of a failed state. It would be there already if not for the US “safety valve” that siphons away a good % of the disenchanted while providing billions in subsidies (remissions) at the same time.

What could explain this scenario, surely not the (supposed) evils of an exploitative, imperialist Anglo culture that you work so hard to undermine?

Oct 14, 2009 - 7:06 am 21. Dark Helmet:

America welcomes those who join us as Americans who seek the entitlement to opportunity, not criminals looking for the opportunity to entitlement.

That pretty well sums it up.

Rubin just enjoys pulling the chain, hasn’t anyone else figured out yet,…. he’s joking?

Oct 14, 2009 - 7:33 am 22. ahem:

That’s absolute, moronic, nonsense. We are not racists, as you imply. That’s your favorite pitch, isn’t it? It’s a great way to avoid any actual discussion. And you won’t have that discussion because, rationally, you can’t justify breaking the law. It either exists for all or it exists for none. No one’s special and you want to be special.

We’d prefer to be in control of our borders for any number of rational reasons: national security, control of our economy, an unwillingness to pay through the nose for law-breaking deadbeats, the obvious fact that we want law-abiding citizens and not people who feel they are somehow above our laws. Nothing is as unrealistic as believing that a society will welcome you if you have no respect for its laws. If you break one law, you’ll probably feel free to break the rest. And they do.

I personally welcome any immigrant who comes here legally. I want them on my team. They are honorable human beings and I trust them. No, I don’t want the others.

Oct 14, 2009 - 7:47 am 23. Golfmage:

Swiftian. I know San Diego. You should issue an apology.

http://witgunandstein.blogspot.com/2009/09/wimping-out.html

Oct 14, 2009 - 7:54 am 24. Gary:

The fire for the majority of anti immigration sentiment in the United States has been stoked by YOUR countrymen, Mexicans.

Just like ice cream. too much of a good thing and you will eventually get sick of it. At some point it will actually become unhealthy for you.

People are sick of the smiley brown faces with too many children living in poverty. Overcrowded public schools, the unlicensed uninsured cars with ump pa pa music being played way too load, road side wreaths for carloads of deceased at every curve in the road. A burgeoning number of Mexicans who refuse to embrace traditional American culture unless it is a reason to get drunk and take two days off.
It is the burping up of too much ice cream.

The Mexican has worn out his welcome.I see no similar protest about too many eastern Europeans, Africans, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Canadians, Norwegians, Swedes, and the likes.

There happens to be an anti Mexico sentiment with some of the other central American, poverty stricken countries thrown in. Mostly those countries who use Mexico as their freedom highway like Guatemala,El Salvador.

And why is that? Well the Mexican has abused the blind eye that has been turned toward him for many years. After decades of tolerance in the knowledge that a great proportion of the Mexicans dwelling in the United States were illegal, working illegally, and settling permanently illegally, citizens have reached their saturation point.

They have just had enough of the illegal foreigner who comes and goes at will with impunity, and whom, by the way happens mostly to be Mexican. Especially in your neck of the woods. And so as a result ALL Mexicans legal or illegal are now being targeted as “persona non grata”. A true prejudice has developed.

Admit it Navarette much of the culpability for this problem lies with those who have crossed our borders illegally. A majority of the legal Mexican will tell you. Although he has sympathy for his southern illegal cousin he wants him here less than the guy whose lawn the illegal is cutting.

Simply because the illegal Mexican has been tolerated for so many years, it does not mean that this deviance from the rule of law is now supposed to be accepted as the norm, and allowed to get worse. Just like ice cream to much of a good thing gives you a stomach ache.

What you are promoting is the same as the illegal distribution and use of drugs. Just because it goes on everyday were not supposed to ignore the problem. In fact if the solution to control illegal drug distribution and use is not working, we must have more stringent methods for its eradication. Not just say oh well and let it happen. Eventually it would bring down the entire society.

The illegal entry of Mexicans is comparative.
Your ridiculous reasoning that we should not take into account the consequences of open borders and unlimited migration lacks intelligent logic.
It is this same type of reasoning concerning drugs that has plagued the United States with too many Mexicans.Tolerance has bred widespread use and it has gotten out of hand. And now that the citizens of this country have spoken out more forcefully and said enough is enough, you cry out as if it is our fault that your ice cream is being taken away. There was never a promise that it would be forever.

You live in one of the most overpopulated areas of Mexicans outside of Texas and yet all I hear you saying is let us have more. Just how big is your lawn anyway?

Those who have come in the past have found our swiss cheese border too easy to penetrate, and as a result of their abuse have now brought this reaction of zero tolerance upon themselves.

Because of Mexico’s own culture they have had a swelling in the ranks of their impoverished. Which in turn creates a swelling in the ranks of those who seek a better way of life. Out of geographical convenience the U.S. becomes the host recipient.

As do the drug lords who say: “if the United States did not demand so much illegal substance, we would not be able to provide it and therefore would not be in the business of doing so.” We legal citizens of the United States are now saying we do not demand so many immigrants to do our work and therefore we do not want so many to come, most especially those who are illegal. (which just happens to be many from your ancestral homeland).

Get over it.

Oct 14, 2009 - 8:12 am 25. Phoenix48:

Talk about a tin ear when it comes to listening to the American People. One year past a financial meltdown – when the country is now – at the descretion of it’s newly elected president – eyeball deep debating health care reform – while current unemployment runs between 10% to 18% when factoring those who’ve quit looking and those who are stalled at part-time work – the resident La Raza mouthpiece is back on the air regurgitating the same pablum.

What did you do Ruben – find this on your hard drive circa ‘05? Because there sure is nothing new here.

“These jobs are on U.S. soil, but they’re not an
 entitlement for U.S. workers. In the global marketplace, American 
workers must compete with people from around the globe.”

Nonsense indeed.

How does the H-B visa arguments resonate to a generation of high schoolers whose parents are now sending them to community colleges to get a jump start on cutting the exorbitant costs of a basic undergrade degree? A degree whose worth has declined inversly to the inflationary price over the past 30 years? These parents rarely spent 10k for it in 1980 – their kids are looking at an average of 50K+!

Who cares that Bill Gates is still harping for the federal government to subsidize his global head hunting – or the academic dolts trying to sell this ‘dynamic’ as a key ‘paradigm’ for America to remain a first rate power.

Look around – Phoenix is hardly alone where the schools routinely fail OVER HALF of it’s enrolled children. Listen to their educators – they are starting to refer to this as a ‘lost generation.’ This is a problem that has multiplied over the same period when we have allowed nearly unchecked open immigration – since ‘86. And it’s just one of many other problems exaserbated by such an invasion.

So what we need to do as taxpayers is subsidize more H-B imports? For what – to provide ‘anger management’ social workers on the south side of Chicago?

The most raw nerve tripped in the health care debate thus far was the suggestion that immigrants – even legal – let alone illegal – would be granted coverage proves beyond any shadow of doubt – whether it was Joe Wilson confronting Obama or on numerous blogs afterward – that immigration is a dead issue.

Why is it dead? Because Americans have been woke up to the costs of imported labor – legal or illegal. Voices like Tancrado, Sensenberger, JD Hayworth here in Phoenix – while branded extremist – had a profound effect – even if it cost them their seat in congress – like Hayworth.

Immigration is a killer for any politician who touches it. Totally radioactive. Because it exemplifies to the exteme special interest politics at the expense of the local community and to the detrement of the country as a whole.

You can dress up all the verbal gymastics to the contrary you want – try and sell it as racism & xenophobia and historical cycle bla bla bla all you want.

The American people know when they are being screwed – and immigration is all that and way worse. They are way past any debate. We have had eight years of popular referndums all over the country -not just Phoenix.

The overwhelming answer is plain. We don’t want illegals – period. If you come here come legally – get a job and keep it – and learn english and use it. It’s only complicated for those delusional enough to still believe there is a debate going on – or that they can ressurect one.

Oct 14, 2009 - 8:19 am 26. myth buster:

I believe America should be a nation of high walls and wide gates. High walls to keep out all who would do us harm, and wide gates to welcome all who seek a better life for themselves and their families.

Oct 14, 2009 - 8:23 am 27. paul_unalaska:

‘..not just eliminating illegal immigration but also limiting legal immigration to an absurdly low level’.

Ruben, our southern border has gone unchecked and been abused for nearly 40 years. Of course there’s ‘low levels’ for H1B Visas nowadays. More than 2/3’s of the illegal aliens in the U.S. hail from your homeland! I believe your blame game should begin from within..

The sad thing about the ‘legal immigrant’ you speak of – I’ll use Latino/ Hispanic immigrants for an example.

Many legal aforementioned immigrants have neighbors, friends, customers, family members who are illegal aliens. Yet, the Latino community NEVER reports these people to the proper authorities. Which is why many communities are disgusted, let down by the legal immigrant population.

If the legal immigrant population did what’s asked of their LEGAL AMERICAN STATUS, progress can be made.

Instead, you and your ilk encourage empathy, Americans cast racist feelings towards those legal immigrants.

Until the Latino community stops cow towing to the criminals within the area, you’ll continue to have hate and employment at what you do best: Divisive techniques and ridiculous talking points..

Oct 14, 2009 - 8:26 am 28. Iyer:

Finally an article that explains the plight of legal immigrants in this country and what do I see in the comments – “more Latino bashing”.

Most of you guys commenting on this article have NO idea what we have to go through as “legal” immigrants here in this country.

And FYI I have an engineering degree in a well recognized educational institution working in a white collar job. I have worked in Wall Street for 3 years prior to moving to Florida.

My wife has her Arts major and she wants to be a teacher and she cannot since we do not have our Green cards yet. I applied to volunteer in my free time in a local community shelter to teach Computer skills to people who are trying to make it back into the society and was rejected since I am not a Green card holder yet. We now own a house and we made a 30% down-payment on our house with our hard-earned money – what was left after the government takes for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid even though we cannot enjoy these benefits. We have been in the pipeline for the past 8 years with no end in sight for the Employment Based Green Cards and the optimistic scenario would be another 10 years before we get our Green Cards. We are still patient and trying to make just like all your fore-fathers did but pushing us and stacking deck is certainly not beneficial for this country either. And please do remember – for my skills I can get a job EASILY anywhere in the world. I MADE a choice to come to this country for a better life. But if this country does not need us, my family has NOTHING to lose by packing up and leaving. But we do not want the poor Americans who approved our home loans and car loans to lose their jobs overnight because some xenophobe wanted us to leave this country.

Oct 14, 2009 - 8:46 am 29. ak138:

PJM editors, why do you keep running the same blathering nonsense from Navarette over and over? Are you trying to give him enough rope? Are you somehow so invested in helping us understand just what an idiot he is? Because if so, we got it. He’s a buffoon and his arguments are empty. You can stop now.

Oct 14, 2009 - 8:48 am 30. LaVidaRaza:

Bwahahahahah! we will take over your country!!!That is of course,if the Chinese,or Indians don’t do it first!!!
Aww relax, all you have to do is procreate….huh, what? The wife won’t let you??? Heh, Then tough cookies Comprades. Hace buen dia,cabrones.

Oct 14, 2009 - 8:55 am 31. RKV:

Well Iyer, America is about a lot more than money. I fully understand the problems of legal immigrants, I’ve known many. What you don’t seem to be getting, is that our politicians have been playing us for suckers – for a very long time. We’re pissed off about that, and don’t feel the need to keep the door to the country open any longer – for anybody. The pols can’t do the right thing, we’re the losers, and it comes across badly sometimes. Get over it. If what you read is xenophobia and “latino bashing” then don’t let the door hit you and yours on the way out to where you can get a job easily. Leave. Now.

I assume with a name like Iyer you’re from the subcontinent, and I wouldn’t want to live there either. Indian pols are even more corrupt than ours, and every Indian I’ve talked to tells me that. And don’t get me going on Ghandi – the f_____g anti-Semite.

Oct 14, 2009 - 9:06 am 32. tballard:

Typical liberal clap trap: confuse the issue by talking about “immigrants” without differentiating between legal and illegal. That way you can claim that anyone who is against illegal immigration is against immigration period. That is patently ridiculous. LEGAL immigration made this country great. Those people wanted to come here, learn the language, work hard, get their citizenship and be part of the American Dream. Illegal immigrants don’t want to be part of making America great – they are here to get jobs and make money to take back out of the country. They use services, pay no taxes, do not learn the language and are not in any way interested in building America. It is strictly selfishness, get what I can get for myself and screw the people who are actually paying for the services.

Big distinction. When you deliberately muddle the issue by failing to distinguish between legal and illegal immigration and then accuse people of being “anti-immigrant” and racist for not supporting ALL immigration, then you are really showing yourself as the open borders advocate that you are.

Oct 14, 2009 - 9:21 am 33. a:

Russian-hating Kim Zigfield. Now this Navarrette clown.
It is interesting how fast Pajamas is turning into a complete cesspool.

Oct 14, 2009 - 9:22 am 34. Anonymous:

“For my skills I can get a job EASILY anywhere in the world. I MADE a choice to come to this country for a better life.”

Iyer, yours is a completely different situation. Just because a hack like Naverette tells you that we don’t see any difference between legals and illegals doesn’t mean it’s true. In fact that’s a big part of the immigration debate: why is this country unduly burdening skilled/educated/employable immigrants who are trying to follow our laws while doing nothing about the illegals streaming across the southern border? If ordinary people want to put the brakes on all immigration *now*, it might be because they feel the entire system needs fixing and they’re not being listened to by their government. It’s not because they don’t understand the value of legal immigrants who come here for a better life.

And please, show us exactly which statements from other commenters you are seeing as racist and xenophobic.

Oct 14, 2009 - 9:23 am 35. ak138:

“For my skills I can get a job EASILY anywhere in the world. I MADE a choice to come to this country for a better life.”

Iyer, yours is a completely separate issue. Just because a hack like Navarrette tells you that we don’t see any difference between legals and illegals doesn’t mean it’s true. In fact, that’s a big part of the immigration debate: why is the government unduly burdening educated/skilled/employable immigrants who are trying to obey our laws while doing nothing about the illegals streaming across the southern border.

And I’m sorry if you read that last phrase as anti-Latin and xenophobic. We just don’t have a huge problem with Canadians trying to sneak across the northern border to escape the poverty and hopelessness of living in the suburbs of Toronto. Possibly because their government gives a crap about its citizens and doesn’t use another country as a safety valve for its own bottomless incompetence and corruption.

Oct 14, 2009 - 9:34 am 36. Federale:

More racist claptrap from Navarrette. And a one trick pony as well. Affirmative action baby. Yeah, alot of us are against the current legal immigration system as well that is based on family relationships not the quality or enthusiasm for America by the immigrant. Even worse they come here for a welfare check and Navarrette’s BFF Obama’s free healthcare for legal and illegal immigrants. Why is this liberal on a conservative site?

Oct 14, 2009 - 9:37 am 37. Don:

I wish somebody could explain to me why all of these “immigrants” cannot hold their own countries and governments to the same standards they want the USA to live up to? All I ever hear is whining about how bad we Americans are. If that is the case then stay home and fix your own house. Don’t come to my house and then complain because you don’t like the carpet. Trust me, nobody will miss you, not these days. Sorry.

Oct 14, 2009 - 9:40 am 38. Federale:

And just what was wrong with the pre-65 immigration system? Smaller numbers, immigrants were forced to assimilate, a better quality of immigrant, no monopolization of immigration by a few countries like Mexico, Philippines, China, and India. What is wrong with that?

Oct 14, 2009 - 9:40 am 39. S. Weasel:

Is there any other subject that you have the slightest interest in? Anything else at all?

Oct 14, 2009 - 9:45 am 40. tom swift:

One of the silliest articles ever to appear on PJM. The author is astounded that some people think that temporary visas are intended to be temporary. Well, imagine that!

Let’s clarify a few things. There are several independent attitudes about immigration. The first is opposition to illegal immigration. Some Americans think that packing some people – those willing to break the laws solely for their own advantage – into the US wholesale might not be a great idea, because such criminals are not overwhelmingly likely to be positive contributors to American society. The second argument is economic. Contrary to chronic political claim, there simply aren’t enough chickens for us to guarantee a “chicken in every pot.” Even more to the point, there aren’t enough American chickens to fill the pot of everyone on the planet who wants a chicken. It’s not bizarre to think that Americans should be first in line for the limited number of American chickens, at least within our own borders. Thirdly, some people are doubtless not too wild about foreigners and their weird habits, such as the habit of some ethnicities to stop their cars in the middle of the road while they have long conversations with pedestrians. The safety hazards are obvious. Superficially similar to the third group are outright xenophobes, who just don’t like foreigners, and are concerned about things like the Yellow Peril. They might fairly be considered racists. Adherents of this fourth group may be very rare – I don’t think I’ve ever met one.

“Press 1 for English”! This represents one thing – failure. For a country the size of the US to have a population which speaks a common language is a tremendous accomplishment. Many areas of the world haven’t managed to accomplish it. Some wish to destroy it here.

Finally, I suspect that somebody needs to do some thinking about what the concept of a “country” means. And what might be the advantage of trying to turn a country into some other country? For example, should La Raza succeed in turning the US into a poor man’s Mexico, where will Mexicans who want jobs be able to go? There are downsides to even the most grandiose plans.

Oct 14, 2009 - 10:00 am 41. Lynn B:

#28 Iyer
I commiserate with you. I had a Social Sciences Prof who had a lot of problems getting his visa for nine months out of the year. He had to leave every year and reapply every year. Sometimes the delays held up his actually being able to fulfill his commitments. We do need immigration reform, but not for illegals. They need to stand in line behind you and many many others.

Oct 14, 2009 - 10:10 am 42. ahem:

I’d be deeply interested in finding a country that would like to take me in and pay for my existence–no questions asked. Let me vote, give me free healthcare, send my kids to college, break all its laws, and even abandon its language for me.

Please tell me where I might find that place, Mr. Navrette.

Oct 14, 2009 - 10:13 am 43. Avitar:

Ruben Navarrette Jr. is missing misses that management hires the “High Skill” immigrants and then tries to make up their lack of productivity on the backs of the remaining American workers. Certainly every student hates getting the Professor who cannot speak English, the doctor at the hospital who cannot understand English but there has also been very costly mistakes, including on satellite and several airliners when metric measurements are assumed by the immigrants for operating tables written decades ago.

There are some immigrants who hit the ground running and we all have heard the story of each and everyone of those repeatedly. On average, however, historically it has taken three generations for the immigrant families to reach the levels of the native-born Americans. The point of origin makes a bit of difference but not a whole generation difference in learning the intangibles.

While being a tolerable net burden to their coworkers, the big problem is the clumping. The concentrations of immigrants in the coastal cities allow politics to be conducted in complete disregard for American principles.
Since the Ted Kennedy repeal of American’s immigration control laws the immigrant population of some coastal cities have risen to sixty percent. The election maps of the last twenty years increasingly resemble tall blue spikes surrounded by an ocean of red. Immigrants have become an occupying mercenary army for liberal elite seeking to roll back Madison, Jefferson, Lincoln and Reagan.

Oct 14, 2009 - 11:27 am 44. David W. Lincoln:

As long as there are fewer jobs to be had, why should workers be imported from outside the US, or anywhere?

Now, is that a sign of bigotry? I say no, it is a sign of sizing things up even-handedly.

Oct 14, 2009 - 12:57 pm 45. Anonymous:

Rubin, for the love of pete give it a rest. Stop the BS and come clean. What you want is for illegal Mexicans who are here to stay and get amnesty. What you want is an open border. What you may not want is for the US to turn into the mess that is Mexico, but what you offer are the unskilled and the criminal. Now if you really don’t want the US to turn into Mexico how about we limit our acceptance of Mexicans to the skilled and the non-criminal. Canada does. Do we really need more farm workers OR farms in the US? Do you really want to see the US turn into a service-oriented country?

There was an interesting article about the need for nurses in the US and the sourcing out to foreigners of which Mexico, Phillippines, and other countries were apart. They were hired as long as they passed the standard requirments set by the US medical community. Of those who were able to pass the requirements, Mexico’s applicants were the least hired. Why? They could not pass the tests.

It’s sad, but it is Mexico’s problem and as you can see, the US has problems of its own.

Oct 14, 2009 - 1:03 pm 46. EscapeVelocity:

Mexico is full of xenophobic Latinos, who are deeply suspicious of if not outright hostile to gringos. Else they wouldnt have such restrictive and well enforced immigration laws.

That is the only conclusion that one can discern from their immigration policies.

We dont need mass immigration of xenophobic racists to this country.

Oct 14, 2009 - 1:15 pm 47. Will:

Iyers

I have a very good idea on how you it felt like to apply for permanent residency . I have been through the numbers and the expenses as well as the very long wait for the actual green card . Been there, done that , got the T-shirt and the green card after 2 years waiting after it’s approval.
Let me make this clear, I’m not white, so if you want to call me racist, you are barking up the wrong tree. Don’t you know that illegal immigrants especially Illegal Mexican immigrants have more political connections than you, me and every other legal immigrant in this country. Heck, American citizens regardless of ethnic background does not have the same political clout than the illegals. Why? simple, it has to do with votes. Politicians know the legal immigrants will follow the law and will not vote in any election but many illegal immigrants will especially in order to change their immigration status from illegal to legal without paying anything and with various NGOs like ACORN , La Raza and the like actively assisting them to vote . You and me and others like us end up footing the bill .

Oct 14, 2009 - 4:04 pm 48. Jonathan Nolan:

Pajamas Media blunders badly by allowing leftists, la raza racists like this idiotic swine and similar on to the site. They add nothing at all, they detract from the excellent sane commentary and they embarass themselves and the site.

Pajamas media is center right, its audience is center right. Bill Whittle is the metier and this clownshoe fails the test. Leave him to the crippled consciousness of CNN.

Oct 14, 2009 - 4:16 pm 49. Don Rodrigo:

“Let’s Face It: Many Americans Oppose All Immigration”

So?

You want to know why, sir? I don’t care for xenophobia either, but when you have large numbers of Americans — probably a majority — wondering whether we’re even allowed to be a nation anymore, and we have ‘elites’ refusing to distinguish between legal and illegal immigration, when American citizens are told they can’t fly an American flag in their own homes, and they are also accused of not having a ‘culture,’ what the hell do you expect? Under these circumstances, NONE of which I exaggerated, this is one crude but effective way that some Americans are proposing as a means to get a ‘breather’ from the constant assaults on American sovereignty and American ideals.

If our ‘betters’ would insist on guarding our borders better, NOT try to ‘fast-track’ people into citizenship — especially after that alarming Rassmussen poll of Mexicans who say that newly-minted Americans formerly from Mexico should maintain their loyalty to Mexico — and if these elites would start to show respect for our nationhood and sovereignty and stop joining the rest of the world in bad-mouthing their own country, then maybe you’ll see tolerance for legal immigration go up again.

Oct 14, 2009 - 4:38 pm 50. Patrick:

This quote says it all:

“And the landscape wouldn’t be so cluttered with anti-foreigner groups such as the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and NumbersUSA — all started by the eugenicist John Tanton . . . ”

A “cluttered landscape,” all created by one idiot eugenicist, and you want to condemn all Americans. Your premise is as flawed as is your reasoning. Very weak article.

Oct 14, 2009 - 4:38 pm 51. Granny3:

You are myopic, sir. Most of the people I know welcome people from other places. What we don’t welcome are lawbreakers. No matter what excuses people give, illegals are lawbreakers. We need an immigration overhaul, definitely. And those who want to come here from every nation need to go through the entire process. We want people who love America and her opportunities.
We don’t need more people who want to exploit her and badmouth all her citizens.

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:10 pm 52. Greying Wanderer:

“Let’s Face It: Many Americans Oppose All Immigration”

Good.

Oct 14, 2009 - 5:58 pm 53. Marina:

Oh, that’s a good tactic. “MANY Americans oppose all immigration”. Exactly. Souns SCARY-RIGHT-WING-KKK-CROSS-BURNING-MARTIN-LUTHER-KING-JR.-SHOOTING-(oh, he was a Republican = RIGHT-WINGER, sorry, Mr. Navarrette Jr.)-JFK-SHOOTING-(oh, he was a Communist = LEFT-WINGER, sorry again, Mr. Navarrette Jr.) … oh, forget it, whatever.

Mr. NAVARRETTE JR., would you please tell us what do you mean when you say “MANY”. There are 10 kids on the street. 3 of them are playing ball. “MANY kids don’t play ball” – very justified… – - – AND WHAT NOW? – More money into “Let’s make kids more interested in playing ball”. – - – THANKS A LOT!

I understand when the libs do this trick on their sites. But PLEASE, NOT ON PAJAMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oct 14, 2009 - 7:15 pm 54. jeaneeinabottle:

You are such a race baiter! Give it a rest, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! We want people to follow the law. We want our government to enforce the law! What you spew will come right back at you. Karma it does a body good.

Oct 14, 2009 - 8:42 pm 55. tommyd:

This Ruben guy is so predictable. The same ol song and dance every time.
Why can’t Navarrette get his mind around the fact most people are against illegal immigration. It is not a hard topic to understand.
If a person comes legally more power to them. I actually enjoy associating with people of different cultures. It is interesting.

Hey Ruben, why don’t you go sneak into Mexico and try to live there illegally, Please go give that a try. They have much harsher laws than we do. Have you checked into how the Mexican government has been treating the illegals coming across Mexicos southern border lately?

Ruben Navarrette is not interested in anything other than pushing his open borders agenda.

Oct 14, 2009 - 11:49 pm 56. vivo:

“Let’s Face It: Many Americans Oppose All Immigration”

Immigration is a social class and economic issue.

Upper class: they favor immigration because it provides labor for their enterprises and also professionals that US universities don’t produce. Walmart and high tech come to mind.

Middle class professionals: they welcome immigration, but the language barriers (accents) are irksome.

Working class: many are xenophobic for good and bad reasons. Some claim they steal their jobs, but I don’t see them mowing lawns, digging ditches, cleaning offices or busing. Some immigrants are at fault because they deteriorate their neighborhood since they are renters and care less about upkeep.

But what seems to determine immigration is simply jobs supply and demand. If Mexico generated lots of good paying jobs, the rush would be reversed . . .

Oct 15, 2009 - 3:34 am 57. texexpatriate:

If you are familiar with Navarette’s columns, then you know that he is a cheerleader for illegal aliens from Mexico. This piece of his is a smokescreen.

Oct 15, 2009 - 6:35 am 58. Steamboat Jack:

The Author never spoke to me, yet claims to know what I think. Presumptuous? Arrogant?

With Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and other entitlement programs being nothing but giant Ponzi Schemes, we desperately NEED immigrants to make up for the some 50 million aborted children.

Yes, we do need to streamline the immigration system to insure that we have enough immigrants that will integrate into our society. And we need a guest worker system like the old Bracero program. It was more or less successful from 1942 until President Johnson ended it in 1963/1964. It’s too bad, but the Democrats caved to the pressures from the Unions and ended a program that was vital to the well being of so many Mexicans.

Oct 15, 2009 - 6:37 am 59. Dark Helmet:

Okay…. maybe my last post was too simple to understand. I’ll make it a little more difficult.

How about…..

A place is not a race.

It is nationalistic ( ? ) to oppose , very strongly, invading criminals.

A native tounge is not a race.

There are no less than 4 very different languages spoken by the people breaking the law here. One of them is Farsi, another is Arabic. Get the picture?

None of them speak American.

That would mean coming through the front door.

Rubin is trying to pull your chains and it’s working. Why do you all get so mad with someone who is clearly…. kidding?

Oct 15, 2009 - 8:06 am 60. tom:

Republicans dont like immigrants? Surely you jest! Just look at how well they are represented in the party on a national level.

btw, it will be fun to watch the next Silicon Valley, Intel etc.. born in Australia, Europe or elsewhere..

Oct 15, 2009 - 9:06 am 61. PhyCon:

As usual, Ruben, you have your head lodged along with your arguments. As a second generation American, I am more than happy to see other immigrants reap the benefits of US citizenship … as long as they get here legally.

Oct 15, 2009 - 3:26 pm 62. TMLutas:

I’m not fond at all of the eugenicists. Given the ease that people just sling around accusations I looked up Mr Tanton’s wikipedia page. The only thing pertinent is that he didn’t turn down money from the Pioneer Fund, an organization that some claim is eugenicist but which it disputes. You would have to agree that the Pioneer Fund is eugenicist as well as believe that anybody who takes money from them is also a eugenecist. That’s a step too far. From what I can tell after reading about their activities, they have funded a number of people over the past 80 years of various beliefs about the heritability of intelligence who lately seem to have clustered about the idea that intelligence is about 50% heritable with the races having wide overlap and with east asians and jews scoring higher than whites. This is hardly hitlerian.

The casual way that Mr. Navarette tossed around his eugenicist accusation seems to me to be either remarkably careless or makes him a smear merchant. Who knows, he might be both. I cannot see how he could be neither.

Oct 15, 2009 - 4:30 pm 63. Raj:

For what its worth, I (a brown immigrant) dont think most right wingers subscribe to Pat Buchanan’s idelogy of allowing only anglosaxon immigrants. He would be thrown out if that rule were to be strictly followed a Dang cattle-thieving “Buchanan”.

More hardworking mexicans are a better choice than the crowd who comes here to subjugate America. i.e Peace UNDER islam. But lets face it Mr.Navarette, swamping ANY country by the MILLIONS? Thats where the problem lies.

Oct 15, 2009 - 7:02 pm 64. Inrptrn:

Let’s Face It: Many Americans Have GOOD REASONS for Opposing or Limiting Immigration.

Mr. Navarette, America is not your sleazy whore.

Mexicans didn’t make this country what it is (so that you can “peck at keyboards with soft hands”, which you seem to derive some kind of sycophantic pleasure from)
Americans (Immigrants who assumed the national identity, and made valuable contributions) did, and Americans respect American laws and have the best interests of America close at hand.

You seem to think America is the fountain of youth and you can plumb her depths with reckless abandon forever and with no consequences.

Go pimp some other country, and go peddle your bigoted, moronic drivel on some other website.

Oct 15, 2009 - 9:29 pm 65. Brian:

“In a recent commentary on this site, I addressed one of the great myths to which Americans cling in the immigration debate: that opposition to immigrants has nothing to do with racism. It’s time to address another: that it’s only illegal immigrants that Americans have problems with, and that legal immigrants are still welcome.”

So the author follows one B.S. article with another! Brilliant! Perhaps you failed to notice national unemployment was over 10%… you expect people too be in favor of immigration at such a time? In California unemployment is far higher! Scary crazy.

Oct 16, 2009 - 4:36 am 66. Brian:

Garbage like this is why when I lived in SoCal I wouldnt buy a Union-Tribune newspaper even to line the bird cage. Your goning to put yourself in the unemployment line soon Ruben with garbage like this.

Oct 16, 2009 - 4:38 am 67. Blackwater:

Exactly. The only reason why leftists – especially non-white leftists – pull out the race card constantly to advance their far left agenda is because 1) Marx advocated doing so and 2) whites are the only people who actually give a damn about being called racists. Whites are clearly the most civilized, compassionate, enlightened, and advanced ethnic group on the planet. And despite that obviously being true you don’t see us bragging about it much do you? Instead we’re expected to pretend like that isn’t the case.

Go to any craphole country in the world and chances are you’ll find white humanitarian workers (most of whom go completely on their own accord) trying to improve living conditions for the dirt poor locals who are total strangers. I’ve witnessed it personally numerous times as have most people who travel. Germans will be building bridges, Dutch people will be building internet centers, British people will be building clinics and white Americans will be opening schools. Where’s the black, asian, hispanic and arab humanitarian workers? Hmmm?

And as far as our colonial past is concerned, at least we actually try to correct past wrongs unlike every other ethnic group. Ever hear the Japanese apologize for running around Asia and the entire Pacific region during WWII cutting Chinese civilian heads off left and right? Not to mention the other gross crimes against humanity they committed? Nope. Instead they rewrite their history books pretending that the Koreans and Americans were the aggressors. Ever hear an arab apologize for anything? Nope.

The least racist ethnic group on the planet is whites yet we get 99.9% of the racism accusations and criticism. I used to be an overly-self-critical, overly-self-hating, uber-politically correct typical white conservative straight male a year or so ago. But then I realized that we’re alone in that regard. Every other “victim group” is bigoted and self-promoting as hell. So why the heck should I step aside and politely allow people to get ahead of me in life when they would NEVER do the same for me?

If the left is going to support and foster identity based politics then so will I. If you’re going to be bigoted and vote for someone simply because they look like you or aren’t white then I’ll only vote for people who look like me as well. Until “minorities” start acting as civilized, self-critical and pluralistic as white people then we should hold off on the whole being doormats strategy in my opinion.

Oct 16, 2009 - 9:08 am 68. ak138:

“He would be thrown out if that rule were to be strictly followed–a Dang cattle-thieving ‘Buchanan’.”

Good point, Raj. I don’t really pay attention to Pat Buchanan, so I missed his calls for Anglo-Saxons only. As the granddaughter of Irish immigrants, I got a laugh out of that.

Oct 16, 2009 - 10:30 am 69. Tristan Yates:

This legal/illegal thing is an underhanded debate because it opens the door for the progressives to “solve” the immigration problem by making all illegal immigration suddenly legal through amnesty and guest worker programs, and then saying “well, you said you didn’t oppose illegal immigration”.

The current system isn’t sustainable and won’t be until we can control the borders and have some control over who comes and who doesn’t. Until then, even though individual illegal immigrants may be decent people, the combined weight of tens of millions of new arrivals into our country is going to collapse our infrastructure and bust our budgets.

Actually I’m shocked that given the near 10% unemployment rate and swine flu outbreak that there aren’t more anti-illegal immigrant op-eds and I have a feeling that some liberals are saying “Ruben, not now, we’ve almost got health care passed…”

Oct 16, 2009 - 10:59 am 70. Debalee:

You’re spitting in the wind, Ruben. You’re so desperate you’re now arguing that most citizens of this country are against all immigration. I don’t think that most citizens of this country are against all immigration, but they should be. I am. My father’s parents came over right after WWI ended. So what? Where is it written that people always have to migrate. If we have a much ballyhooed global economy why should anyone have to migrate? I thought that China and India were becoming economic powerhouses. Growing a wealth class and a middle class. You should be promoting migration to those countries, Ruben. Why don’t you set an example yourself and move to India.

Oct 16, 2009 - 5:16 pm 71. mikefromwichita:

Yep Mr. Navarrette ANY immigration of those of a non-White persuasion needs to be stopped immediately and most recent arrivals (past 30 years) of your ethnic origins deported. America simply has no need for any more uneducated persons of colour.

Oct 16, 2009 - 5:22 pm

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