Friday, June 21, 2013

The American Birdfeeder

I heard a story a few years ago that sought to explain why we Americans are having such a hard time with illegal immigrants. It goes to the “magnet” I mentioned in yesterday’s post.

A kindly older woman enjoyed her backyard. Her husband was a handyman of sorts, so he constructed a nice tool shed, a beautifully appointed patio, and a beautifully built picnic table that he placed under a large oak tree. There were few things the woman enjoyed more than sitting in the backyard, or on the patio, enjoying her beautiful lawn, her flower bed, and listening to a brisk breeze rustling through the branches of her tree.

And she thought that the one thing that would give her more enjoyment would be the presence of birds. She asked her husband to build her a birdfeeder and install a birdbath so that she could watch the birds frolicking in her backyard paradise. That’s just what he did; and when the work was done, he filled the birdfeeder with seeds and started the water pump to keep the water flowing into the birdbath. At first, the lady enjoyed watching her birds; she was amazed how many different varieties of birds came to visit her.

But then things turned rather ugly. The birds began fighting with one another over the birdseed. Larger birds came to chase off the smaller birds. Aggressive birds ruined the tranquility of the backyard environment with their loud, obnoxious squawking. And as one might have anticipated, the entire backyard was covered in bird droppings: the patio, the picnic table, the birdbath, the eaves, and the roof of their small home. Once, while the old woman was hanging out her wash, a large grackle attacked her and drove her screaming inside the house.

The old woman and her husband decided that the only way to restore he backyard to its former beauty and tranquility was to remove the birdfeeder and birdbath. And that’s what they did; the birds soon disappeared and the old man started to clean up the mess the birds had created.

Not unlike the birds, illegal immigrants come here in the thousands. They crowd into areas that aren’t equipped to deal with so many “sudden” residents. They demand services, and when they don’t get them, they turn ugly. Many of our nice neighborhoods have been transformed into vast barrios; slum areas that offer nothing but danger to the people who live there—even the illegal immigrants, themselves. Local authorities ignore the problem.

Our schools have become battlegrounds for rival gangs. We send our children to such places with trepidation; all too often the worst thing happens. The authorities do nothing.

Every legal citizen is resentful of the situation: whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Norwegians … and then the whole issue gets confusing. People begin to claim that anyone who stands against illegal immigrants is really prejudiced against Mexicans. How convenient it is to use ethnicity as a way of ignoring the problem.

This is where we are now with illegal immigration. It began by providing free services to people from other countries who come here illegally. Whenever we do this, we do no more than encourage even more illegal immigration. We offered amnesty to illegal aliens in 1986 —and what was the result of that?
We have to solve this problem, but it is completely illogical to think we can send out law enforcement officers to arrest 20 million illegal aliens. I think we can fix this problem by convincing them it is time to go home. We can do that by denying them “human services.” Cut off any opportunity for jobs for illegal aliens. Prohibit them from renting houses or apartments. Deny them drivers licenses. Deny them the right to attend schools they aren’t paying for. If they show up at food kitchens or hospitals seeking help, feed them, treat them, and then send them back to their country of origin. Whenever a criminal has completed his prison sentence, release them at the US/Mexican border and watch them go back to where they came from. In other words, remove the birdfeeder, remove the bath.

While we are doing this, we need to secure our borders. I don’t mean half-secured. I mean secured against illegal entry. If we will not secure our borders, then all the other efforts simply won’t matter.

And by the way, this is how we treat people who arrive illegally from China, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Why are we treating people from Central and South America any different? Why are some of us portrayed as hateful to Hispanics when legal Hispanics often complain about the birdfeeders, too?


—Mustang Sends

37 comments:

Always On Watch said...

Outstanding post, Mustang!

I just linked to this in my post about immigration.

Always On Watch said...

Also linked at THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS.

Anonymous said...

There are two things wrong with your approach, Mustang. It's too simple and it would work.

JonBerg said...

"The old woman and her husband decided that the only way to restore he backyard to its former beauty and tranquility was to remove the birdfeeder and birdbath."

Good analogy but how do we "remove the birdfeeder and birdbath" so entrenched by Liberalism?

Unknown said...

At first blush, Jon, citizens could begin flooding their state and federal representatives with letters demanding an end to free benefits to illegal aliens.

Sam Huntington said...

Yesterday the U.S. House rejected a nearly trillion-dollar food stamp and farm bill; this was an important victory for taxpayers and a stinging rebuke directed toward the Washington establishment.

Sixty-two Republicans bucked their own party to vote against the bloated bill. Coupled with a large bloc of Democrats who wanted more spending on food stamps, the bipartisan opposition was enough to sink the measure.

Will House leaders bring the bill back to the floor for a vote? Probably. There are no permanent victories in Washington. But for now, conservatives have something to celebrate. If you want a responsible government, then every citizen must exercise vigilance. Always vigilance.

JonBerg said...

Jack,

In theory I agree but, sadly, I live in a State where the citizens are, at best, apathetic and the representatives are clueless.

Constitutional Insurgent said...

Spot on Mustang...I couldn't agree more!

FreeThinke said...

Sorry, the analogy is too CONTRIVED and far too SIMPLISTIC.

Besides, having had bird feeders -- and squirrel and chipmunk feeders too ;-) -- in several back yards for decades, I know for a fact that birds do not behave in the way you describe. You may have been reading too much Daphne Du Maurier or watching too much Alfred Hitchcock.

The fault lies in OURSELVES for having permitted the DEMOCRATS to set themselves up as SANTA CLAUS to The Wretched of the Earth.

The DEMOCRATS did this to us. They did it cynically and calculatedly in a concerted effort to build a PERMANENT INCUMBENCY.

It's morally wrong to blame the poor souls who were enticed and seduced by the CYNICAL, innately VICIOUS and SELF-DESTRUCTIVE policies created and implemented by the DEMOCRATS.

Ergo, we should take punitive action against the DEMOCRATS -- not against the poor dupes who became their VICTIMS.

If we're going to gang up and act like a bunch of NAZI'S toward any group in particular, for GOD's SAKE let it be the MUSLIMS.

Ed Bonderenka said...

"If we're going to gang up and act like a bunch of NAZI'S toward any group in particular, for GOD's SAKE let it be the MUSLIMS."
The Nazi's were the Muslim's Allies.

Anonymous said...

Like I've said many times, this is exactly what happened in France in the 80s-90s. Wait for nationalistic movements to emerge in the US. And the left, after creating those movements with their utopian ideas, will love it. More guilt to put on the right.

USA, France 2.0.

Always On Watch said...

FT,
Here in Northern Virginia, I'm having a time this particular season with the grackles and the blue jays. Must be nestlings around and the fact that there are SO MANY birds here this year. I don't have a bird feeder, but I do toss out bread, birdseed, and peanuts.

This year for the first time in my memory, all of my neighbors have taken down their bird feeders. Why? I have no idea.

Sadly, the wrens that arrived this year were driven off by the blue jays. **sigh**

The cowbird is a big culprit, too, but in a different way.

Louis H. said...

The senator named Rubio wants illegal aliens to have a path to citizenship. I think he means amnesty, but if he really means a path to citizenship, we already have one. I think we call it waiting your turn.

Z said...

Robert, I'd like to think Americans would act up in reaction to that (it happens frequently in Germany from what my stepson is telling me) but it's innocent families hanging around the courthouse looking for justice and they get gestured at and the media doesn't even cover that, according to the stepson; THIS is what's REALLY bothering him...the media's NOWHERE on these things because it's leftwing and God forbid the right thing be done. I am not sure they even recognize what they're allowing to happen.

My stepson says most Germans are numb from these actions...and if they're not, and they speak out, they get the term WHITE SUPREMACIST or NAZI thrown at them.

You don't really think that 'solution' would work, do you? I agree, islamists would be cowed by it, but...

I guess we'll never get that huge crowd of muslims speaking out against their terrorist types. That could help Western Society, if we had muslims working in meaningful numbers WITH us.
But heck, are WE even working against jihadists? Notsomuch.

Always On Watch said...

FT,
I do agree with you that the Dems are actually victimizing the immigrants. Creating a new slave class? The book Mexifornia made that point years ago!

Z said...

Hi, Louis...the thing is that Rubio's plan lets NO ONE become close to a citizen for at least 13 years if what I'm hearing is correct.
And he's clear that it does not place these law breakers ahead of the line over those who have obeyed the immigration laws.

I personally wish I saw a lot more assimilation in Hispanics I see in this area.......there are suddenly fruit stands with umbrellas on them right on Santa Monica BOulevard, which is a large and modern throughway. It's unnerving and disconcerting and I'm sure it's illegal as they probably haven't licenses. They were on side streets in the past; it looks like Tijuana sometimes...there are only a few but where there are a few...
This is not assimilation. Living 10 to a one-bedroom apt is not assimilation...sending non-taxed dollars to Mexico for their families there is hurting us badly and cheating the legal Mexicans who are paying taxes. etc.

Nobody talks about assimilation ... odd.
I personally know a few housekeepers who don't speak a word of English, but they'll say they do. One has been here 20years and is only about 30.
Very sad. She'll always be a maid because of it and I'd bet she's smarter than that but she has no need to learn English

JonBerg said...

Louis H,

"a path to citizenship, we already have one"

Spot-On, buddy!

Anonymous said...

Z, just to clarify things, Jean Marie Le Pen denied the Shoah which was very worrisome. His daughter doesn't. She's a lot more respectable than the dad but you never know.

The problem of Le Front National is that they are socialist in their economic policies. But they are socialist for the French citizens, and with some of the most extremes of their members, French means white only. That's the disgusting part of it. And since there's nobody else to propose a middle ground, they're the only ones to offer an alternative. And former communists flock to them.

Scotty said...

Z said: "Hi, Louis...the thing is that Rubio's plan lets NO ONE become close to a citizen for at least 13 years if what I'm hearing is correct.
And he's clear that it does not place these law breakers ahead of the line over those who have obeyed the immigration laws."


We have to look at history.

There have been some fine laws passed in past years but, they have been overcome either by executive order or simply by not choosing to enforce existing laws.

Money was set aside some 6 or seven years ago to build more fencing. Why was that stopped?

Why should we think it will be any different this time?

Many of the same players are still there that were involved in past laws. Why should I have any faith in what is happening now?

Lisa said...

Plus why is it we don't have the same immigration laws as those countries that we allow here so freely.
Lat post Dave claimed the immigrants contribute to economic activity but they don't it they are receive gore back than they are contributing. If they "claim" to be making 15,000 or less you can add an additional $30,000 to that in what they get back in food stamps,medical and
education.

Dave Miller said...

Lisa, those are not my numbers, they are the numbers of the non partisan Congressional Budget Office.

Where are your "facts" regarding a 100% expense over wages coming from?

Mustang provided links for his article, which I referenced, and he agreed that I had a valid point.

Provide a link to buttress your argument.

Always On Watch said...

Inability to Speak English Helps You Qualify for Disability Gravy Train?

My being a Spanish major will come in handy!

Always On Watch said...

Not a good sign: Most Illegal Immigrant Families Collect Welfare.

Ducky's here said...

Those large glutenous birds at the feeder --- we call them venture kapitalists.

Anonymous said...

Mustang,
Well done. Your metaphor is worthy of any good teacher.

Anonymous said...

Those large glutenous birds at the feeder --- we call them venture kapitalists.

Makes sense when you think you're a permanent victim.

Z said...

Ducky, way to change the subject.
Sorry...that (pardon the expression) doesn't fly.

And, by the way, thank GOD for venture capitalists; some day you'll recognize that people with money who invest in our country while making profits aren't all bad.
Thanks.

Z said...

FrogBurger, am very aware of LePen's anti Semitism, having lived there during Chirac's last election...I have usually included that in my writings about him and yes, his daughter, does not display that.
What bugs me is LePen was so right on so much, but he does something so asinine for the left to attack him with, negating all the good he tried to do.
And...socialism; well......c'est la France :-)

Impertinent said...

@Z:

"the thing is that Rubio's plan lets NO ONE become close to a citizen for at least 13 years if what I'm hearing is correct."

Do you, actually believe that? Do you believe that these parasites ( whether they're French, Guatemalan, Russian, Chechen's, Irish, Italian, Chinese or Cambodians..if your hand is out and on the dole....they're parasites ) will voluntarily give up the goodies, bennies and freebies we grant them ( while denying our own the same perks as citizens )..stand in line for 13 years and wait to become "citizens"?

That's crazy and totally against their nature. If they're getting it free....what the hell do they care about citizenship? And tragically these loons in the "gang" are pedaling this most outrageous of lies to the masses. They hold us in complete contempt and think that we're stupid enough to believe their crap.

Especially after McPain / Kennedy was smacked won in 2007...the laws passed in 1986 were still on the books...did they enforce them, then?

They made funds available 7 years ago to build that fence and complete it....did they? NO...Nappy Big Sis stopped it right in the middle of it.

Maybe the real victims of this amnesty scourge / screwing...Blacks are beginning to wake up. And realize that they'll be more than 50% unemployed when 30,000,000 more of our newest "pets" get "legalized".

Since when did the people of this country vote to be a subsidiary of 3rd world failed dung holes?

Sanata Monica Blvd. looks like Tijuana or Juárez? Did you actually think they'd assimilate and leave their language and "customs" ( slums ) behind? That's what they came from and that's what they know. They're comfortable with living like that. Why the disappointment now?

According to Victor David Hanson....you ain't seen nothing yet.

Impertinent said...

"Not only do our post-1965 immigration policies create an unemployment problem, not only have they massively increased the crime rate, but now all Americans are being asked to give up their civil liberties to fulfill Teddy Kennedy's dream of bringing the entire Third World to live right here in America. (And vote Democrat!) "

May he burn in hell.

Z said...

Imp, so you're suggesting that no new laws have any teeth in them; it's a free for all?
I don't think so.

Impertinent said...

@Z:

"Imp, so you're suggesting that no new laws have any teeth in them.."


The 86 law had the same teeth....what's different now that we need another 1000 page "law"? Nada...nothing...what we need is.."NO MAS"! The 86 law promised the same things. We fell for it...we're dopes...and they know it.

Impertinent said...

@Z:

BTW....I'm gobsmacked that the "CIC" has told schumer that border security is... Unacceptable??? Good god.... Who's this guy working for ? The Mexican government ?

Z said...

Schumer said THAT????????????????

Z said...

OKAY; so now we need American Hispanics who came here the right away and who greatly resent the usurpers to MARCH AND SHOW THEIR ANGER!

Impertinent said...

@Z:





"This immigration bill would hurt, not help, the economic prospects of Latinos in the US, so if either party is self-deceived and foolish enough to support the bill, it would actually hurt that party, not help it.

This goes for the Republican Party, but it goes for the Democratic Party as well, which is now facing considerable backlash from its own base over support for the wage-weakening and job-wrecking provisions of the bill- especially from union members and the working class, but also from poor African Americans and even Latinos. Supporting this particular immigration reform bill, packed full as it is with outrageous concessions to guest-worker provisions and the H1-B and other visas to import cheap labor, would be an act of absolute stupidity for members of Congress from either party."

The Congressional Budget Office helped the GOP cause this week by projecting that the Senate bill would decrease the net annual flow of unauthorized immigrants by a mere 25 percent.

That means the U.S. would still have to deal with as many as 300,000 new undocumented immigrants per year if the bill is enacted, a far cry from its authors’ claims that the measure would slow the illegal influx to a trickle."

Impertinent said...

@Z:

"Schumer said THAT????????????????"


No...Obumbo told that to Schumer....in other words...back to the battle lines comrade! We socialists must prevail over the proletariate. Open borders and a country with no borders or control...is our goal. Remember that bagel bender.