Friday, June 8, 2007

Theo on Immigration Reform

I have been asked by a number of supporters to address the issue of illegal immigration. For the record, I believe in border security, I believe in strengthening the US Border patrol both through increased manpower and improved technology and I believe in using every means available to us to shut off the flow of drugs into the country and to keep off our shores those extremists in the world who would use terror to destabilize our society. I recognize that America is part of a world in which threats abroad can become threats at home if we do not rigorously patrol our boundaries and scrutinize those entering the country. About these matters I am resolute.

However, I do not consider any of those matters truly “immigration-related.” Too often the discussion of immigration reform is conflated with the issue of border security. That fact contributes to a discussion of human lives that reduces undocumented immigrants to criminality. I refuse to engage in a discussion of millions of families who work hard and contribute to our society as if those families consisted of human beings somehow less imbued with humanity than the rest of us. Such a notion not only misrepresents the true character of the vast majority of border crossers, it also disserves the rest of us by reducing us to jingoism, thinly veiled racism, intolerance and fear. I will not engage in any discussion that includes such themes.

When the Burning Crusade expansion pack was released, all of us on the Horde side noted the proliferation of Blood Elves entering our territories. I’m sure the same was true for the Alliance who must have felt suddenly overrun by Draenei. I can’t say that I was much different than any other member of the Horde at first. I wondered how we would be able to sustain our culture with such a vast wave of diminutive, cute little things running around speaking their chirpy little language. I worried that my own hometown of Orgrimmar might not be able to provide the necessary sources of employment to sustain we hardworking Taurens, Orcs, Undead and Trolls with the addition of thousands of Belf immigrants.

Of course, as it turned out, the Belves have done nothing to threaten the solidarity of the Horde and in fact, they have contributed immensely to Horde culture through the contribution of their own unique experience and history.

I believe it is time for America to admit a simple truth – there is no way to round up and deport 12 million people even if we wanted to. Moreover, we shouldn’t want to. Undocumented immigrants are an integral part of the fabric of American society. We have nothing to fear from them.

While we’re at it, we should admit another truth – building a 700-mile wall on a 3,700-mile border makes as much sense as dropping a frost totem to slow a Fel Reaver, which is to say it makes no sense at all.

I have written a longer statement about immigration that can be read at this link. My past position statements on the issue can be read here and here. I welcome questions on this subject. Write to me at theodoric08@yahoo.com and I’ll get back to you.

In common struggle,
Theo

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good points...but belfs should still be burned at the stake. At least the male ones.

Anonymous said...

The Belves are a sovereign and autonomous people with customs unfamiliar to us. I do not personally support Belf burning but I oppose a Constitutional amendment to outlaw it. I believe that matter should be left up to the states and I am persuaded that the question of whether or not to burn a Belf is one best made individually with the counsel of one's own conscience and, if appropriate, one's doctor.

Anonymous said...

People should read this.