The two faces of the immigration problem

Under the guise of a paternalistic image and an impeccable delivery, Lou Dobbs represents the convenient interpretation of the purse holders on the immigration problem in our country. On the one hand, they are very sympathetic with everyone who’s come here because of the lack of opportunities in their own soil and on the other, they blame them for every conceivable problem in our cities, from the cost of health care, education and lowering wages, to overcrowding, crime and lack of respect to our language.

Dobbs apparently resides in two conflicting worlds. The first world is the one who looks the other way when his friends and corporate buddies hire illegal people because they can get a break on labor costs and the other is the public persona we see on TV, where he preaches to us from up high about the values of our country, including respect for the law. Ah, the law, something that is supposed to be equally applied under all circumstances but it so happens that is especially enforced among the weakest of the bunch.

Dobbs raves about the illegal crowd taking jobs from Americans and he may or may not be right, I won’t disagree with this because I don’t have all the facts. However, I question why Dobbs doesn’t go after the employers who hire illegals, which are a very visible target and accomplices in this crime?

If we want people to respect the law, we should start with our own, the employers who hire undocumented or poorly documented workers. That’s the example we should give to the illegals before going after them. If we are not willing to do that, apply the laws that are in the books already, how can we preach respect for the law to those who are just entering our country in search of a better life?

There is a reason why we have more than 12 million people living here without residence papers. The reason is us, our employers, even our own government at every level who doesn’t take the time to enforce clear and well documented laws regarding who can be hired to work here and who cannot. And who does the hiring?

Of course and as usual, is easier to go after the ones who don’t have a voice, the illegal worker, than tell our friends who own a store, a business or are part of a huge corporation that they are doing something “illegal”, who wants that? They’re our neighbors and we go to church together for Pete’s sake!