How illegals see it

Few Americans know any illegal immigrants personally. All they know is what they see from a distance in parades--men women and children marching peacefully, waving American flags (OK, often Mexican flags as well). Or perhaps they've seen the sort of documentaries PBS affiliates show constantly about poor, honest, hardworking folk just trying to get by, persecuted by jackbooted troopers (doubtless with Nazi flags hung in their homes).

And most of the Mexicans I've known were affluent members of Mexico's ruling class, or non-immigrants like the crews of the dive boats my spouse and I have used on dive trips in Mexican waters.

So I really appreciated getting a comment on a previous entry here from Lulu Moretti. Here's a portion of what she said:

I've spent quite a bit of time in Mexico visiting my brother-in-law and his Mexican wife. Through them I met many Mexicans who live and work in San Diego. Though none of them is in the US legally, they live as if they were, and pass through the border at Tijuana easily. They have ALL told me the same things: Americans are stupid because their laws are so easy to get around. The English language is ugly. In fact, they enjoy doing crude impersonations of "speaking" English - which none of them can actually speak including the ones working in the US for over 10 years.

What amazed me is while being in social situations with them they were so rude and took every opportunity to denigrate the US and celebrate Mexico! Not one person wanted to learn English or become a US citizen. They were proud that they were here only for the money and in general they hated the US and the gringos and Anglos and whatever other name they could think of calling me, us. They reminded my husband and I that they only wanted enough money so they could return to Mexico and live comfortably. These are not farm workers, but small business owners and employees of local companies.

I found those years to be more of an education about Mexicans - those who live illegally in the US - than I ever could imagine and a complete contrast to my sister's wonderful Mexican husband who came here when 23 years old, worked hard to learn English, and become a citizen. He says he is "not like most Mexicans". In fact, he speaks clearly about the greed of his former countrymen and their narrow focus on themselves without thought to anyone or anything else.