Several recent emails got me thinking about the situation of immigrants and the distorted rantings of the Republican right. I intersperse them here to make the point. The first one, forwarded by a friend, is currently making the rounds among hundreds or thousands of Republican emailers. I found a copy of it on the web
here. It is titled MR. PRESIDENT, I'M HEADED TO MEXICO, and I reproduce it as quoted text:
Dear President Bush:
I'm about to plan a little trip with my family and extended family, and I would like to ask you to assist me. I'm going to walk across the border from the U.S. into Mexico, and I need to make a few arrangements. I know you can help with this.
I plan to skip all the legal stuff like visas, passports, immigration quotas and laws. I'm sure they handle those things the same way you do here...
The second email was distributed to employees of my company. It begins:
Jose Perez Ortega [name altered] is a [position withheld] in my lab. He is 41 years old and was suddenly diagnosed with stage 3 multiple myeloma 2 weeks ago.
So, would you mind telling your buddy, President Vicente Fox, that I'm on my way over? Please let him know that I will be expecting the following:
1. Free medical care for my entire family.
(2nd email, continued:)
He has just undergone his first round of chemotherapy, but is now facing at least one more round followed by a stem cell or bone marrow transplantation.
2. English-speaking government bureaucrats for all services I might need, whether I use them or not.
(2nd email, continued:)
He has 3 small boys (the youngest is 2 months old) and his wife is a stay-at-home mother.
3. All government forms need to be printed in English.
(2nd email, continued:)
He does not have short- or long-term disability insurance, so his family will be relying heavily on donated leave.
4. I want my kids to be taught by English-speaking teachers.
[Company name] employees may donate vacation time that can be used in this type of situation. While I understand that it's about to be vacation season, every little bit of time that you might be able to part with will help. Please forward this to as many [company-name] people that you know.
5. Schools need to include classes on American culture and history.
6. I want my kids to see the American flag flying on the top of the flag pole at their school with the Mexican flag flying lower down.
THANK YOU!!
7. Please plan to feed my kids at school for both breakfast and lunch.
8. I will need a local Mexican driver's license so I can get easy access to government services.
(The third email is one I sent to a co-worker:)
Hey, do you know this guy?
9. I do not plan to have any car insurance, and I won't make any effort to learn local traffic laws.
10. In case one of the Mexican police officers does not get the memo from Pres. Fox to leave me alone, please be sure that all police officers speak English.
(The fourth email was the reply of my co-worker:)
Yeah.
11. I plan to fly the U.S. flag from my house top, put flag decals on my car, and have a gigantic celebration on July 4th. I do not want any complaints or negative comments from the locals.
12. I would also like to have a nice job without paying any taxes, and don't enforce any labor laws or tax laws.
(4th email, continued:)
He's really fucking nice too.
13. Please tell all the people in the country to be extremely nice and never say a critical word about me, or about the strain I might place on the economy.
(4th email, continued:)
He's from Colombia and his wife will get deported when he dies.
I know this is an easy request because you already do all these things for all the people who come to the U.S. from Mexico. I am sure that Pres. Fox won't mind returning the favor if you ask him nicely.
However, if he gives you any trouble, just invite him to go quail hunting with your V.P.
Thank you so much for your kind help.
Sincerely,
David M. Bresnahan
David M. Bresnahan has over 30 years of experience as an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, radio station owner, talk show host, and business owner. David has been a prominent writer for many Internet newspapers.