PrintAffluent arrogance
Weir thinking about it
Suppose there were a country that was a shining beacon of prosperity, a glittering diamond of opulence in an otherwise drab and poverty stricken hemisphere? Suppose further that this brilliant oasis of wealth was bordered by one of the most impoverished countries in the world, and that country was always staring covetously across a border that was thousands of miles long, and almost impossible to protect? Undoubtedly, the close proximity would cause a high level of envy on the part of the poor country, and an equally high level of fear and suspicion on the part of its bountiful neighbor. The haves and the have—nots would forever be in conflict because the have—nots would always want what the haves have, and the haves would always fear losing what they have to the have—nots. Soon, the envy would turn to bitter resentment and even hatred toward those who enjoyed extravagant lifestyles only a stone's throw away from the destitution suffered by their brothers and sisters on their side of the border.
As we all know, this situation exists. With dreams of prosperity beating in their hearts, and their eyes as hungry as their stomachs, these poor inhabitants of an economically challenged country will risk life, limb, and arrest every day for the slim chance that the dream will become a reality. No longer content to wait for the legal machinery to process and admit them in an orderly fashion that may take years, their desperation serves as their motivation, and they swarm over the borders like an invading army with plans to vanquish its opponent.
Meanwhile, their affluent northern neighbor, while not wanting the invaders as social counterparts, nevertheless views them as an excellent source of low cost menial labor. If you want your pools cleaned, your lawns mowed, your gardens weeded, and your floors swept, hire an illegal alien, most often, a Mexican. Not only can you have all your chores done by peons with very little choice about the wages you decide to pay them, but also you can feel superior as they clean your home, leaving you plenty of time to workout in the local health club.
The fact that you are aiding and abetting the illegal immigration crisis in our country shouldn't stop you from enjoying the benefits you receive from exploiting human beings whom you consider to be several steps below you on the evolutionary scale. After all, most of these people can't even speak English, for crying out loud. How can anyone accuse you of exploiting them when you're paying them more money in a day than they can earn in a week in their own country? Actually, you're doing them a big favor by helping them to feed their families. Okay, so you only pay them about half of what you'd have to pay a citizen to do the same work, but is it your fault if people with legal status are so insistent about receiving higher wages? And they never behave with the proper subservience that you've come to expect from the illegals, do they? In fact, the illegals would never dare give you a hard time because you could simply report them and they'd be kicked out of your country.
Sure, you recognize that illegal immigration is a big problem that jeopardizes the stability of our laws and our economy, but does that mean that you can't take advantage of a moneysaving formula for getting all those dirty, tedious jobs taken care of? You can't be blamed for all the people who lose their lives in border battles and those who end up suffocated to death in 120—degree heat as they stuff themselves into tiny trucks and die trying to get those illegal jobs. What are you supposed to do, have scruples when it comes to money?
Why should you be required to check someone's credentials before hiring them; isn't that the job of the INS? If they can't keep these people out of the country, that's their problem. You shouldn't have to be bothered with legal technicalities when it comes to improving your comfort and convenience. What good is being an American citizen if you can't avail yourself of the prosperity the system affords you? No reasonable person would expect you to actually clean your own home, or pay top dollar for a legal immigrant when there are so many lawbreakers giving a substantial discount. Moreover, you can't be expected to consider national security when all you're doing is being thrifty enough to recognize a bargain when you see it. Let the government worry about national security; you don't want to be late for the club.
Bob Weir is a columnist for The American Thinker. The author of 7 books, he is a retired NYPD sergeant, living in Flower Mound,
