By Billy G. Woody Santa Monica
After the marches this past week I was inspired to write this letter. I listened to people speak and read quotes from students who have no clue as to what they are really marching for. The first, and biggest lie or falsehood, is that those opposed to illegal immigration are somehow racist. Nothing can be further from the truth. While people like myself have the mental capacity to discern the difference between illegal and legal immigration, those in favor of open borders cannot. I and people like me have nothing against people wanting to immigrate to this country. We are, however, opposed to opening the flood gates to allow everyone into this country, regardless of background or need.
Right now, most of liberal Hollywood is a big supporter of illegal immigration, mainly because they are not affected by them. They use illegals to clean their homes, nanny their children and wash their cars. Their ability to make a living is not currently threatened by an illegal taking their job. But I guarantee that if suddenly union workers were replaced on the set with illegals willing to work for one-tenth the cost there would be a change of heart coming from the Hollywood community.
There are constant complaints about the lack of funding for education in this state. But in many schools in California, the majority of the students are either illegal themselves or the children of illegals.
Imagine how much more money would be available to educate the children of citizens if this was stopped.
There has been a recent uproar (finally) about the trouble street gangs have created in not only Santa Monica but around the state. Well, would it surprise you to know that a majority of these gang members are again either illegals or the children of illegals?
The prisons in this state are also now being overrun by illegals who commit crimes in this country. From 1999-2003 the prison population of illegals grew more than 31 percent.
Hospital emergency rooms have been closing down at a record pace due to the fact that illegals use emergency rooms as their health care provider. The state currently spends about half a billion dollars a year on treating illegals that go to emergency rooms. Emergency rooms are going bankrupt and are having to close their doors. This makes heath care for citizens more sparse.
Also, illegals immigrants can currently go to college at in-state tuition rates while an American student from another state must pay out-of-state tuition.
Illegals also suppress wages for American workers, minorities and legal immigrants. There was a time in California where a majority of the mechanics were black men. The pay was decent and they could make a living at it. But now, a majority of those jobs have gone to illegals willing to work for half the cost, thus displacing those black American men who are willing to work when paid a decent wage.
There is no job that will not be done by some American, this is just a lie. Americans will not work for slave wages like the illegals do, thus the solution to finding the labor needed to replace the work of illegals is to pay a salary high enough to attract workers.
If you looked closely at the marches over the weekend, what did you see? I saw hundreds of Mexican flags. I did not see one American flag. These immigrants think they are entitled to something from this country. While I am a supporter of Bush and his war on terror, I cannot disagree with him more on illegal immigration. I am not saying we need to stop immigration, but we need to stop illegal immigration.
Bottom line, the legal immigrants of the past learned to assimilate, they become part of this country, they learned English and became part of the citizenry of this country while still maintaining a link and love of their heritage. The illegals refuse to assimilate, they refuse to learn English and they instead want to turn the U.S. into their country instead of accepting America for who she is.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 4, 2006. Read the original PDF.