Freedom to Move

Today's newsletter from the Foundation for Economic Education had this story:


Mexican Teenager Killed by U.S. Border Agent
“Mexican leaders on Wednesday condemned the fatal shooting of a Mexican teenager by the U.S. Border Patrol at the border in El Paso, as U.S. officials scrambled to investigate the circumstances surrounding the second killing of a Mexican by a U.S. agent in two weeks. According to preliminary reports from U.S. officials, Border Patrol agents on bicycles were pelted with rocks while trying to apprehend migrants trying to cross illegally from Ciudad Juarez into El Paso…. U.S. officials said an unidentified Border Patrol agent was defending himself as the officers came under attack. The teenager, Sergio Adrián Hernández Güereca, 15, was shot in the head Monday, according to Mexican officials.” (Washington Post, Thursday)
Another victim of U.S. immigration policy.




My response to the editor:


You need to be clear about just what the hell you mean by "just another victim of US immigration policy."

Are you saying we shouldn't protect our border?  

Are you saying we would be better off with violent, rock-throwing Mexicans crossing into our country?  Are you aware that they don't care about our laws, our customs, our traditions, or our well-being? 

Even Oscar Cooley in his essay wrote,  "and peacefully submitting to the laws and customs of his newly adopted country".   

Throwing rocks at our law enforcement officials is a decidedly non-peaceful protest of our laws and customs, which is currently that all immigrants need to be registered with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. 

I myself am an immigrant, but I have a naturalization certificate, I vote, I pay taxes, and of course I read and write English (my third language).   I serve in the military and I support our law enforcement.  I don't throw rocks at them.  I carry a passport when I cross our border.

Did you forget that free markets need protection in order to work?

Our American culture is not strong enough to assimilate these immigrants.  We provide, at our own expense, Spanish ballots and Spanish interpreters in courts. This sends the message that our custom of speaking English isn't important, even though its crucial. Without speaking English how will they learn the rest of our customs? Don't think for a minute they can learn them in Spanish.  A language is a very important aspect of culture and if you don't know that you need to study it.  

On May 5th this year there were reports of Mexican flags flying higher than USA flags. That is contrary to our custom of flying the USA flag the same or higher than other flags, as a show of respect for our country and the blood that was spilled to allow us to live freely in it.  They don't know or respect that.  

These Mexican immigrants have a disdain for the United States and its customs, as Arabs have a disdain for Europe and its customs.  

Europe welcomed non-assimilating Arabs, and now they are learning they made a mistake.

Muslims call Europe their occupied territory. Mexicans call California their occupied territory.  

The United States are not their newly adopted country. 

I share the ideal described in Oscar Cooley's essay.   But unlike you, I actually read the essay.