An Open Letter To President Calderon

THE CENTURION CHRONICLE
Special Issue – May 2010

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT CALDERON
(some of our best friends are…Mexicans)

Dear President Calderon,

As a taxpaying citizen I was pleased to see that our President and our Congress gave you a most friendly and proper reception during your recent state visit to our country. After all, some of our best friends are….Mexicans. Unfortunately, your negative comments about how our state of Arizona has dealt with the problem of some of your citizens illegally sneaking into our country; then, cheating and gaming our system to remain here, were not appreciated. I thought we were better neighbors than that!

Few of us here would begrudge any of your citizens from coming here – legally- either for temporary economic reasons, or, to ultimately become permanent members of our society. Even despite the fact that the bulk of those who sneak into our country from your side of the border happen to be Mexican. None of that means we’re anti-Mexican (or anti- Hispanic, as some people with very dubious motives try to falsely claim).

Simply put, the folks of Arizona, like many of us, just got sick and tired for being swarmed over like that, while our own “Federales” in Washington, DC, kept their thumbs up where the sun doesn’t shine…and did nothing about it. Frankly, sir, if you had, instead, castigated out Congress for that, the rest of us would have stood up and cheered, and would have given you our full approbation and support. Unfortunately, you did not do that, and we’re the sorrier for that. Nevertheless, you did touch on two critical aspects of the problem between us. One of these being the question why so many of your citizens feel that running away from their homeland, and sneaking illegally into our country….is better than staying there. Which leads me to ask….if your country is such a wonderful place….why are so many of them running away from it? The second thing is about the drug traffic. On that point, you’re quite right, it is a mutual problem. That is, it’s a combination of the demand pull on our side, and the supply push from your side. Perhaps a better joint effort against both might help to resolve that problem.

As to the problem of illegal cross-border movement, perhaps the best resolution for that is to consider making a modest adjustment to our existing NAFTA agreement, to make it a more equitable arrangement. Here’s our proposal: For every one of your citizens who illegally sneaks into our country, we get to send sub-rosa, two of our homeless street types to yours. After all, that would be the epitome of fair trade, don’t you think.

Sincerely,
CENTURION