From the Mouth of an Immigrant...

Seeing what is going on in both of my countries regarding immigration recently, I figured that I, a legal immigrant myself, could shed a little light from this side of the border... Yep, I'm an immigrant too, just the opposite type of immigrant that is in the States, a gringa living in Mexico.

May first, labor day for latin America, was the day of an immigrant workers' strike, and a boycott of United States made products. Why? To show the gringos that the USA depends on immigrants (yes, Mr. Shwartzeniger, your state does too). Am I saying that people should come illegaly to the USA? No. I have to jump through hoops to be a legal resident of Mexico (STILL working on that...) and I have far less rights in Mexico as a legal resident than latinos do in the USA. However, a large part of our country is immigrants - our economy depends on them, legal or not, they supply a ton of the work force, while lazy gringos sit on their couches claiming disability for being overweight or some made-up health problem, and collect welfare that adds up to more than minimum wage. If there were no immigrants working here, maybe these people would take the jobs in the strwaberry fields and cannaries. HA! I think not. So, I don't believe that immigrants are taking jobs away from gringos; instead they are doing the jobs that the lazy people won't do anyway, and are doing them for minimum wage. And, besides yesterday, they don't go on strike because they are only getting minimum wage, because they AGREED to work for that!

So, let's send all the immigrants back to their home country. I MIGHT be able to stay in the USA, is 1/4 Native American sufficient to NOT be considered an immigrant? My mom would move to England, I have cousins who would move to Africa... Probably 95 % of the USA would have to move out. Wow, that would be great for the economy.

It's a sticky situation, because on one hand, you have the LEGAL immigrants who are very much contributing to our society and economy, and on the other hand are illegal immigrants who, well, are breaking the law. I wish that weren't the case, but that's what it comes down to. I think the thing that really makes me mad about all this are the reactions or some people from my dear city... I'll put one here because I was so offended at the ignorance of whoever wrote this:

Excuse me, Mexicans are not silent! In public they will shout to their friends who are a block away while their mouth is only 2 inches away from a stranger's ear. In public Mexicans don't quietly talk to one another. They talk loudly with their motor mouths running and all. It's like they're saying, "Here I am, I'm more important than you-- look at me!" Mexicans don't seem to know their "space". I was standing in line to pay for groceries when all of a sudden I was rushed at from all sides by a mom and her kids. I said, "What are you doing?" Then they backed off. They are not silent and I don't like being lied to by Hispanic Statesman Journal writers. They are in my face and in my space. I've been treated rudely, challenged to fight, asked if I wanted drugs and for only $25.00. Sorry guys! Your short, fat chicks don't turn me on. I'm not racist. I love my friends Lupe and Jose, and Hope and Jerry. They know where I'm coming from, understand me, and support me. If Mexicans would blend in, be gracious, courteous, and respectful, they truely would be the silent population.

Wow, do you even know what people in Latin AMerica think when GRINGOS go to their countries on vacation?!?! WE are the extremely rude ones in other countries! Mexicans are, by their culture, a bit loud and don't need personal space. That doesn't mean they are "barbaric" or anything bad like that, they're just different. They CARE abut their families, which is a lot more than a lot of gringos can say.

Ok, this is long and probably over the top. Just had to voice my opinion.