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Immigration and the Class Struggle
Greetings, I was able to find your website through searching online, and there's quite a bit of interesting information available. But, there was quite a bit of discussion on immigration that seemed to leave the whole picture obscured and undetectable. There might be some lack of understanding of the sociological, psychological, economic, and political factors of immigration. In an earlier period of US growth, between 1900 and 1930, immigration was paid for and encouraged by U.S. business interests. Italians, Irish, Germans, as well as others from Eastern Europe and China, were imported as cheap laborers, since they were emerging from a more depressed economy. Immigration happened because it was in the interests of the wealthy businessmen. (See the book "Labor Economics," by Chester A. Morgan.) In Spain, in the 1920's, business investors paid for bringing in Murcian workers into Catalonia, since they had lived in a worse area and expected less in pay. This was followed by rabid attempts at the business-owned press to convince the people that Murcian workers were a selfish burden on public relief, the cause of unemployment, and even "subhuman." (See the book "Anarchism and the City," by Chris Ealham.) And today, if immigration occurs, do not forget that it comes with the same blessing and helping hand. Whether it is the presence of Mexican people in the United States or Middle Eastern people throughout Europe, immigration is encouraged by wealthy, business interests. Why does it happen, even if it is illegal? Because all law is made for the wealthy. Why do you think that only the wealthy were allowed to vote for the first fifty years of this country? It was because you, your family, and whoever was a common laborer "had to be broken in into the political process" -- one owned and controlled by the very few, if you were simply to measure by the donations to the political parties. It is for the same reason that your credit card debt lasts as long as you live, but you only have a month to legally claim your back wages; it is for the same reason that a child is thrown into prison for shoplifting bread, but an illegal monopoly costing $40 billion in public damages results in no prison time. (See the RIAA Anti-Trust Case, 2002.) It seems to be almost completely clear now: the law doesn't exist for you and for me. It exists for powerful, rich interests of business. Who is it that benefits when they have cheap labor? Not the illegal immigrant who must face search and seizure, arrest, and imprisonment. It is the wealthy Capitalist and businessowner. You have described yourself as "...only one of millions of 21st century minutemen / women / children who want the U.S. to remain governed by the 'rule of law'..." You don't seem to understand what this law actually is, because if you did, you'd realize it was fulfilled entirely. It is not the pathetic law written down on paper, to convince you that your government and your businessowners are giving you a fair deal. It is the actual living law, that is upheld in courts, enforced by police, and directed by the executive. And, from the very beginning of this nation, it has been the rule of the Capitalist. Illegal immigration does not come without those wanting to hire illegal immigrants. And the viciousness of the law was to punish and brutalize always those who just wanted to fill their stomachs -- while those who created the situation of poverty and imperialism, the wealthy, slip by into the campaign victory party for their favorite senator. This is why the slaughter at Waco went without a blink, but when a group of Mexican people are herded by the police, they're handcuffed, checked for ID, and forced to lay face-down on the ground. This is the so-called "due process of law." This is why unions of workers were illegal until 1840, while strikes and boycotts are illegal for the majority of workers today due to the Taft-Hartley Act. And, if immigration ever becomes controlled, they'll just move their factories just south of the border into Mexico, the notorious border "Maquiladoras." In 2008, Toyota was busted by the US National Labor Committee for using tens of thousands of human slaves in trafficking between China, Korea, and Japan. This is in the interests of the wealthy, just like "illegal" immigration to depress wages, "illegal" wars to get weapons and development contracts, and criminal use of technology for the purpose of hacking, terrorism, and espionage (see: Sony, MGM, Atari, Fox Studios, etc., 2006). Yes, this is your glorious law. And if you believe in "the equality of the law," then you're not looking at the America that I'm living in. Thank you for reading this... I patiently await a response. Sincerely,
Andrew, Thank you for your comments. I agree with most of them. Our goal is to bring continued public awareness to issues the Minuteman Project considers threats to our nation's domestic tranquility for the purpose of fostering intelligent debate and resolution. We just happened to choose the immigration dilemma as our starting crusade, but have not lost sight of other issues which appear to threaten that tranquility. Of course, you, and I, are threats to unscrupulous entrepreneurs, whether they operate legitimate businesses like agriculture, manufacturing, and construction, or, engage in blatant criminal activities like the importation of lethal drugs or child prostitution. Continue your work. You seem genuine and conscientious. I applaud you for that. Jim Gilchrist, BAJ, BSBA, MBA, CPA(retired) - Founder and President, Jim Gilchrist's Minuteman Project, Inc. [ dba The Minuteman Project ] - A multi-ethnic immigration law enforcement advocacy group.
Greetings, I understand that you feel for all of the other social issues presenting the community in general. However, in that viewpoint, it seems that immigration is just a symptom. It is caused two-fold: first, by companies on this side of the border bringing immigrants to the country for cheap labor. And second, by those same companies making conditions so unlivable in the home countries of the immigrants. Before being possessed and exploited as colonies by European states, places like South America, Africa, and Asia were far more peaceful and harmonious than their current situation. By basic technology, we know that a family can produce enough food to feed one hundred families. And, furthermore, we know that the average person is likely to be more offended by starving to death than by doing a small amount of work to feed themselves. More than that, there is a new trend that's going to completely obliterate the need for immigrants. Instead of people moving across the border, factories and machinery move in the opposite direction. So, when looking at immigration, there are many other social issues that rise up: American and European countries who exploit the third world and prop up dictators (Iran, Chile, Indonesia, Burma, etc.); the miserable and widespread poverty in these countries that make life a grueling difficulty; and the use of government be the wealthy to oppress the common people when it can't win by "rules of the market." In comparison of all these problems, immigration itself seems completely insignificant. It is a symptom of these greater problems; and, like the symptoms of psychology, you will not help the patient by just trying to suppress the symptom. The question of the matter is removing structures that produce poverty, government oppression, and possession of the land by a very few. An immigrant who breaks the law to come to the United States and feed their family is not a threat to me as an individual or a community. Why do they break the law? For bread. But Capitalists, who make immigration necessary by dominating the third world like colonies of the empire, are breaking the law for millions of dollars. There are many immigrants, they are easy to notice and feel socially. In contrast, there are only a very few extremely-wealthy Capitalists, and they disappear in the midsts of government and patriotism. One wants bread, the other wants mansions; one just wants to eat, the other wants to live more extravagantly than any other human being. Just by making a short observation of immigration, for whatever problems that may arise from it socially, they are nothing compared to this greater evil: the power of a few privileged to control, dominate, and practically own the entire economy. The immigrant does not create poverty or hunger, but they only seek to eliminate these things for themselves. The Capitalist does create poverty and hunger, and they do this to live above and beyond everyone else. Who do you really think is our enemy? Thank you, Sincerely,
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