Gringos and Mexicans or Americans and Illegal Aliens?

Where you stand depends on where you sit.

Saw this little ditty over on FB.  Thought it was an interesting and typically one-sided view of the world that seems to be rather common.  You know...the whole "you're either in agreement that Americans are the problem or if you disagree you're part of the racist, bigoted, misogynistic, climate denier, woman hater, fill in the blank" crowd.  It's pretty common.  Check this out...

Gringo (a): - Hi, where are you from?

Mexican: - Hi, I’m from Mexico

Gringo (a): - Ah! The land of Chapo Guzmán, narcos, marihuana, crime and extortion.

Mexican -I’m sorry, are you a drug addict or a TV junkie?

Gringo (a) - No!!! Why?

Mexican -Because if you were an athlete or sports fan, you would have identified Mexico with Ana Guevara, Hugo Sanchez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Finito, Chicharito Hernandez, Canelo Alvarez, Rafael Marquez, etc.

If you were an educated person, you would have asked about the Aztec empire, the Mayan culture, the Olmecs or any other of the great mesoamerican cultures.

If you were a well traveled person you would have talked about our majestic archaeological sites, our tourist-friendly colonial cities, our megalopolis or our exotic beaches… the astonishing biodiversity of our rainforests, mountain ranges, deserts, conifer forests…

You could have identified Mexico with our great painters, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, Frida Khalo, José Clemente Orozco; our composers: Agustín Lara, Consuelo Velázquez, Armando Manzanero, Juan Gabriel Jose Alfredo Jimenez, our writers and poets: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Juan Rulfo, Octavio Paz, Juan José Arreola, Elena Poniatowska, Amado Nervo, Jaime Sabines;

Our inventors or scientists: Manuel Mondragón, Guillermo González Camarera, Luis Ernesto Miramontes; our cinematographers: Ismael Rodríguez, Emilio Fernández, Alfonso Cuaron, Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Emmanuel Lubezki, and even Luis Buñuel, who, being originally from Spain, chose to adopt the Mexican nationality...

If you were a gourmand, you would have asked about Tamales, Cochinita Pibil, Mole, Adobo, Chilaquiles, Chiles en nogada, Guacamole, Pan de Muerto, etc. Or our traditional beverages: Tequila, Mezcal, wines and beers.

However, I can see, the only thing you can relate to Mexico is the provider to American drug addicts...

I just want you to realize that México is a lot more than what ignorant people and fear-mongering media knows or chooses to propagate.

There are millions of honest Mexicans, who even without knowing you, will open the door to our homes, and that if you care to visit, you will love to get to know.

-Anonymous

See what I mean.  If you are an American who respects laws, believes in sovereignty,  is worried about overburdening already strained social support systems, think people should get in line and wait their turn, are tired of being stereotyped, is concerned about the flow of drugs and the proliferation of gangs, then you fit a predefined role!  So I thought I'd create my own little clever ditty.  See how you like it...

American (not gringo!):  Hi.  Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free.  Welcome to the country.  We allow more immigrants into our country than any other in the world.  We are a country of immigrants and we bend over backwards to allow you to be successful.  We provide equality of opportunity and will lend you a hand at every turn.  We think assimilation has worked for centuries and is a tried and true way for generations to be successful.  But we'll also help you maintain your identity.  All we ask is that you respect our laws and enter our country legally.  Get in line and wait your turn.  We know that the system is terribly bureaucratic and you'll be frustrated, but our politicians don't seem to be able to work together to create a system that is fair and efficient.  So until they do you'll have to live with the system we have. 

Illegal Alien (Mexican): I recognize that I live in a country that has been devastated by corruption for generations and have to get out to seek opportunity for myself and my family.

American:  Great.  Like I said get in line and come in legally.  You'll be afforded all the privileges of residency and ultimately citizenship.  We want that to happen.

Illegal Alien:  Thanks but I want to seek opportunity now.  I've got friends who have entered illegally and they are doing fine.  They seek menial jobs and get fake ID's to get government services.

American:  I get that but don't you see that by coming here illegally you'll be living below the radar.  You'll never get legitimately ahead.  You'll be looking over your shoulder all the time.  Get in line and do it right.  You'll be glad you did for yourself and your children.

Illegal Alien:  Thanks but I don't think so.  I'll take my chances on the illegal route.  

American:  Okay, but this isn't going to end well.

Plausible?  I don't know but I do know and have said for a long time that our immigration system is seriously broken.  We need to make it much easier for people to immigrate to the country.  We need to up the quota for immigrants to even more people.  We need to solve the issue of those already here.  All those things are solvable.  But they get obscured by the flood of the masses, by the flow of drugs, by the illegal presence of people who came here illegally, by the use of services by illegals, etc, etc, etc.  It's a mess.  Our politicians on both sides are failing us.