Every once in a while, it's nice to find stories that run contrary to the positions I normally take on this blog. Not only does it liven things up for me, so I'm not just rehashing the same opinions over and over, but it speaks to the complexity of modern politics, and the fact that even the most divisive issues are never completely cut and dried.
At the core of my feelings on illegal immigration is the fact that, deep down in my gut, I don't think I really believe in the concept of nations - at least not in the world as it is now. Where someone lives has no bearing to me on their value as a human being, and if someone in Mexico or Yemen or Japan or Iran wants to move to Albuquerque and become a plumber, I don't see the need to overly regulate that - keep track of it, sure, but requring all kinds of fees, tests, and waiting lists just seems bureaucratic and unfair to me. The tests in particular, since I doubt most normal American citizens could pass the naturalization exam on a moment's notice.
With all that in mind, though, forgive me if I don't weep for President Obama's uncle, who is being deported soon. He's been living here illegally since 1963, and only popped up on Immigration's radar after a drunk driving arrest last summer. Apparently he actually was ordered to leave once in 1993 and they just didn't bother to follow through.
Being the president's uncle doesn't seem to have done much for him financially--he was working as a liquor store manager at the time of his arrest--but I can't imagine there were no avenues through which he could've attained citizenship over almost fifty years now. And then to be kicked out on paper, and not bother going anyway?
Yeah, I'll admit it - at that point you're just asking for it.
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