Immigrants Are People Too

"Compassion is the basis of all morality."
-Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860)

Immigrants are people too. They came for many reasons, especially reasons that are found in our Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." There are those in places of power in this nation who would like to deny personhood to many millions of people, while each corporation, clearly not a person, is legally considered a person. My post of March 22, 2006, entitled "The Real Threat of Fascism" includes as defining characteristics of fascism "Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights", "Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause", "Obsession with National Security", "Corporate Power is Protected", "Labor Power is Suppressed", and "Obsession with Crime and Punishment". All of these are currently at play in our federal government.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to make a felon out of anyone found to be in violation of an immigration law and also to make a felon out of anyone assisting someone who is considered to be an "illegal immigrant" (felons are legally denied rights in this country). It would also build a wall for several hundred miles between the U.S. and Mexico. Since George W. Bush came to power, many people have already been deported for minor infractions or for no known reason at all. What happened to compassion in our government? Do most of our elected officials have no morality left?

Also from the Declaration of Independence, referring to the King George of the time: "He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners...".

~Kurt