Posted 5 years ago around lunchtime by oso
Picking up the paper this past week and avoiding an article about our southern border would have been like picking up a gallon of prune juice and avoiding the toilet: difficult. As chance would have it, during the media blitz brought on by a couple high-profile surveys and two governors’ declarations of states of emergency, I finished reading Peter Laufer’s Wetback Nation: The Case for Opening the Mexican-American Border. Or, closer to reality: Provacative Titles Sale: A Case for Reporters Stringing Together Books with Loosely Related Past Articles. Still, the supposed case (which was never really made) was enough to keep me reading through because it’s something I’ve been arguing myself for so many years.
The day before traveling back to San Diego, Laura and I were eating comida corrida at one of our favorite hole-in-the-walls in Torreon. My enchiladas en salsa verde were unfortunately colored with too much cilantro rather than tomatillo … a barely permissable deviation that had me a feeling a little uneasy. I remember there was a Televisa feature on American patriotism playing in the background which is probably how we got talking about the border. You might be surprised, but for how many times we crossed it, seldom if ever did we actually talk about that fuzzy physical and cultural crevasse which was, supuestamente, inaugarated by the Treaty of Guadalupe.
When I told Laura that I thought completely erasing the border would have little impact on either Mexico or the US, she almost spat out her horchata. “Don’t suck, destesticulated bull, of course, yes” is the hyper-literal translation of her telling me that I’d gone crazy. My point was threefold:
- Mexicans who really want to migrate long-term to the US to work, will do so regardless, border or no border.
- Not that many Mexicans really want to go to the US. Almost everyone I have asked in my various trips to Mexico say that they’d like to visit my country for a couple weeks, maybe work there for a while, but when it comes to living and when it comes to raising a family, there’s no place like home. If you want to offend a middle class Mexican, just assume that the only reason (s)he’d come to the US is to get a job. They’ll rightly inform you that they already have a job and that when they come to the US, it’s often to spend their paychecks on brand goods. (I am intensely curious to know what percentage of San Diego’s overpriced-Urban Outfitters’ customers come from Mexico)
- The increasingly arduous and expensive (smugglers’ market rate is up to $2300) trip across the border is keeping many Mexicans inside the US who would otherwise spend a mere 3-6 months working seasonal jobs which are often tough to fill with domestic labor, and then return to their hometown to show off new Ford Rangers with chrome rims (all bought here in the US).
It was the second point that raised Laura’s eyebrows: “You crazy cracker, if there were no border, 90% of Mexico would head North.”
I agreed that there would probably be two or three years of chaos. Novelty alone would probably entice many Mexicans who had never even given thought of crossing the border, to try out a life in a foreign country, culture, and language. There would also be an excess low-skilled labor pool which would encourage low-skilled Americans and Mexicans alike to make themselves more marketable by educating themselves at universities, community colleges, and tech schools. But more to the point, after two or three years, most Mexicans will realize what a pain in the ass it is to live and work in a foreign country with a cold culture and lingering racism. A few others will decide they prefer the American way, will assmiliate rapidly, and will probably become dedicated followers of HP’s trademarked minority conservativism. The majority, though will come here to work for a year or two, gain a more global outlook, hopefully some entreprenuerial skills, and return to Mexico – a country and culture they love – to make it something better. As simpleminded as it sounds, much of the motivation for crossing the border comes from the (often mistaken) assumption that we must be protecting some gold-paved streets if we’re willing to spend so many billions on keeping people out. But if the average Mexican can just come and go, I’m convinced that (s)he will do exactly that.
But then again, maybe I’m wrong. The results of a recent survey by the Pew Hispanic Center completely blew me away. The media concentrated on findings that 60% of US-born Latinos support laws denying drivers’ licenses to illegal immigrants or that 16% said that the population of Latinos should be reduced in the US while only 28% said it should continue increasing (44% said it should stay the same). None of that surprised me, but what did – completely – is that, according to the survey, nearly half of all Mexicans would migrate to the US if they were able to. Not quite Laura’s 90%, but more than five times the amount I would have guessed.
If there is a legitimate critique of opening our southern border it’s the effect it would have on Mexico’s border with Guatemala, which is just as militarized if not more so than ours. And Guatemalan immigrants in Mexico are treated just as poorly as Mexican immigrants here. This is where the debate gets ideological. I’d say open up Mexico’s border too … and Guatemala’s … and all of the Americas. Which would result in a hemisphere-wide “Americas Union.” Makes sense to me. The European Union seems like an exemplary model to follow. But for some reason, both the left and right is afraid of opening borders and tearing down fences even though that should be the highest goal of both liberal humanism and conservative neoliberalism.
It’s been a gas seeing Ruben Navarette try to situate himself amongst the self-declared San Diego establishment. People here just don’t know what to make of him. He’s conservative and they like that. He’s a light-skinned Latino and they like that too ’cause they can just quote him when saying things like Latinos have cultural problems. But then, when the establishment – already on the defensive after their hero takes a fall – calls an exclusive town forum to discuss illegal immigration, he calls them out and they start crying. Listen to Californian senator (now frontrunner to replace Cunningham the crook), Bill Morrow:
Navarette says the forum was not a two-sided debate. But then, I never intended it to be. The public gets the pro-illegal tripe daily through the mainstream media. The pro-illegal side doesn’t need equal time.
I love conservative rhetoric. Then (you already knew it was coming):
And for the record: I’m not anti-immigrant. I have legal immigrants from Mexico on my staff.
Yeah, you and every other white guy in the country. Which is one of the points why immigration policy needs to be reformed. You just can’t keep offering jobs to a group of people without recognizing that they are in fact people.
If you’d like to get involved and do something positive you can buy Phyllis Schiafly a vibrator. Here’s her description of the immigration forum a couple weeks ago where a few dozen protesters – not allowed inside – voiced their opinion against the (lack of) debate:
The anti-free-speech activists didn’t go away quietly. An estimated 150 protesters using bullhorns, mostly Hispanic and some Muslims in head scarves or burkas, did their best to disrupt the meeting and scare attendees. It took 150 police officers in full gear with face shields and automatic weapons, plus SWAT team members in black tank-like vehicles, to keep demonstrators at bay.
Well, it is good to know that Carlsbad has such a supply of riot police, SWAT team members, and tank-like vehicles to deal with brownies and Mohammedens. Maybe next time we can make the goal of two automatic weapons for every protester instead of one.
OK, I’m getting a little facetious here, I know. I have no idea how our broken-ass immigration policy is gonna get fixed. Here in San Diego there is seriously a strong contingent of people who would like to see an Israel-style closed border wall. They use buzz words like “national security” without realizing that the easiest path to security is integration. The Pew survey also says something about anti-americanism. A contradiction I quickly picked up on while traveling is that a good chunk of the global population spits out anti-American rhetoric. And yet, a good 80% of them would gladly come try things out here.
For the same reason that we should let Americans travel to Cuba – to see how good we have it in comparison – we should also allow more temporary immigrants into the U.S. One of the best thing we could do for U.S. foreign policy would be to increase the amount of available 5 year work visas 10 fold. That way people from all over the world would spread the word that these crazy gringos really aren’t that bad at all.
For those of you who think protests change policy and aren’t allergic to the smell of hippie, there is a “(no)Border Encuentro” this weekend being held throughout San Diego.
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Out of curiosity, Osito, when you say “[t]he European Union seems like an exemplary model to follow”, have you been following the ups and downs of that transformation, or are you just speaking about the general idea?
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It fucking sucks that Cunningham did those shady transactions that got him in the mess that he is in now. The guy has represented my district ever since I first moved here, about four years ago, and I’ve been overall pleased with him. But now he has to resign and I face the very real possibility of being represented by this Morrow character.
Atleast we have a President who speaks common sense on this issue, because, if it comes down to it, I may have to vote extreme right wing on my districts next election, in other words, vote Libertarian, the only true supporters of open borders.
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I would say that it’s not far fetched to envision open Americas akin to Europe but not any time in the foreseeable future. We are, much to nationalists shagrin, moving toward a global society. It’ll simply happen more literally in the digital world much much quicker than it’ll ever happen in the physical .. and political .. one.
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Good post.
Obviously you touch on something I have been thinking about for a long time, so I will put in my two bits.
Before Europe allowed free movement of labor, opponents of the idea said that the Greeks, Sicilians, Spanish, and Portuguese would all move to Germany, Holland, and Denmark. Why? More jobs and better benefits.
It did not happen.
Another analogy is that of Germany and Berlin. Most Germans who used to live in the east still do.
Even when people say they would like to move, they don’t. Why?
1. Home is safer than a strange place.
2. It costs a lot (money, resources, capital – social, cultural, economic) to move. Many assume that it is the poor and desparate that migrate, but this is not the case. It tends to be the more educated and those with enough capital to do so.
3. An idea is easier to believe than actually putting a migratory plan into action. I would like to move to California, but I don’t.
Walls make us feel safe. People hide behind them, fearing the unknown. Tearing them down is hard.
Thanks for making me think, again.
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El Oso, El Moreno, and El Abogado » Sorrow Drips Into Your Heart Through A Pinhole
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Even though EU countries allow unfettered movement it’s all tightly regulated… you can’t just come into the country and start using it’s services.
Also, talk to any German or Englishman about the proposed admission of Turkey to the EU and watch their response. Mexico is more akin to Turkey, Bulgaria, Latvia etc.. in the EU than Spain/ Portugal etc..
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I have to disagree with Sassy.
First, if you look at the rhetoric from 1980 and 1985 regarding the admission of Greece, Portugal, and Spain, it was very alarmist. Yes, that rhetoric is gone. So much that much less fuss was made about the admission of the Eastern European countries last year.
There is free movement of people and labor in Europe. Of course there is bureaucracy that must be dealt with – as is always the case. Even in the US, you cannot move from one state to another and immediately start using the state services.
Last the parallel between Mexico and Turkey is a poor one. Whether Europeans admit it or not, the biggest reason people object to the admission of Turkey into the EU is that it is a Muslim country. There is a growing unease about the growth of Islam in Europe, so much that the Catholic Church pushed very hard for a clause stating the Christian roots of Europe. While I have heard all sorts of rhetoric against Mexicans (and other Latinos), their Catholicism has never been a reason for keeping them out (ok, there are a few Aryan wackos that might bring it up).
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Elenita,
I have kept up with the ups and downs of the EU. As of late, the media certainly has been reporting the downs much more than the ups. But we’ve got to remember that this is a region that has been at war with itself for milienia so I’m constantly amazed when they can agree on anything. In comparison, the Western Hemisphere has had much less internal violent conflict and arguably has less cultural and linguistic diversity. Though I’m sure a billion policy experts would disagree with me, I really don’t see how the EU could be doing things any better.
HP,
You might want to look at this.
Myke,
I wish that the digital world really were erasing borders as quickly seem to be saying that it is. Are you planning on doing this?
Xolo and Sassy,
I’m closer aligned with Xolo here. Despite a long history of Turkish immigration to Western Europe, the cultural divide between Turkey and Europe is much more pronounced than Mexico and the U.S. Turkey is a barely secular Muslim nation (whose secularism depends on its military) firmly rooted in the Ottoman Empire with a language – though reformed – that traces to Sanskrit. Especially in the post 9/11 world, the century old Christianity vs. Islam conflict is bubbling up strong where nothing like that could compare between Mexicans and Americans.
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That damn RINO!!! On second thought now, he probably did intentionally try to buy off votes!!!
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My point is that there is a huge influx of Turks, Algerians, and other mediterranean immigrants into Northern Erurope and the Europeans are freaking out about it, similar to the way Americans are freaking out about illegal immigration. This didn’t happen with the Greeks and Armenians.
Living in SoCal we have a unique kinship with Mexico… the cultures meld. But where I grew up, in Long Island NY, “Mexican” is a term to describe any latino… and the influx of southern / central Mexicans into the northeast is not taken lightly. As an example – while nearly the entire South Bronx (an area almost the size of San Diego) is Puerto Rican & Dominican.. .there is only one, small Mexican barrio in Sunset Heights Brooklyn, an area of about 20 square blocks. While the South Bronx is a hell-pit of street crime and gangs, Sunset Park is thriving and alive with hardworking people. Yet many in the established Latino communities view the Mexicans as ‘poor outsiders coming to take our jobs’.
As for the EU vs Turkey… I agree that it’s about Islam, but I think it is also socioeconomic – many northern europeans cast the same suspect eye on the Bulgarians, Hungarians, Latvians, etc… as being poor, dumb, lazy, and desperate… an ignorant sentiment echoed (privately) by my neighbors in the Northeast, who have finally accepted Puerto Ricans after nearly 30 years, but now feel threatened by Mexicans, who are an oder of magnitude ‘poorer’ than the established Latinos. Provincialism has always been a part of Old Europe and I think a lot of that sentiment lives on, especially in ‘Old New York’.
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Sassy,
Ask most northern European about Italians, Greeks, and Spanish and you will get dumb, lazy, maybe passionate (hence dangerous). Probably not desparate, but in the ’50s through the ’70s you would hear the same rhetoric.
Turks have been migrating to Germany since the 50’s, yet they are still a marginalized community. Moreover, Turkey has been trying to join the EU for quite some time, yet the Eastern 10 come along and jump ahead of them. Yes, there are stereotypes, even within Germany – where they are supposed to be “ein Volk”: ossies vs. wessies. However, they are still included within the EU. The fear in Europe is about Islam (which = terrorism, but not only). And in the minds of Europeans immigration = Islam.
With Mexicans, and Latinos, it is different. It is about the browning of America. About the dilution of the “fundemental values” upon which the country was founded. About the loss of “our” language. And about the “stealing” of our social services. In the US immigration = illegal immigration.
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Mr. Oso,
One of my recent classes was devoted to this issue though remarkably, in the hour and a half or so we spent discussing, the question of “what would happen if the border were to be erased?” didn’t come up. (Or rather it didn’t occur to me to ask). Instead we went in circles about the current effect of immigration—legal and illegal—on the people of the US, Mexico, and other countries making these journeys as well as the people in the receiving countries. (For example, what effect does having a chino-headed gringo come teach in México have on its people/culture? The economy? Or of China, for that matter). The point is, our hackneyed platica didn’t really get us anywhere. We merely agreed that it wasn’t really working out right now, but didn’t offer up anything resembling a suggestion as to what would.
Needless to say, we’ll return to this in the next class. Thanks, oso!
However, something that did come up that hasn’t been mentioned is that of the “coyotes”—smugglers—that for an exorbitant will rate take ignorant would-be illegals across the river and set them free to be caught by the border patrol, not knowing that the Rio Grande is not the US/México border in all parts of the Republic. (I think the term is used for any smugglers, although my student used it to refer to only those who practiced this kind of abuse).
Also, from this May’s Harper’s Index (yeah, I’m reading back issues—the mail doesn’t work here). “Average number of Mexicans that have died each year since 2000 trying to cross to the United States: 407.” One wonders what those deaths must have been like. Suffocation? Starvation? Crushed while hiding among cargo? You can imagine there must be incidents that nobody knows about also. The idea of those hidden gold-paved streets still weighs heavy in peoples’ minds apparently. Eldorado, USA—here we come! (Maybe inspired reading of Candide is what is driving everyone northward).
Either way, I think eliminating border controls would mitigate these problems.
And speaking of China, perhaps the Chinese tunnels in Mexicali would be a safer route (check out “They Came Out Like Ants!” in the October 2004 issue of Harper’s).
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I am so pleased you read my book WETBACK NATION and that its ideas stimulated such productive discussion on your intriguing blog. I am a taste curious why you would find it necessary to trash my title and why you suggested that some reporting I’ve done in the Borderlands, Mexico and the U.S. over the last twenty years should not be used in the book. No hay de qué. I also wonder if I successfully communicated to you that WETBACK NATION refers not to Mexicans coming north but what Americans are making of our nation with restrictive immigration policies vis-a-vis Mexican immigrants without documentation. Con un abrazo, Peter Laufer
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Ah the inkernet. So amazing.
Peter, thank you for your comment. You’re the first journalist to actually leave a comment on the weblog instead of sending an email behind the scenes.
When I wrote, “Provocative Titles Sale,” I really wasn’t trying to specifically trash your title (which if I remember right, was thought of by someone at the Knight Center), but rather stating what seems to me like a fact. If you look at our archives, they’re full of provocative titles for ordinary posts. Unfortunately, no one buys what we write.
And by all means you should be allowed to include pieces of reporting you’ve done in the past. I should say first off, that I really enjoyed almost all of the chapters in the book. But I felt like I was led astray by the subtitle. It read like a great anthology of reporting, but I was expecting a coherent policy argument … or, as the subtitle reads, a “case for opening the US-Mexican border.”
I wanted interviews with demographers and policy experts. I wanted to hear from government service managers to talk about what sort of infrastructure reforms would need to be made. I wanted to hear from Mexican politicians on their thoughts about opening the border. I also wanted comparative cases like the EU and India and Nepal (which share an open border). I wanted Freedom of Information Acts filed in order to see if FEMA or any other gov’t agency has a plan of what they would do if, say, el Popo were to one day erupt sending millions of Chilangos northward.
But what you did was something much different and something you should be lauded for: you told the stories of ordinary everyday people on both sides of the border. The people who are usually left out of the major media. So although Wetback Nation left me disappointed in terms of the information I was looking for, it did make me a fan of your writing and reporting and I will make sure to keep track of future stuff. Thanks for dropping by.
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I most agree that there is need for a technical analysis of what might occur were the border to be opened. I felt my role was to generate debate, such as what occurred during a talk I gave this week in Sonoma County where members the audience expressed their horror at the idea of more mixing of the so-called singular American culture with that south of the border. And to spur such debate I believe my best device is to pass along stories such as those in the book (and I appreciate your positive response to them). And since you provided the opening, thank, allow me to draw attention to my upcoming book, MISSION REJECTED, which chronicles sodiers returning from the Iraq war opposed to it and those who refuse to go. As you probably know, there is a nasty Mexican connection: the luring of Mexicans by recruiters with suggestions of fast-tracked citizenship and the perverse offering of post mortum citizenship for Mexican national soldiers killed on duty in Iraq. Chelsea Green is the publisher (www.chelseagreen.com), an audio blog chronicling the book in progress is due in place soon. Come visit!
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I most agree that there is need for a technical analysis of what might occur were the border to be opened. I felt my role was to generate debate, such as what occurred during a talk I gave this week in Sonoma County where members the audience expressed their horror at the idea of more mixing of the so-called singular American culture with that south of the border. And to spur such debate I believe my best device is to pass along stories such as those in the book (and I appreciate your positive response to them). And since you provided the opening, thank, allow me to draw attention to my upcoming book, MISSION REJECTED, which chronicles soldiers returning from the Iraq war opposed to it and those who refuse to go. As you probably know, there is a nasty Mexican connection: the luring of Mexicans by recruiters with suggestions of fast-tracked citizenship and the perverse offering of post mortum citizenship for Mexican national soldiers killed on duty in Iraq. Chelsea Green is the publisher (www.chelseagreen.com), an audio blog chronicling the book in progress is due in place soon. Come visit!
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May I suggest a more provocative title?
Just kiddin.