Mis dos centavos

Here are my two cents on immigration. Right now there is a lot of uproar about the Arizona law, and here is what I think. Take it or leave it.

Borders exist for a reason. They should be respected.

Laws also exist for a reason. Anarchy = probably not a good idea.

Laws, however, should protect ALL people from danger, mistreatment and injustice. Does this law do that? The answer is a resounding, "no."

I can tell you from first-hand and seond-hand experience that it is REALLY hard to be financially stable in Mexico. I assume this is the same for all of Latin America. (but you know what they say when you assume...)

With a Master's degree, I make around 1,000 bucks a month, when the peso is strong. That's an amazing salary considering my work day is 6 hours. My husband works 2-3 times as many hours for the same amount of pay. My mother-in-law works longer hours, plus Saturday for less than half that. We make enough to pay rent and buy groceries. Ramon and I are blessed enough to be able to save a large amount of my salary with the hopes of buying a house this year or next.

But we are an exception. We're not the rule. Imagine the cactus farmer who makes 100 dollars a month. Do his utilities and groceries change price based on his income? Nope.

I hope you can undestand why people feel the need to find a way to make more. Believe me, it's not the beauty of America and it's people that tear people away from their homes and families. It's necessity.

Why should this be the US's problem, you might argue? And you'd be right, a little bit. It's not the US's problem that people in other countries can't survive on their income.

But, when has that ever stopped us from getting involved in other conutries' business?

Plus, we do have a huge part of the responsibility. Just do some investigation about Maquilas in border towns and how much US companies save by having sweatshops on this side of the border. etc, etc, etc.

What's the answer? I don't know. What I do know is that the Arizona law is kind of like trying to put out a forest fire with your own spit... Try as you might, you're not going to solve anything.