this is horribly written, but necessary

I've been watching the news a lot lately about the immigration bill and here's what I have to say:

I can understand both sides of the arguement. On one side of the arguement there are Americans that feel that their jobs and culture are being threatened by these immigrants. Some even feel, legitimately, that this is an issue of national security. But on the other side of the arguement, one can't help but sympathize with those who come here in search of something better. The bill that is in question however will not solve the problem. In order to solve this problem we need to ask the question: why do so many of them want to come to America so bad?

People don't emigrate to another country unless there is something wrong with the country they are living in. In fact, many Americans in the first half of the nineteenth century came to Mexico (California) because times were hard in America. Mexico offered opportunity. The people that illegally immigrate to this country (from Mexico, specifically) come here because even the most labor-intensive jobs pay better here than in Mexico. They have a chance to put their children in better schools, get better heathcare, and ultimately increase the quality of their familys' lives.

Now consider the point of view from the average American factory worker who just lost his or her job because their employer just moved their factory operations to a foreign country. Factory workers in this country are losing their jobs. This has been happening progressively for decades. Can you blame them for being angry?

I'm not completely certain that this is the cause of the problem, because I don't know enough about the relationship between American businesses and the Mexican government, but if I had to guess I would suppose that the real root of the problem is that some American, as well as foreign multinational corporations) are in cahoots with the Mexican government.

In some American History class I took years ago, my professor gave me a list of seven things that are necessary to create a prosperous economy. I can't remember all seven, but I remember some: vast agricultural areas, waterways, industry, a viable network of road and railways, and a stable government. It appears to me that Mexico has all of these with the exception of a stable government. In my opinion, all governments are corrupt to some degree, but I've always had the impression that Mexico's government is especially corrupt (I hope I'm right because I don't have any facts to back this opinion up)

The multinationals that I previously mentioned take advantage of corrupt Mexican politicians and use their power to create a political environment that supports their exploitation of common workers. This translates to huge multinational corporations reaping huge profits by paying their workers pennies to the dollar to make their products.

If I was a Mexican father working in an American-owned factory thirty miles south of the U.S./Mexico border for a few dollars an hour, there's no doubt in my mind that I would want and probably try to move my family to America. Why would I settle for petty wages when I could be providing the same level of work for better pay--and better opportunity for my family?

So to me, the real solution to the problem is not to close the borders and make it a felony to be or support an illegal immigrant. The solution is more compex and probably impossible. The corporations that take advantage of cheap labor in third world countries need to start making business decisions not only in the name of profits, but also in conscience. I've never been fond of capitalism, but if capitalism is ever going to succeed in the long-term on this planet, these multinational corporations as well as the governments of all countries need to balance their desire for profit with an appreciation for the the one resource that makes the entire world economy possible: the human being.

-Erick Safety Willemse ("this is horribly written" is his own title)