I'd be Embarrassed

Carlos de Icaza, the Mexican Ambassador to the United States was on C-Span a few days ago to talk about U.S. immigration reform and the widespread demonstrations in U.S. cities the past two weeks.

He said what you'd expect--that Mexico supports strengthening ties with the U.S., that the border needs to be brought under control, that smugglers and bandittos need to be arrested. He referred to the U.S. as the richest, most powerful nation in the world. He spoke of the essential work of the U.S. being accomplished with the help of Mexican labor.

But, he didn't mention the elephant in the corner--the thing that should make him hide his face in shame. And nobody asked the questions that ought to be asked of Vicente Fox and all the rest of the oligarchs who run the Mexican government.

And that is:

Why on earth doesn't Mexico work?

Why does Mexico, a land rich in resources (including petroleum) have to "export" a tenth of its population to el Norte?

Why is it that remittances from that tenth to families back home constitute the second largest component of Mexican national income (after Petroleos Mexicanos)?

What is so wrong with the Mexican polity/economy that the aforementioned 10 percent risk death in the desert, abuse by los coyotes and arrest by Customs and Border Protection so they can come here and work without benefit of unions, workers compensation, pensions, etc., etc., and struggle at surviving in a foreign culture, all instead of staying in Mexico?

Hey, amigos, China is doing it (and there are a billion of them). Singapore has done it. Korea (at least the non-"Peoples" Republic of Korea) has done it (and what a economic basket case it was in 1953). Japan did it (although prostrate in 1945, and in deep waters recently). So what is it with Mexico?

I don't want to be misunderstood, Ambassador de Icaza. I am not one of those raw meat anti-immigrant yahoos who think that all "illegal" immigrants should be deported tomorrow. Or ever. I agree generally with the Senate Judiciary's approach to legalization of those currently out of status. I'm tempted to say "Amen" to what Mayor Bloomberg said last week about the issue: who's fooling whom? they're here, and we're not going to deport them. So, let's welcome them into our nation and let them become legal residents, and citizens if they desire.

But, for the sake of the Mexican people, who should have a chance to flourish in their homeland, who should be able to build up their own communities in their own rich culture, and in their own language, without the terrible stresses of moving to a new land, and a new culture and a new language, it's time to hold you, sir, and your government accountable for what you have failed to do!

And because of that failure, which has continued altogether too long, you should hide your face. Either because your nose is to the grindstone, working on ways to make Mexico work. Or from shame.