Obligatory Post about Immigration Reform

And here’s an obligatory picture showing illegal aliens being smuggled into this country. Whenever you even mention immigration reform, you have to show Mexicans stuffed in a car or running across a freeway or jumping a fence. I chose this picture because I had a car that looked like that once. I was lucky if I could get my duffel bag in that tiny trunk! Kudos to illegal immigrant ingenuity.

I’m posting a new TAM Cartoon today. Therefore, I feel like I need to post something. Not that the cartoon isn’t enough but…

What to post about? I have been following the new immigration reform legislation a little bit. After all, I live in LA so it’s hard to ignore. Especially when thousands of high school students take the day off to block up the freeways with foot traffic and Mexican flags.

But I don’t really want to post about the new legislation. I don’t really want to post about the teenaged protesters either. This is a tricky subject. Mostly because both sides are wrong and more than a little bit moronic. First of all, when did every immigrant in this country become Mexican? I hate to break it to Mexico, but there are other countries in this world. Other countries with other people who want to immigrate to the United States.

I’ve always been on the fence (no pun) of this debate. I don’t think that the country would fall apart without undocumented immigrants. And I’m speaking to Mexico right now. If the citizens of Mexico are such miracle workers then why the hell is Mexico such a mess? It has Mexicans in it, right? And I’m not trying to flip here, but I get tired of the “your privileged, well-groomed, fast-food world would just roll over and die without Mexicans” bullcrap. Do something, Mexican citizens. Grow a freaking pair. Quit wasting your time fighting the United States and start using your energy and passion to stand up to your own government and force them to make things better.

And as for the United States government: Making illegal immigration a felony is asinine. But something does need to be done about it. There’s a lot of talk in Washington DC about immigrants being the backbone of this great nation. True. That’s very true. (Just ask the Native Americans. They know what immigrants can accomplish when they put their minds to it.) Politicians talk about Ellis Island. They talk about steam ships and the statue of liberty. And yet they miss the point.

Those immigrants at the turn of the last century did come here with dreams and hopes and ethnic comedy routines, but they didn’t have to go through nearly as much crap as immigrants do nowadays. Why is it so damned difficult to get into this country these days? Make it easier. The Ellis Island immigrants just had to find a way to get here, change their last name (thus giving up their heritage and identity) and maybe spend the night on a stinky island in New York Harbor. Then “bammo!” They were welcomed (legally anyway).

If it were easier to be a legal immigrant, then it stands to reason that there would be fewer illegal ones.

You know what, I said that I wouldn’t talk about this. I’m going to stop. Who cares? All I know is that teenagers shouldn’t march on the freeways. It’s dangerous. They could get killed. And this isn’t worth getting killed over. Plus, I find it hard to believe that a bunch of high school kids really understand the nuances of this debate.

I mean, these are the same people who can’t seem to figure out that their genitals aren’t a toy.

I give up on this post. Sorry if you were hoping to find a point to it here at the end. There isn’t one. And you know what? I take it back, I think that high school students should march on the freeways. What do I care? I don’t like teenagers anyway.


Fun Fact: As I hinted at in the above post, the latest TAM Cartoon is up! TeenagersspreadVDsational!