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Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Isn't it a good thing...

That there weren't police, I.N.S. or border guards to keep our ancestors out of this country when they decided to come here for a better life?

Yes, I understand the fears that "illegal aliens" will come and take American jobs. I think if they wait a while, American jobs will go to them south of the border.

But really though, is this about protecting America, protecting jobs? Canadians (fair-skinned, white folk, who speak French sometimes, but hey, so long as it's not Spanish) graduate from their colleges and eek over across our borders to compete against American graduates for jobs. I hear no one complaining.( I know this first hand because I've seen my friends compete and lose jobs to Canadian citizens.)

Right before the oil bust of the 80s, I was working for an oil company up north. The smaller American companies were having a hard time surviving even before the bust because Canadian companies would come and underbid them for jobs -- the American dollar having more weight there, they could afford to do that. It was hard for Americans to compete. Yet, no one was griping about them. No one wanted to patrol the borders, no one chased them down to drag them back to Canada.

Why do you think that is?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think the fear thought is right on. Part of it is the egotistical thinking that if people are talking a different language around you, or different than you, they must be as obsessed about you and your differences as you are. If you can follow that, it's really deep, I promise.
Your YOUNG friends...