Talk About Xenophobic

“Xenophobic (zen-uh-foh-bic): adjective, suffering from xenophobia; having abnormal fear or hatred of that which is strange or foreign.” (Dictionary.com) Usage: The Mexican government’s immigration policy can be characterized as xenophobic.

Xenophobic is a word that you will hear tossed around as carelessly as a beach ball at a Grateful Dead concert. The term xenophobic, as it is used in political dialogue, is meant to incite feelings of guilt. And it just so happens that guilt trip lobbying has become a favored tool among liberal activists when debating illegal immigration.

This political philosophy would have you believe that opposing illegal immigration makes you a xenophobe … oh, and a racist, as well. That’s right, whether you realize it or not, you hate all foreigners. To be specific, you detest the people of Mexico.

Those who subscribe to this trash heap of a philosophy have received support from the Mexican government in their push for amnesty for illegal aliens. Vicente Fox, the president of Mexico, has been especially vocal, condemning as xenophobic and racist any U.S. attempt to curb illegal immigration. A Newsweek exposé revealed Fox as nothing more than a:

“Hypocrite (hip-uh-krit): Noun, a person who feigns some publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.” (Dictionary.com) Usage: Vicente Fox’s treatment of foreigners proves that he is a hypocrite.

Evidently, the champions of the immigrant rights movement can be best described as xenophobic hypocrites. American immigration policy prohibits immigrants from holding two professions and two professions only: the offices of president and vice president. While ranting and raving about American xenophobia and racism, Fox’s Department of the Interior issued a memo “urging” cities to bar non-natives from serving in their local police or fire departments.

The opportunities extended to non-natives in Mexico are non-existent. The only time you’ll see an immigrant near a judge’s bench is when he’s pleading his border crossing case. There’s no leniency afforded to border jumpers in Mexico. Those convicted face up to two years in prison.

Vicente Fox, the spirited defender of immigrant rights that he is, begged his neighbors to the north to reach deep in their hearts and show some compassion toward his people. If one cared to look south of the Rio Grande, however, one would notice the Mexican government deploying thousands of troops to seal their southern border in 2001.

You’ll also be hard-pressed to find tales of heroes like 19 year-old Army Pfc. Diego Rincon, a Colombian immigrant that gave his life for a country that he grew to love, but not without achieving his lifetime goal of attaining U.S. citizenship. Since July 2002, America has produced over sixteen thousand other stories of heroism, honor and sacrifice. Sadly, Mexico only uses its military to keep people out, not bring them in.

Those that manage to evade border troops and corrupt cops do not find themselves living comfortably either. Guatemalan laborers make up a heavy percentage of immigrants. The Chiapas state of southern Mexico alone employs over 40,000 of these immigrants, who spend their days tending to coffee plantations. Desperate for work, they leave their country to serve as cheap labor earning approximately $3.50 a day. These immigrants provide a cheap alternative to native labor. In fact, the exploitation of Guatemalan immigrants is an essential component of the Mexican economy. This is because, you guessed it, the Guatemalans will do the jobs that Mexicans won’t perform.

Political scientist George Grayson explains it best, “If you ask them, ‘Why are you bringing in Guatemalans to work?’ they say, ‘You can’t depend on Mexicans. They don’t work hard; they’re irresponsible.’”

Ringing any bells yet?

It is no wonder Mexico’s government officials have such a keen eye for xenophobic immigration policies: theirs serve as a perfect model for comparison.

Mexican officials, however, have enabled themselves to cast the proverbial stone within their glass house and not only emerge unscathed, but with a brand new renovation … courtesy of Guatemalan labor. And they have done this through a campaign of “guilt-tripping.” Words like “xenophobe” and “racist” serve as their sword and shield in this “debate.”

The focus of this issue has shifted from a legal debate to a debate centered around “the people.” Illegal aliens and their supporters are trying to spin a border control debate into a pro-Mexican or anti-Mexican dilemma.

Conservatives, on the other hand, want to maintain the law of the land and border security. These two philosophies have clashed before.

Several years ago, it was discovered that Mexican officials had provided illegal aliens with water stations and maps directing border jumpers to U.S. soil. Conservatives reacted utilizing simple logic, which tells us that the Mexican government was coming to the aid of people who were knowingly breaking U.S. law. The Mexican government is obligated to respect American law.

Mexico justified these programs with a “people helping people” defense. What they’re really doing is breaking the law. Liberal activists analyzed the situation, put 2+2 into a calculator and got a smiley face. Thus, if you opposed these programs you appeared, of course, a cruel minutemen-loving racist.

“Guilt-trip” dialogue has been employed by liberals to change the focal points of every major issue in recent history. If one opposes abortion, it is not driven by their love of babies, but by an intense hatred of women. Contesting affirmative action does not highlight your colorblind eye, but your resentment for people of color. Disagree with the welfare state? You would, you poverty loving, exploitive, bourgeoisie supporting classist.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to let infantile name-calling win this one. In fact, next time someone a little more “progressive” than you is blathering about xenophobia … ask him to define it.

Billy McMorris is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at wjm27@cornell.edu. John Manetta Once Told Me appears Tuesdays.