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Ralph Peters is a regular columnist with the New
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PETERS |
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Man On The Move
by Ralph
Peters [author,
novelist] 5/30/08
We Americans see our illegal-immigration crisis in isolation, as if we
alone face failing borders. But we're in good shape compared with
migrant-flooded countries around the world.
It's a global phenomenon - a new age of mass population
transfers that bedevils rich, stable countries and overwhelms the
infrastructure of weaker states. And there's no end in sight.
For us, it means focusing seriously (at long last) on securing our borders and facing
up to our economy's needs. For struggling states, the scale and speed
of population movements mean scarcity, explosive crime, terrorism and
anti-immigrant riots that climax in murder.
Contributor
Ralph Peters - Contributor
Ralph
Peters is a retired Army officer and the author of 19 books,
as well as of hundreds of essays and articles, written both
under his own name and as Owen Parry. He is a frequent columnist
for the New York Post and other publications. [go to Peters Index] |
Just this month: In South Africa, pogroms butchered refugees from
Zimbabwe and economic migrants from Mozambique. In India, Muslim
fanatics among a mass of Bangladeshi immigrants (to whom even India
appears wealthy) set off a string of bombs in Jaipur.
Central Asians fear a demographic takeover by Chinese moving
westward; European states struggle to absorb unskilled African illegals
and Muslim immigrants out to exploit welfare benefits (while avoiding
social integration). The United States confronts the prickly question
of what it means to be a nation of immigrants in the 21st century.
Within states, the rural poor swell monster-cities such as Lagos,
Sao Paulo and Mumbai. Fleeing such cities, desperate people overload
wooden boats, walk across deserts or stow away in aircraft cargo -
headed for other continents that offer a glimmer of hope.
On the plus side, the new mobility means a brilliant Indian
software engineer in Silicon Valley or a drop-dead-gorgeous Polish
barista in a London Starbucks. But, all too often, it means Salvadoran
gangbangers in Virginia, no-prospect Muslim kids simmering in Paris or
deadly economic competition in Johannesburg.
Why is this happening now? First, it isn't really new. This is only the latest great
global migration - the last one occurred over a half-dozen centuries,
beginning as the Roman Empire faded. Back then, entire tribes moved,
driven from their grazing grounds on the steppes or searching for
richer worlds to conquer.
Today's migration is more chaotic and individualized, but swifter.
Instead of moving on horseback and fighting hostile tribes, today's
migrants fly or ride over-crowded buses, and do battle only with
immigration officials or border police. But the world is on the move
again.
The immediate reason for these explosive population transfers is
simply that we've been stunningly successful at improving nutrition and
reducing disease in poverty-stricken countries. Nature no longer takes
its natural toll - but few developing states can absorb the results of
reduced mortality.
With our hard-learned humane values, Western states have been slow to recognize global migrations as an accelerating challenge - and not a temporary phenomenon bound to wither away. Demographic pressures are only going to increase.
The bottom line? Europe is already on a disastrous course with its
won't-assimilate Muslim immigrants - not toward "Eurabia," but toward
another period of population expulsions.
Developing states inundated by migrations will behave brutally (and
Western leftists will make excuses for every atrocity, as long as it's
committed by dictators hostile to Washington).
But what about us? What about this country composed of immigrant stock (save for our Native American population)? Who are we? What sort of country do we want to be? Which of our fears are grounded, and which are folly?
The problem with our immigration "debate" is that it isn't a
debate, but a shouting match among the deaf. A realistic, humane
immigration policy that acknowledges our economic needs would make
neither the militant left nor the extreme right happy.
Let's start with the admission that we need to control our borders - and are entitled to do so. We're not required to accept everyone who wants to come here. We're not required to admit criminals, or the diseased, or those who reject our fundamental values.
If it takes a fence to control our borders, just tell me how high.
But we also have to accept reality. Our feckless leaders - Republican
and Democrat - have allowed 12 million illegals to enter our country.
And the US Army is not going to line them up four abreast and march them back across the Rio Grande.
My solution would be to create a new form of residency, short of
full citizenship: No one who broke the law to enter our country should ever be able to vote in our elections.
But we also must be honest about our needs. Immigrant labor is essential at both the bottom and the top ends of our economy. If talented
individuals educated at foreign expense want to come here to help us
create wealth, we should be tripping over ourselves to grant them
visas.
Contrary to left-wing myths, a Ukrainian physicist won't put an
American auto worker out of a job. And that auto worker isn't going to
accept a job harvesting garlic in Gilroy, Calif.
If we want to maintain our global lead (which we have not lost), we're going to have to be accept that our economy will always need new blood.
On the other hand, we must be much tougher on criminal immigrants. One felony? Serial misdemeanors? You're gone, dude. No appeals.
What's the worst thing we could do about the new global migration?
Ignore it. Postpone solutions. Pretend - as we did 20 years ago - that
illegal immigration is a temporary phenomenon curable with a "one-time"
amnesty.
What's the best we could do? Control our borders, but be honest
about our needs and treat legitimate immigrants with dignity and
decency.
The status quo is not only unworthy of our values, it's a disaster. ExileStreet
Ralph Peters' latest book is Wars of Blood and Faith.
This
piece first appeared in the New York Post
copyright 2008 - NY Post
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