Food for Thought

Selwyn Duke is a writer that I first found at AmericanThinker.com. Always liked his stuff. Always was fascinated by the name "Selwyn". (Where'd THAT come from?) For some reason, I've been getting his columns delivered right to my emails (yeah, both addresses---don't know why). But I don't mind because I like what he writes. He makes sense.

This column of his I found particularly interesting. He brings up some aspects of immigration that I had not thus far considered. One thing he seems to imply is a need to REDUCE the numbers of LEGAL immigrants that our current system now allows every year. Based on the points he makes, it makes complete sense.

I must admit that in this piece he doesn't provide much in the way of hard support for his stats and such. But as I thought on it, I realized that the point stands even if the voting assumptions are completely wrong. At my blog, where I thrill the mind with astounding common sense and wisdom, the subject of illegals, current immigration law and what possible harm is there by the migration of so many. Of course the harm is great and manifests in any number of ways and to add to all that was presented by a link to this article I now add the change to our culture.

As Duke points out, with so many immigrants, both legal and otherwise, coming to this country from Mexico and other parts further south, a growing segment of our population is really Mexico North. Assimilation is not even in question and our very character must change as a result. This is indeed harm and arguably the worst harm that "poor, hard working people who only want the best for their families" can inflict upon the United States of America.

Of course it's not JUST hispanic influences to our culture, but ideological influences that conflict with the traditional American character. And left unchecked, growing numbers of any people with an ideology and philosophy in incompatible with the American character will eventually, and likely with growing speed, alter, distort and eventually dilute that character beyond recognition. Considering that character was such a force in the world, as well as the vehicle that propelled us to be that force, how could anyone not want to preserve it and feed it with only those newcomers that will perpetuate it?

In other discussions on illegal immigration, some, like Geoffrey, think we should just remove the doors altogether and let all who want to come here simply flow in at their pleasure and leisure without any restrictions whatsoever (save some token talk about restricting criminals). One alternative I had heard somewhere was to halt immigration for a time as we put forth ways to make legal all those who are here illegally, such as dividing the numbers of illegals by the amount we normally allow every year, about one million, and halting immigration for one year for each. That would mean, allowing no more immigration for 12 years, as there are thought to be 12 million illegals here now.

But I now say, just stop all immigration altogether. No more. Those who don't think have cried for immigration reform and I used to believe part of this whine was a cry for larger numbers to be allowed in every year, and I thought that once we seal the borders and enforce current laws that perhaps that could be done. But Duke has made me rethink the whole idea and now I see that we need to really be MORE restrictive in our policies in order to preserve the union. So now I see the following as the course we MUST follow:

1) Halt all immigration. The only exceptions would be those who are fleeing likely death at the hands of despotic leaders.

2) Seal the borders. Use all means at hand, be they fences, military patrols, drones, whatever. That would be Mexico AND Canada as well as ports along our eastern and western shores.

3) Remove all encentives for illegals to come here or remain. No more jobs (devastating penalties for hiring illegals), no schooling, no free medical care, no welfare bennies of any kind.

4) Deport illegals as we find them, granting only enough time to arrange for gathering family members or where applicable, sending American born kids to live with legal family or friends who will care for them.

5) When we've determined that we've rid ourselves of 75% of those now here illegally, begin allowing immigration to resume at levels no higher than 250,000 per year or whatever low number seems to work best.

6) Once immigration resumes, we must be selective in who we allow to enter and take part of the American way of life. We must see some indication that immigrants want to be Americans, not foreigners living here with legal status. And also, we must have skilled people come in in far greater percentages than unskilled.

I've spoken of moral decline in this country and this blog speaks of American Descent as an overriding theme. We cannot allow our nation to be degraded by the introduction of peoples who are not concerned with perpetuating the American way of life, her spirit and her place in the world.